Windows 8 Fresh Install on clean SSD using Recovery Disk?

[aryonoco]

Hi,

I just received a new Zenbook Prime (UX31A) laptop running Windows 8 Pro. I wanted to secure erase the SSD and re-format the partitions, so I moved the recovery partition in Windows 8 to a USB drive, then using Linux, secure erased the SSD.

Now I can't seem to re-install Windows using the recovery disk on to the clean SSD. When I go into the Reset option of the recovery disk, it says: "Unable to reset your pc a required drive partition is missing".

I did some googling and some people suggested going into BIOS/UEFI and changing SATA settings to Legacy/IDE (instead of AHCI) but that hasn't made any difference either.

Perhaps I was wrong in thinking that you can do a clean install with the recovery disk? Forgive my ignorance, it's been years since I dabbled with Windows system (I mostly run Linux) so this really isn't my area of expertise. What should I do now to get Windows back on this thing?

Thanks for your help.

 

[WilliamM2]

The recovery partition contains an image of the hard drive as it came from the factory. It would have put it back just as it was, not a clean install. Now that you have deleted the recovery partition, the laptops recovery utility won't know where to look for it.

You need an install disk now.

 

[aryonoco]

The recovery partition contains an image of the hard drive as it came from the factory.

You need an install disk now.

Okay... this is interesting! I would have thought a recovery disk should be able to recover to a new disk. Suppose my hard disk failed and I put a new hard disk into the machine... surely I thought that's what "recovery" means!

I guess after over a decade of not using Windows, I hadn't kept up with these new shenanigans...

Anyway, so how does one go about getting an installation disk, the legal way? It's not like the OEMs provide them anymore...No wonder the PC industry is in the duldrums :'(

 

[Savatar]

You can usually request an installation DVD directly from the manufacturer (sometimes at an additional cost, unfortunately)... or you may be able to find the installation DVD online as an ISO (as long as you have a valid serial).

 

[Gintaras]

Okay... this is interesting! I would have thought a recovery disk should be able to recover to a new disk. Suppose my hard disk failed and I put a new hard disk into the machine... surely I thought that's what "recovery" means!

I guess after over a decade of not using Windows, I hadn't kept up with these new shenanigans...

Anyway, so how does one go about getting an installation disk, the legal way? It's not like the OEMs provide them anymore...No wonder the PC industry is in the duldrums :'(

I've bought Lenovo laptop about 1/2 year ago and went thru same thing you go...

They do want you buy "preinstalled OS" for 2nd time - to buy Recovery Discs from them.

What to do?
Win8 OS Key is in the BIOS. You can use any Win8 OS media - from your friend, etc... - it would do no harm to their Win8 DVD, would NOT use their Win8 Key.
Simply, it will install Win8 in chosen partition/HDD and will use Key that's in your computer Bios....

I did this and I told Lenovo - "Go and Screw Yourself with these $60 "recovery discs" - chew them, stick in your butt or whatever...I'm not going to pay twice for "PREINSTALLED OS"

Good luck, HTH....

 

[Throckmorton]

Okay... this is interesting! I would have thought a recovery disk should be able to recover to a new disk. Suppose my hard disk failed and I put a new hard disk into the machine... surely I thought that's what "recovery" means!

I guess after over a decade of not using Windows, I hadn't kept up with these new shenanigans...

Anyway, so how does one go about getting an installation disk, the legal way? It's not like the OEMs provide them anymore...No wonder the PC industry is in the duldrums :'(

I'm having this same problem trying to install a new SSD on my Asus Q550.

What you're talking about IS possible with Sony laptops. Sony includes software that lets you burn recovery discs or an 18gb thumbdrive. Then you can reinstall to a new hard drive just like it came from the factory.

But Asus doesn't include any such software and instead makes you rely on the Windows recovery drive maker. But even though it copies the restore partition to the thumbdrive, you STILL need the restore partition on the hard drive. It makes no sense.

In case we needed a reminder that Asus is an offbrand with relatively low quality and support. You know my Q550 isn't even listed on their website!

 

[tcsenter]

According to a couple posts on Lenovo's user forum (by a Lenovo tech), after using the Win8 feature to copy the Recovery Partition onto a USB drive, you're supposed to be able delete the recovery partition (or any other) and Windows can be reinstalled without any problem from the USB Recovery Drive, even onto a new hard disk, though it will NOT recreate the factory recovery solution (OneKey Recovery for Lenovo) on the new drive. The OEM's bundled recovery solution and associated partitions is typically a separate application that needs to be installed at the factory via preinstallation (OPK/OEM) methods.