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Using recovery disks (windows 8.1) to reinstall to a replacement hard disk
Hello, I've just ordered a DELL Inspiron 3000 desktop. I've read that DELL no longer supply reinstallation DVD's. So what happens when (if) the hard disk in the new PC goes wrong? Could I then fit a new hard drive in my machine, and use the recovery disks (which I would make as soon as the PC arrives using DELL back up and recovery) to reinstall everything on to this new hard drive? Is that how this would work?
Thanks,
Dominocat
LWSugden
3 Posts
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August 13th, 2014 07:00
This is all a bunch of ridiculous B.S. One should not have to request recovery media for a system they purchased that comes with the capability of making its own recovery media. I have used the Flash USB method and the DVDs I made when I first bought the PC and neither of them work. Never do I get an option to install Windows. Refresh PC and Reset PC are equally useless when being told your recovery media is "invalid". If I had my Windows Product Key I could just run Windows Set-up, enter the key and be on my way.
I have tried to use the request form to request the media from Dell, but because I am out of warranty the web page just loops and does not ever actually submit a request. It looks like I might have to call Dell Support and pay by the minute (cell phone) while on hold. Even the Tech Support email link disappears once that warranty expires. Thanks, Dell. Appreciate the help.
I think part of the problem is that the PC came with Windows 8 (so the recovery DVDs were made then) and since then I upgraded to 8.1 thus rendering them "invalid." But that does not explain the new flash USB recovery media I made just moments ago that still does not work to "Refresh" or "Reset" my PC. It says there are recovery files missing. Shouldn't it have checked all that while making the recovery media?
At this point, I have now downloaded the free version of Reflect and am using it to clone the old hard drive before it finally dies and hopefully that will work. Good luck everyone.
LWSugden
3 Posts
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August 15th, 2014 14:00
So I now have my system back up and running. I will outline here what I did so that others may benefit from what I have learned. There is really no need to comment further. I just hope this helps someone else.
My PC is a Dell XPS 8500 which came with Windows 8 installed on a 2TB hard drive. I made recovery DVDs at that time. Since then, I have upgraded to the free Windows 8.1 update. The warranty expired in April 2014.
I began having slow-down issues with the computer and ran Dell PC Checkup. The results of the scan showed that my hard drive failed both the SMART Short Self Test and the Targeted Read Test. I also ran Diagnostics from the BIOS (Dell ePSA) and received error code 2000-0142, validation 89927, which Dell Support confirmed as a hard drive failure. I did not understand this because the system also came with Intel Rapid Storage Technology which reports that all storage systems operating normally, with no errors and no warnings.
I tried using the recovery DVDs to Refresh the system, but received an error that this media is invalid. I tried making a new recovery flash USB which also did not work. I was unable to Refresh or Reset my PC.
I bought a replacement hard drive, but felt that I do not need 2TB, so I bought a 1TB drive.
TRYING TO RE-INSTALL TO A SMALLER DRIVE WILL NOT WORK. I got the message that the hard drive MUST be 1863 GB (2TB) to use the DVDs.
From reading the forum posts, I found that I can download the Windows 8 or 8.1 set-up program but must use the one the PC came installed with, and must enter the original product key. Windows 8 keys will not work on a Windows 8.1 install and vice versa. I used Belarc Advisor (which does the same thing as RW Everything but has a nicer interface) and extracted my Product Key.
In attempting to install the software I kept getting the error messages that either there was insufficient free disk space, or that a necessary partition was missing. I used Macrium Reflect to clone the failing drive and convert everything to fit on the new smaller drive. This was a mistake, as I figured out later. It appears that the corrupted partition/files were very likely in the Recovery partition. Cloning a defective drive only creates a cloned defect in the new drive. Duh!
I noticed that when I tried to make the flash USB it only copied 512Mb which seemed rather small for a recovery medium. I used my wife's laptop to create the USB Recovery media (2.2Gb this time). This enabled me to boot up and get to a command prompt.
Once at the command prompt I tried some boot record fixes I had seen in other forum posts; fixmbr, fixboot, scanos and rebuild bcd. These did not work.
Realizing that I was not going to be able to recover my files, I decided to re-partition the drives and start with a fresh install. From the command prompt, I used Diskpart to clean, repartition and format both drives.
Next I loaded up my original DVDs, rebooted and was able to reinstall Windows 8. When reactivating Windows, it scanned the BIOS and located the same Product Key I had previously obtained from using Belarc Advisor, and was successful in activation. After that I installed the 105 Windows updates, and was able to re-install the free upgrade to Windows 8.1.
Now that the system is running stable again, I ran the ePSA test: All passed.
I then re-ran the Dell PC Checkup and passed all tests. Praise God, my failed hard drive has healed itself!
I have now uninstalled all Dell Support software as it is unreliable. There are better tools that can help me with hardware issues.
In summary:
1. DO NOT TRUST DELL PC CHECKUP. A corrupted file can cause it to give erroneous results. Reinstall any recent updates (Windows, device drivers, etc.) and try again. Try Refreshing your system to see if that helps.
2. If you must replace your hard drive, you must replace with the same size as originally installed or your Recovery DVDs will not work.
3. Your Recovery DVDs will only reinstall the system that was factory installed, and that is the Product Key version that is stored in the BIOS. (Windows 8 and 8.1 are different and not interchangeable.)
4. If all else fails, try to back up your personal files then re-partition/reformat the drive and do a fresh clean install.
5. Good Luck.
LWSugden
3 Posts
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August 12th, 2014 15:00
Nope. My current situation is exactly that problem. My HDD failed (or failure is imminent per PC Check up and ePSA). I purchased a new hard drive that is not exactly the same size as the original. My Recovery DVDs that I made are now useless. I have a Recovery USB that I have tried, but I cannot seem to find any option to install Windows. Checking various forums for answers would suggest that one needs an iso, which for some reason I can't seem to make using my old hard drive's OS. I have downloaded the Windows 8 Installer program which seemed like it might work, but it requires the Product Key. Looking under System we find a Product ID, but not a key. It seems that keys are no longer just given to the customer who buys them, no they are "injected into the motherboard" where we can't access them. Another forum post suggested using a program called Belarc Advisor, which I did and it does give me a Windows 8.1 Product Key, but it isn't mine apparently because it does not work. Since my warranty expired back in April, I am doing this myself. Oh, another note: My Dell XPS 8500 came with a one year warranty, yet the installed hard drive come from the factory with a 2-year warranty. But I didn't buy it from the factory, so Dell's one-year limit is the deciding factor. I am seriously reconsidering my choice in going with buying a Dell. What a ***' nightmare!
dominocat
7 Posts
0
August 12th, 2014 16:00
Thanks for that. So, I'm guessing the only way is to either a) get the re-installation disk from DELL (which contains the actual windows operating system - I believe) or actually buy a full copy of windows 8, and so pay again for something you already have.
Does that about sum it up do you think?
Apparently in US & Canada DELL customers can get a copy of the operating system re-installation disk. In the UK, I believe we can't. Is that correct do you know?....
Regards,
Ray
Philip_Yip
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August 12th, 2014 17:00
I've been playing around with Dell Backup and Recovery, the latest version. As far as I know you cannot use it to restore factory settings to a smaller hard drive then the original however I would need to get a smaller hard drive to test this.
In the US and CA, Dell have a online media request form but they don't expand the courtesy to customers elsewhere. I have been actively asking for it for UK customers for 2 or so years. The online media request form only works for customers within warranty. Otherwise you can call Dell Technical Support and procure media from them. However there is no stated price for recovery media and it seems to vary from case to case however on the whole Dell Technical Support have became very reasonable with media requests and its very rare to see customer dissatisfaction like there was when Windows 8.0 was released.
Media requested from Dell however will include preinstalled software such as McAfee if its a recovery USB, only the Reinstallation DVD allows for a true clean install however the Reinstallation DVD is getting fazed out alongside the optical drive.
Use of a Windows 8.1 .iso is possible but requires a separate retail license or MSDN subscription or an unofficial download because Microsoft failed to provide an official direct link to an installation .iso. See more details here:
dominocat
7 Posts
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August 13th, 2014 05:00
Thanks for that Philip.
I have seen a lot of DELL windows 8 re-installation disks for sale on Ebay uk. There's several on there right now. One is here:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dell-Windows-8-64Bit-Reinstallation-Recovery-DVD-Original-RAM-CY2KJ-0CY2KJ-/221496234267?ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:GB:1123
These are DELL part number H27WW Rev A00, windows 8 (not 8.1). I believe that these could be used to reinstall the complete system (including windows) and could be used in the event of a complete hard disk failure of the original DELL hardware. I also believe that these could be used if - say - you wanted to install a new SSD thats smaller than the original DELL hard disk. Am I right?
This all seems very complicated, quite unnecessarily really.
Thanks, Ray
Philip_Yip
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August 13th, 2014 06:00
Agreed, I have been complaining heavily about Microsoft mistakes, even making the tutorial videos to help people overcome them.
There is also Windows 8.1 media on eBay:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Dell-Operating-System-DVD-Windows-8-1-Recovery-Media-64-Bit-with-RAM-/301267683965?pt=US_Operating_Systems_Software&hash=item4624f40a7d#ht_248wt_1399
The Windows 8.0 DVD will work with your system if your system came with Windows 8.0 but not work with a system which came with Windows 8.1. You'll have to go to the hassle of getting the update from the Store though.
The Windows 8.1 DVD will work with your system if your system came with Windows 8.1 but not work with a system which came with Windows 8.0.
As mentioned I have put together some workarounds to overcome the incompatibility of the product keys during installation. Personally I would use the Windows 8.1 Reinstallation DVD.
Philip_Yip
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August 13th, 2014 16:00
No you couldn't. Microsoft made the retail installer deliberately reject the OEM product keys (which can be found using RW-Everything). Microsoft get your email, phone number and product key in the vast majority of cases and still refuse to provide an installation .iso. Microsoft are also preventing Dell from providing the .iso however Dell could be doing a lot better when it comes to Reinstallation DVD requests (and online forms). Many are hence using Windows 8.1 .isos from unofficial download locations which is of course unrecommended but I can see why people go down that route.
Windows 8 media often can't refresh a Windows 8.1 installation, look around and you will see plenty with the same problem. Microsoft broke a nice feature of Windows 8.1 for many customers by failing to provide installation media. If you have made a factory USB with Dell Backup and Recovery you should be able to boot from it to Reinstall Windows but only Windows 8.0.
Creating DVDs particularly with earlier versions of Dell Backup and Recovery can be problematic. I would recommend updating DBAR to the latest version and then using it to create a new bootable USB and then using this USB to restore to factory settings. Follow the instructions here:
http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/dell-backup-and-recovery/
The USB can restore to factory settings but may not work on a smaller hard drive than the original.
Philip_Yip
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February 16th, 2015 05:00
Some things have changed since these posts. Microsoft have revised their deployment of Windows 8.1:
http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/download-microsoft-windows-and-office/download-microsoft-windows/download-windows-8-1-retail-and-oem-iso/
The new problem is identifying your original edition of Windows 8.1 when your system cannot boot. See step 4. Also the new downloader is still a .exe and requires Windows 7, 8.0, 8.1 or 10 to run making it difficult for a reinstallation from Linux or Mac...
I.2
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February 16th, 2015 05:00
I just dualled with linux, but cannot go back to Win8.1. after reading all this microsoft *** it is Linux to stay, although I thought trying to get back booting Win. And an extra macbook pro. Mac and Linux. Nice marriage. My Dell an inspiron 7000. Now I need to learn Linux