Restoring Windows 7 from Windows 8 Developer Preview

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  1. Posts : 16,130
    7 X64
       #11

    It depends how Dell have set it up.

    If you can find a file on the recovery partition called boot.wim or winre.wim , or restore.wim or similar ( it won't be very big - 165-200mb - [there will probably another .wim file called factory.wim or install.wim- much larger] )

    It is the smaller one you want to add to your boot menu.

    The easiest way to do that is with the free version of easybcd.

    http://neosmart.net/download.php?id=1

    Restoring Windows 7 from Windows 8 Developer Preview-d-l-easy.jpg


    Select ADD ENTRY

    Restoring Windows 7 from Windows 8 Developer Preview-easy1.jpg

    Select the WINPE Tab and click the little browse icon

    Restoring Windows 7 from Windows 8 Developer Preview-easy2.jpg

    Browse to the bootable.wim file , click Open

    Restoring Windows 7 from Windows 8 Developer Preview-easy3.jpg


    Then click ADD

    Restoring Windows 7 from Windows 8 Developer Preview-easy4.jpg

    Restart your pc and select the boot menu entry called NST WINPE IMAGE
      My Computers


  2. Posts : 88
    Window 7 Home Premium x64
    Thread Starter
       #12

    OK I am trying this method. I have the program downloaded but when I go to add the WIM file, It shows no files, when I try to access C:/Recovery (that's the name of the recovery drive that disc manager tells me) it says access is denied.

    SIW2 said:
    It depends how Dell have set it up.

    If you can find a file on the recovery partition called boot.wim or winre.wim , or restore.wim or similar ( it won't be very big - 165-200mb - [there will probably another .wim file called factory.wim or install.wim- much larger] )

    It is the smaller one you want to add to your boot menu.

    The easiest way to do that is with the free version of easybcd.

    EasyBCD Download Registration Page — NeoSmart Technologies

    Restoring Windows 7 from Windows 8 Developer Preview-d-l-easy.jpg


    Select ADD ENTRY

    Restoring Windows 7 from Windows 8 Developer Preview-easy1.jpg

    Select the WINPE Tab and click the little browse icon

    Restoring Windows 7 from Windows 8 Developer Preview-easy2.jpg

    Browse to the bootable.wim file , click Open

    Restoring Windows 7 from Windows 8 Developer Preview-easy3.jpg


    Then click ADD

    Restoring Windows 7 from Windows 8 Developer Preview-easy4.jpg

    Restart your pc and select the boot menu entry called NST WINPE IMAGE
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 88
    Window 7 Home Premium x64
    Thread Starter
       #13

    OK, I tried assigning the recovery drive a letter, which allowed me to access it through my computer, but I don't see anything other than log files ... no wim files. It must be still hidden.
      My Computer

  4.    #14

    First unhide Hidden and System files in Control Panel>Folder Options.

    Then rightlick the EasyBCD program .exe to Run as Administrator.

    Follow steps given to see if you can browse to .wim file from Easy.

    If you will answer the questions I asked earlier, I will provide the latest official installer ISO for Clean Reinstalling Windows 7.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 88
    Window 7 Home Premium x64
    Thread Starter
       #15

    Ok, I unhid system files. I still cannot see a factory.wim or any .wim images. Obviously it's there somewhere, when I look into recovery drive all I see are log files and a few other small files, yet it is using 7.93 of 14.6 GB


    gregrocker said:
    First unhide Hidden and System files in Control Panel>Folder Options.

    Then rightlick the EasyBCD program .exe to Run as Administrator.

    Follow steps given to see if you can browse to .wim file from Easy.

    If you will answer the questions I asked earlier, I will provide the latest official installer ISO for Clean Reinstalling Windows 7.
      My Computer

  6.    #16

    It likely is only a hidden file, not a System file. Did you uncheck Hidden files?

    You can try to restore Recovery to the F8 menu: Dell Recovery Partition - restoring F8 link

    You can also try marking the Recovery partition Active to see if it will boot itself: Partition - Mark as Active

    Otherwise you can order Factory Recovery disks from Dell, or use a Win7 retail installer to get a superior Clean Reinstall with the Product Key on COA sticker if you will answer my questions asked.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 88
    Window 7 Home Premium x64
    Thread Starter
       #17

    Yes, it is set to show hidden files.

    If I try to use F8 I get a new option that windows 8 has which is a blue screen instead of black screen and it doesn't show options for factory restore.

    When I try to mark the partition as active, it's greyed it. It's not a primary partition, it's the recovery partition.

    I contacted dell about factory recovery disc, and they said that I would need to prove ownership, basically, I'm borrowing the computer So I am not the owner yet.

    There must be some way or some other program to access the factory restore image.

    gregrocker said:
    It likely is only a hidden file, not a System file. Did you uncheck Hidden files?

    You can try to restore Recovery to the F8 menu: Dell Recovery Partition - restoring F8 link

    You can also try marking the Recovery partition Active to see if it will boot itself: Partition - Mark as Active

    Otherwise you can order Factory Recovery disks from Dell, or use a Win7 retail installer to get a superior Clean Reinstall with the Product Key on COA sticker if you will answer my questions asked.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 16,130
    7 X64
       #18

    It is probabaly an oem partition ID .

    You need a 3rd party app to change that so you can access it.

    Like this:

    Rt click the recov partition, selct Modify>change partition id

    Restoring Windows 7 from Windows 8 Developer Preview-pw-change-id.jpg

    Then select 0x07 in the dropdown.

    Restoring Windows 7 from Windows 8 Developer Preview-pw-change-id-2.jpg

    Click Yes , then click Apply.


    Restoring Windows 7 from Windows 8 Developer Preview-pw-change-id-3.jpg

    You can use this partition manager - it is pretty good and the Home Edition is free:

    Best Free Partition Manager Freeware for Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP 32 bit & 64 bit. MiniTool Free Partition Manager Software Home Edition.
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 88
    Window 7 Home Premium x64
    Thread Starter
       #19

    Ok, I changed it to 0x07, but it was already set to that option. I was able to read the contents of the recovery disc using minitool partition. The factory .wim image is 3 GB and factory2.wim is 2 GB, however, I still can't read the folders using the other program EasyBCD, or just browsing in the explorer.

    SIW2 said:
    It is probabaly an oem partition ID .

    You need a 3rd party app to change that so you can access it.

    Like this:

    Rt click the recov partition, selct Modify>change partition id

    Restoring Windows 7 from Windows 8 Developer Preview-pw-change-id.jpg

    Then select 0x07 in the dropdown.

    Restoring Windows 7 from Windows 8 Developer Preview-pw-change-id-2.jpg

    Click Yes , then click Apply.


    Restoring Windows 7 from Windows 8 Developer Preview-pw-change-id-3.jpg

    You can use this partition manager - it is pretty good and the Home Edition is free:

    Best Free Partition Manager Freeware for Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP 32 bit & 64 bit. MiniTool Free Partition Manager Software Home Edition.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 88
    Window 7 Home Premium x64
    Thread Starter
       #20

    Is there anyway to copy that recovery partition, burn it to a USB flashdrive, and make it bootable?
      My Computer


 
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