Recovery partition gone?

[Dali362]

I have an Asus EeePC netbook with W7 Home Premium(no system DVD).Wanted to shrink a partition on an external disc, but was not careful enough and started to shrink the netbook system partition instead. I realized my mistake almost immediately and cancelled the process, but the damage had already been done. First the netbook system would only start in safe mode, but I managed after a lot of effort (among other things returning the partition to its original size) to get it start and work normally. However, system recovery does not work now, when I try to start it (it is activated) it says the backup image disc is missing. I assume that the backup partition is gone. To make things even worse, a system partition clone I made on an external HD some time ago (and stupidly did not check for function) refuses to work, some files on the ext HD seem to be corrupt. So I´m in big trouble. Is there any way to restore the accidentally removed/damaged hidden recovery partition? Obviously, I can´t make a fresh install, first I have no W7 installation medium and secondly I got WORD2007 with the netbook, no inst. medium here either and a fresh install would wipe this soft out.

 

[seavixen32]

Welcome to Windows Seven Forums.

If you haven't created a set of recovery discs and you have wiped your recovery partition then you have one of two choices.

1. Contact Asus to see if they will sell you a recovery disc to re-install to the out-of-box factory state.

2. If you have access to a Windows 7 DVD that is the same version as the system on your computer you can use it to clean install using the OEM product key for your computer: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/174907-clean-install-factory-coa-activation-key.html

Either way, you will lose any data you haven't backed up.

 

[Dali362]

seavixe32 - thanks. The two choices are not so attractive for me - for starters, Asus people are not at all easy to communicate with. A friend could lend me his WIN7 HP DVD, but I´d need to buy an external DVD drive (noone I know has one) because my Asus will not boot from anything external except a DVD drive. I have now tested thoroughly my system and and everyting, except the system recovery works just as fine as before the mishap, so I will leave things as they are for the time being, also a clean install would mean that I´d loose OFFICE 2007 that came with the netbook so I will just wait with a clean install until things become real bad. BTW an acquintance of mine told me tonight that a HD recovery company would be able to recover the deleted/damaged recovery partition, but it would cost me almost more than a new netbook!

 

[seavixen32]

You're very welcome.

If you are a student or have anyone in your family who is a student, you can buy Microsoft Office Student Edition very cheaply.

Alternatively, you can use Open Office, which is free and probably just as good as Office for the average user.

However, if you're happy with how things are at the moment, you can give some thought to the above sugggestions as and when it becomes necessary.

 

[mjf]

Like Seavixen32 says a clean install is an option. If you get to this we can point to the appropriate install download (assuming you have a COA sticker with these netbooks).

But what you really need I think is try to buy a small external USB HDD and keep System images. Then you will be safe even without factory recovery.

Here is a reason for the lack of customer support (year old post)
Asus ditches physical recovery media in all Eee PC netbooks
how ridiculous.

 

[alphanumeric]

There are utilities like the magical jelly bean keyfinder that can retrieve your windows product code and your office product code. It probably wouldn't hurt to retrieve your office product code and save it someplace safe. Then if you do manage to get a copy of the install media you can install it and be legal. You may be able to download a trial version from Microsoft and use your product code to make it a full version. As far as windows 7 goes any version can be made into a universal install media.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/85813-windows-7-universal-installation-disc-create.html?filter
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/174907-clean-install-factory-coa-activation-key.html?filter
Also, if certain DVD's are giving you a problem you could try making one of these.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2432-usb-windows-7-installation-key-drive-create.html?filter
I do all my installs this way, its a lot faster than doing it from a DVD.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/31541-windows-7-usb-dvd-download-tool.html?filter