Solved System restore from a USB stick does not work

[Dali362]

Yes, your supposed it right, disk 0 the main HDD, 2partitions, 232 GB and 16 MB respectively.


Sorry, the letter G in the above is meant to be volume 1 letter, I thought it was strange, but it said so.

further:

dir c:\ volume in drive is 36D1/16A9

directory of c:\ 03.26.2013 02:13 PM Temp

0 files 0 bytes

1 Dir 249.938.546.688 bytes free


dir e: The system cannot find etc...

dir f: The system cannot find etc...


dir f: The system cannot find etc

Diskpart, detail partition



VOLUME: 1 LETTER : C LABEL : WIN7 Fs:NTFS Type : Partition Size: 232 GB Status: Healthy

 

[Kaktussoft]

detail partition gives you more info!! Is it ACTIVE?

diskpart
list vol
exit

What is the size of G???? What the heck is it?

dir  g:\users

Do you see your logon name?

 

[Kaktussoft]

c:
cd  \
dir
dir/ah

You see only folder temp? Nothing else. "system volume information" and $RECYCLED? Nothing else?

c:
cd  \
attrib  *.*

nothing?

1 Dir 249.938.546.688 bytes free.... that's about 232GB. C looks almost empty! Any idea how come?

 

[Dali362]

Answer to your question in number 20.

Dir c:\windows>

volume in drive C is WIN7

volumne serial number is 36D1-16A9

Directory of c:\


File not found

and I get exactly the same message and nothing else on "dir c:\ Program Files" and also the same on dir c:\users, dir c:\users does NOT show my logon name

 

[Kaktussoft]

So C volume is 232GB in size, but almost empty.... only a folder called temp. Of course it can't boot from it. Please tell me what's on G

 

[Dali362]

Sorry, MEA CULPA, I must have read the volume letters wrong in spite of checking three times the volume letters are D and C and not G, I have now checked once more and found my error. Sorry for confusing you and taking your time unncessarily.

No idea how come C looks almost empty.

We seem to be moving in circles but not nearing (as in Kafka´s castle). How about me trying to proceed with the install of the downloaded and burned on DVD WIN7 instead of choosing Computer Repair and see what happens?

 

[Kaktussoft]

dir  c:\temp

In your screenshot I can see it has been modified on march 26, 2013 so today. What's in it? Don't give all file names... just take a look.

Did you format C? Did you try to reinstall win7 that creates c:\temp as far as I can remember... not sure though.

 

[Kaktussoft]

Sorry, MEA CULPA, I must have read the volume letters wrong in spite of checking three times the volume letters are D and C and not G, I have now checked once more and found my error. Sorry for confusing you and taking your time unncessarily.

No idea how come C looks almost empty.

We seem to be moving in circles but not nearing (as in Kafka´s castle). How about me trying to proceed with the install of the downloaded and burned on DVD WIN7 instead of choosing Computer Repair and see what happens?

So you have C (almost empty)... not any usefull stuff there. 16MB partition isn't usefull as well. All is gone already... nothing can be done about it.

Clean the disk completely

diskpart
select disk 0
clean
exit

Reboot again from win7 install dvd and do a clean install. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

You have a valid product key (see COA stocker on machine)? http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3408-activate-windows-7-online.html

 

[Dali362]

I did the diskpart bit and cleaned the HD. Now the installation (clean install WIN 7 from the downloaded file) is running and everything seem to work fine so far. Only now when the installation started it occured to me that the recovery disc I bought from the manufacturer might be damaged so I looked at it with a magnifying glass and saw a few miniscule stratches - maybe it´s the root of the trouble? However, I used the disc twice and it worked fine both times, so I am not sure if it really is the recovery disk fault.
To make things worse (nothing is easy with me) my laptop does not have the WIN number sticker any more (it peeled off somehow during our stay in the Himalayas about a year ago, so that´s why I had to buy a recovery DVD from the laptp manufacturer) so even if the downloaded OS installs fine, I cannot run it for a longer time. I read somewhere there was a trick how to find out the original WIN code number of the PC, am not sure it will work though. If not, then my options will be to check the manufactures recovery disk and try to mend it if it is damaged, or buy a new recovery disk again. As for my stationary PC, I have already ordered a USB stick of 16GB and will try to move ver the recovery files to it from the combined USB/DVD stick, just for the fun of trying to do and see if I succeed, if not, then I´ll just install clean WIN7 downloaded, no problem here, I have the WIN7 code number and luckily, I backed up my documents, pictures, etc files just a couple of days before I "damaged" the partitions.

As I was writing this, the downloaded WIN7 installed all right. Any chance of finding out what went wrong with the Boot Mgr Missing now that the OS is installed?

 

[Kaktussoft]

We never know what caused the C to be empty. Original win7 product key to reinstall is on sticker... if unreadable.. you have bad luck. Why the heck didn't you write it on paper!?

 

[Dali362]

Well, just to round it off, it never occured to me that the WIN number sticker could peel off the laptop, I guess it was caused by frequent putting it inside a tight cloth "box" and taking it out during our trip, it should not have happened - but that´m my usual bad luck - the glue on the sticker must have been of inferior quality. I understand that if I ever manage to boot from the recovery dic, then I can find the WIN code number for the machine, there´s a software for it. Still, too late to cry over spilt milk now, just to keep my fingers crossed that the recovery disk will work eventually.
Thanks for all your efforts and patience, I wish I could send you a bottle of wine... and good night.

 

[Kaktussoft]

Well, just to round it off, it never occured to me that the WIN number sticker could peel off the laptop, I guess it was caused by frequent putting it inside a tight cloth "box" and taking it out during our trip, it should not have happened - but that´m my usual bad luck - the glue on the sticker must have been of inferior quality. I understand that if I ever manage to boot from the recovery dic, then I can find the WIN code number for the machine, there´s a software for it. Still, too late to cry over spilt milk now, just to keep my fingers crossed that the recovery disk will work eventually.
Thanks for all your efforts and patience, I wish I could send you a bottle of wine... and good night.

WIN product code in RECOVERY partition that's installed is not usable fro normal reinstall!! It's a generic one from the laptop manufacturer. It can only be used with that manufacturer and model laptop.

PS: Send the bottle of wine by email please red merlot is fine

 

[Dali362]

Hi again, Kaktussoft,
I´ve actually managed to recover the WIN 7 product number. First, after an advice from an "expert" in Finland on the line of netbooks produced by the same manufacturer, - he was sure that the unsuccesful recovery depended on a damage of the manufacturer´s recovery disk, so he adviced me to mend it using toothpaste (I was skeptical, how can toothpaste repair a damaged DVD disk?) but to my surprise it worked and I could re- install the system o .k. The manuf. rec. disk also re-stamps the WIN product code no. on the machine, so with the help of a key finder, I found it and wrote down , so I´d not be in the same fix next time something happens. Also, as soon as the 200 odd downloads and updates are done, I´ll make an image of the disk, to add additional security - the "expert" warned me the repaired recovery disk might not work the next time when the small residuals of the toothpaste that did not get washed away during the cleansing process , harden.
However, the manuf. recovery disk does NOT install a recovery partition - is there any procedure for installing a recovery partition with a reserve system? My netbook has no internal DVD and I use it a lot during our travel, so in case the OS goes wrong again , I´d like to have a partition with a rescue OS on ithe PC - I can´t carry an external HDD dureing travel. Or is it something that only the PC manufacturer can do?

 

[Kaktussoft]

The productkey is useless when doing a clean install. It's a generic code from manufacturer. Don't know why toothpaste sometimes fixes an unreadable dvd. It can remove scratches. Make a dvd copy asap.

Why do you want a recovery partition? A good system image is enough in case of severe problems. I understand you're not carrying an external disk on travel. Please give me output of diskmanagement with all fields visible. Then I give you advise how to create an extra partition, make a backup image to that partition. And how to make a bootable usb stick with backup recovery software so you can restore that backup image in case of problems. Of course if your harddisk dies ... restore doesn't work as well.

 

[Dali362]

I was under the impression that if one had a product key, in case everything else goes wrong, an ISO image for the same OS and language could be downloaded from Digital River, burned, installed and the authorised by the WIN product code number? Am I wrong perhaps?

I´ll work on the disk mangement output and will post it as soon as it is ready.

 

[Kaktussoft]

I was under the impression that if one had a product key, in case everything else goes wrong, an ISO image for the same OS and language could be downloaded from Digital River, burned, installed and the authorised by the WIN product code number? Am I wrong perhaps?

I´ll work on the disk mangement output and will post it as soon as it is ready.

That's not how it works with OEM keys! What manufacturer is it?

 

[Kaktussoft]

4FG99-BC3HD-73CQT-WMF7J-3Q6C9 is the product key you got with product keyfinder? If not.... don't post real key!!

 

[Dali362]

It seems that I´ve got thing wrong with the OEM WIN product number? Anyway, the key number I got by the keyfinder is NOt the same as the number you list.

My netbook was prodecued by Acer.

Here´s the image of my netbook´s disc management, I hope it is o .k. so?

I may not be able to reply any more today, my neighbour was taken ill and I will probably have to take her to the hospital and have no idea how long time it will take, so if I can´t be here any more today, I´ll check again tomorrow (probably in the afternoon).

Sorry , I forgot to resize the disk image, things are a bit hectic here with my neighbour, but I hope you can see everything clearly.

 

[Kaktussoft]

CD Keys for Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (OEM-8992687)

VQB3X-Q3KP8-WJ2H8-R6B6D-7QJB7 --- XXXXX-OEM-8992687-00006 --- ACER/GATEWAY/PACKARD

that's you key you have?

 

[Kaktussoft]

First step (prior to making backup) to do is:

• Install all needed windows updates
• Install applications you need
• Configure options
• Test if all is working fine
• How much disk space is used now?

Why is C so small and do you have 111GB free space?
When all has been installed and all is working fine. Report back then.

• Make a recovery partition. Size about 50GB . Put it on the end of disk.