Regaining windows 8

[skidoo]

Okay...I lost widows 8 when I converted my g75 vx from windows 8 to win 7 pro.
the reason was to run some software big $$$$ that would not run on win 8.
I tried to back up win 8 using the windows feature ( name???) onto a portable hard drive.
Wasn't successful...
At the time I didn't care, but now am curious how to get windows 8 back possibly.

Can I just download a copy of windows 8 from the internet and then install it.
Question...if possible, will this copy of win 8 find the serial # stored in my bios to make the
downloaded version legit???

Also, what version of win 8 did this notebook come with.

Lastly, what cloning software aand version is best for win 8 as well as win 7??

Thank You

[Pitcher1]

so sound like you already broke your recover partitation, you can buy restore CD from asus e-store, sent to asus service center to recover back, also you can download win 8 iso and install it, i think win 8 key save in bios, maybe it is able to auto active again, also you can call asus hotline that can be finding in asus website for your county to ask.

[skidoo]

yes, definitely lost the recovery partition at that point!

Don't have any extra partitions with win 7.
So another question is....does win 8 create this recovery partition, if I were to install win 8 again???
or was this something that was done thru Asus???

Will try and contact Asus about the serial # in bios for win 8, but I am hoping someone here (forum) would have the answer,
and would please post.

Still curious also about what software and version is best for cloning win 8 and win 7

Thanks

[meber0624]

There are actually a total of 5 partitions that get built for Windows 8. Using a backup utility doesn't capture the image of these partitions, so you lost everything. AFAK the install of Windows 8 >> might << get all of the partitions back. As to the certificate in BIOS, that is used in the reverse...the BIOS reads the certificate on the PC and compares to what is in BIOS. Not the other way around.

[Clintlgm]

You can download a ISO to preform a Clean Install, I would suggest you get the Win 8.1, Your original Win 8 would have been the standard version! I'm pretty sure.
Cloning software that seems to have worked for many in these forums Maciurm Reflect
I just completed a clean install of Win 8.1 Pro Upgrade. I used a ISO Retail Pro, and Rufus to create the Install media.
I had no issues with this clean install, the upgrade and Notes sticky thread should work, I used another guide off the internet. The right Google search should get you to it. As far as I can see there is no difference Clean Installing Win 8.1 than Win 8
I have MS Office 2007, CS4, AutoCAD, all installed and working correctly and continue to configure this new OS Build.

[skidoo]

okay , thanks for the help.
does that mean even the windows utility when I had windows 8 would not have captured all the partitions.
And, if I understand correctly.....I no longer have a legit serial of windows 8, even if I download a iso of windows 8
from the net, and install....the serial is now lost???

[Clintlgm]

I'm not sure what windows back up is capable of! last time I looked at it, it was just a file back up program. Not an Imaging tool?
No you still have your key embedded in your BIOS. You just need to match up the ISO To the version you originally had. It would have been better if you had extracted the win 8 key and kept it but as long as you get a win 8 standard ISO and it may require a OEM version? No sure? Its worth a try to just barrow a win 8.1 standard dvd and use Rufus to create a Install USB media or find a ISO somewhere? and give it a try

[skidoo]

update..

Before i changed my OS from windows 8 ( came w/ g75vx ) and switched to Win7 pro, i made an
image of Win8 using Macrium Reflect ( think I read on this and other websites to use Macrium, as
Norton Ghost was having issues for some in Win8)

So, I did make a recovery disc from Macrium ( unsure of Version # ) , and as well an image of Win8.
Then later i tried to install..( downgrade ) to win7.
Ran into problems....so...I tried to re-image my hard drive using the newly made recovery disc as well as the image.
Problem at the time was, the recovery disc could not find the external hard ( note. USB "3" ) drive on which I placed the image.

So...now i see that others had the same problem 9 locating the Ext. HD because it was usb 3.0.

Tonite, i downloaded Macrium ver5.2....made a recovery disc , and there is now my external hard drive showing
and as well...my image of Win8.

Upon verifying the image...and looking at it...it shows 2 partitions in c: Drive, as well as a Fat 32???
One shows C: OS, the other i cant recall right now, but was also showing as a part of C: Drive.
And then an I: Drive....I think this was the Fat32 ???? not sure...would have to re-check later.

Now, I have always used Norton Ghost, I don't feel I am a "newb" in the computer world, but after reading other posters,
I am feeling a little wet behind the ears!

Questions

Does it matter that this recovery disc was made in a window7 enviroment, and not in windows8 if I decide to re-image my drive
using the original image I made of win8 using Macrium?
And
If I can do this, will this image re-create what I had on my g75vx when I purchased it....meaning, will those extra partitons ??
all be back....or will something be missing.

If something is missing...will it matter??

I would rather ask stupid questions now, then to assume all is good and go for it...if I decide to go back to win 8 at some point.

I like Win7...the fact that it runs my programs that are older and without support for win8...BUT...
I would like to know that I haven't lost that Windows 8 serial# ( I wasn't aware that of software to use to obtain it from the Bios )

Still think that is a Dumb move by Microsoft and the Computer manufacturers...
But admittably...I was hasty trying to get the notebook running with Win7 pro.!!

[Clintlgm]

If I understand what you are asking. In order for you to restore a boot disk you would have had to create a DISK Image while it was still a bootable disk.
Yes Macrium Reflect will clone/copy all partitions on any UEFI GPT Disk and restore your your disk or a different disk as in SSD to the original factory condition. But it would have had to be THE boot OS disk when you made the Image.
As to whether it will work since you created the image under Win 7 I don't know for sure either way, Reflect tech support is very good and the may be able to answer that question.

All that said, if you did create the win 8 DISK Image before you installed win 7. It should indeed restore your Disk to the condition it was in at the time you created the Image. The Key is if you created a "Disk image"
If you only made partition images or Back up's, its not going to work

I just clean installed Win 8.1. i'm making it look and work just like Win 7, it takes a few tweaks but I'm happy so far. I have been running Win 7 HP for over a year now since bought this G74VW.

Clean Installing UEFI GPT, I think created 5 partitions one of witch is a recovery partition, no not an Asus one a win 8 one. You really don't need the factory anyway. Reflect will create reliable Images that will restore with out issues on UEFI GPT Disk I don't know of any other Imaging software that will for sure. Several say that they will, but for some reason they can't create the boot partition correctly.

I hope this has been helpful

[skidoo]

thanks for the reply...appreciated.
The win 8 image I made at the tome was made while I still had win8 on my g75.
It is an "image"...I believe....not a clone.
when I use macrium to verify image...tos is what the image shows.

1 - SYSTEM ( none ) 3- (None) 4 - OS(C:)
FAT 32 (LBA) Primary Unformatted Primary NTFS Primary
30.8 MB 128.0 MB 47.61 GB
300.0 MB 128.0 MB 279.45 GB

2 , 5 & 6 are just blank with just GB sizes

1. So does this look correct? as in a proper image to restore Win8.???
2. Do I need to change my bios from the settings I am using to run Win 7....or can I leave it...go ahead and restore win8 and all is good????

If the 2 questions above are yes....

If I were to buy an SSD ( say 256 GB size ).
Can I restore this Win8 image to this size SSD, even though my HD presently is 750 GB???

Thinking maybe I should buy a 256 SSD...clone Win 7 that I have presently to it ( SSD ),
then before swapping out my HD, re - image this HD ( 750 Gb ) back to Win 8 using the macrium Image.

Then also purchase another HD to install with the SSD to use for saving files.

3. Anything I need to know if I go this route??

thanks to all again....you all have been very helpful