Step-by-Step: Using ASUS Recovery DVDs to Restore G75

[Cecil_2099]

Since there seems to be a lot of confusion and mis-understanding on how to use the ASUS Recovery DVDs you burn by using the AI Recovery program to restore your computer to the "straight from the factory" state, I thought I should make a step-by-step guide to walk owners through it. So here goes:

The version of the AI Recovery Utility currently shipping on all G75s does not recover systems with 1TB hard drives. So before you go around wiping your drive or creating the Recovery DVDs, update the AI Recovery Utility to at least 1.0.24 (download it from the product support page where you can download the drivers).

• If you haven't already, use the AI Recovery Utility (version 1.0.24 or newer, not the 1.0.23 version that comes shipped with the G75) to burn your ASUS Recovery DVDs. You should do this prior to uninstalling any and all "bloatware" and prior to reformatting/wiping/re-partitioning your hard drive. On a G75VW-BBK5 you will end up with three (3) DVDs.
  
• A few notes/assumptions prior to starting:
  - Your computer is off and no DVDs are in the optical drive.
  - You have only one drive connected to the G75 on the right-hand drive bay (based on the drive caddy letter) and that is the drive you want to restore TO.
  - It doesn't matter if the drive is an HDD or SSD and the size does not matter.
  
• Start up your computer and immediately start hitting the 'Esc' key until you see the following screen appear:
  
  
• Place the first ASUS Recovery DVD into your optical drive.
  
• Select your optical drive (on my G75VW-BBK5 that is the HL-DT-ST drive) and hit 'Enter' key.
  
• You will get a black screen with the words "Windows is loading files..." at the bottom with a grey bar at the bottom that will fill white:
  
  
• Windows will load and you will get a dialogue box titled "AI RECOVERY" saying "Are you ready to restore this image?" Click the 'OK' button.
  
• You will get another "AI RECOVERY" dialogue box, this time telling you "Restoring will overwrite your hard drive. Do you want to continue?" Click the 'OK' button.
  
• If you are using the ASUS Recovery DVDs to restore onto a new hard drive, you may get another "AI RECOVERY" dialogue box saying "Your disk layout has been changed. AI Recovery needs to partition your disk again. You will lost all your data in your disk if you continue with the data recovery operation." Click the 'OK' button.
  
• Otherwise you will see an "AI Recovery Restore" dialogue box that says "This DVD/BD will help you recover hidden partition. Check the AC adapter connection and do not interrupt the restoration process." This will have a progress indicator.
  
• The computer will automatically eject the first DVD and prompt you to insert the second DVD and later the third DVD.
  
• When that is complete, the last DVD will eject and an "AI RECOVERY" dialogue box will tell you that it "Successfully restored the disk from the ASUS Recovery DVD/BD. Elapsed time: 00:XX:XX". Click 'OK'. (It took me 00:43:23 (43 minutes) to restore the recovery partition.)
  
• The computer will restart and you'll get another black "Windows is loading files..." screen.
  
• Windows will start and you will get a DOS screen followed by an "ASUS Preload Wizard" dialogue that asks you to select your language to continue. Pick your language and click the 'Next >' button.
  
• Click through the next screen.
  
  
• On the next screen you can choose whichever option you feel is best.
  
  
• Click through the next screen.
  
  
• Click 'Finish' to start the process.
  
  
• This is where you leave the computer alone. You will see a series of DOS screens and the computer will restart itself at least 6 times. Whatever you do, do not interact with the computer. It doesn't matter if it prompts you for something or restarts on its own. Leave it alone to finish everything.
  
• When you see the following screen, you know the recovery process has completed successfully.
  Congratulations, your G75 is now back to it's factory-like condition.
  
  

So in total it took about 1.5 hours to complete (43 minutes to recreate the recovery partition from the DVDs and another 50 minutes to restore back to factory state).

I hope this helps clear up the process!

Update: After serious testing across multiple G75VW users, we can confirm that the ASUS Recovery DVDs do NOT work on 1TB drives (regardless of manufacturer) if they are burned with the base AI Recovery Utility version that ships with the G75VWs. Make sure you install the latest version (1.0.24) BEFORE creating your Recovery DVDs.

[Cecil_2099]

Don't use WinFlash. More machines get bricked from using it.

Don't bother with the ASUS recovery DVDs. You won't believe how many PMs I get from other users reporting they don't work.

[UnAimed]

Could anybody tell me if it is possible to create a Recovery DVD for the Asus G55VW? I have not found any information regarding this. From what I understand this is only for the G75VW and the G55VW has a recovery partition instead?

[dkolacz]

Just wanted to chime in and say that I have finally got a set of recovery disks created for 1 TB drive.

the key is BIOS 210 if you are having problems as per post 142 in this thread....I took a gamble and Winflashed to 210 with the /nodate switch....after that, everything worked as advertised.

thanks to the OP and all responses!

[lilocowboy]

I did everything you said in here and all is well until the 3rd disk is complete. I get the message, "Successfully restored the disk from the ASUS Recovery DVD/BD. Elapsed time: 00:XX:XX". Click 'OK'.

Step 13: The computer will restart and you'll get another black "Windows is loading files..." screen.

Step 14: Windows will start and you will get a DOS screen followed by an "ASUS Preload Wizard" dialogue that asks you to select your language to continue. Pick your language and click the 'Next >' button.

The problem I am having is that the DOS window shows up and then disappears. All I am left with is the background image. I even let it set over night and it was still there when I looked the next morning. I have used these disks before because there were things I did not like how it was working, And recently I wanted to just re-image it again to get a fresh start. But now I am left with a laptop that will not boot to windows. I need my computer in the next two weeks so I can communicate with my family while I am away but as of now I can not. Can you help me?

[dstrakele]

1) What is the complete model# of your laptop?

2) What Windows version shipped with your laptop?

3)What BIOS version is currently installed?
In your post, it sounds like this set of Recovery Disks worked for you in the past. If that is true, I'd suspect you have a BIOS issue.

[lilocowboy]

dstrakele wrote:
1) What is the complete model# of your laptop?

2) What Windows version shipped with your laptop?

3)What BIOS version is currently installed?
In your post, it sounds like this set of Recovery Disks worked for you in the past. If that is true, I'd suspect you have a BIOS issue.

1) G73JH

2) Windows 7 Home Pro

3) VBIOS version: 012.017.000.004.0359.A33G

If it is a BIOS issue how would I update it?

[aname33]

I have a ASUS g75vw bbk5. I am going to attempt to put int a SSD (Intel 335 series 240 GB) for my operating system and another HHD (Seagate Momentus 7200 750 GB 7200RPM SATA 3Gb/s) in the other slot for storage.

My issues so far:

I have looked for the latest version of "AI recovery" but I can't find anything on ASUS website (with some research i discovered they took it of the website due to WIN 8 coming out). when I check the version of the "AI recovery" that came with my machine, it states it is ver. 1.0.24.0. I found this info when i right click the "AIRecoveryBurner" exe. file, and the "AIRecoveryRemind" exe. file. I found both of these by following this path: C: > program files (x86) > ASUS > AI Recovery.

So my first question is will this version work in regards to transferring the operating system to my new SSD?

When I asked ASUS where to find the latest version, they told me it was not available and I should create a system image as well as a system repair disk in order to achieve what i want to do. I have not found any forums about using "system image" to reinstall an operating system on a SSD. Therefore I am a little hesitant to trust this method.

my second question is in regards to the second HHD i want to install in the machine. Can I utilize it to create the image for the original hard drive, remove the original, install the ssd and then use the image on the new HDD to restore the C: drive. To clarify I would install the new HHD(NEW) create image on (NEW), remove the original HHD that came with the machine, install the SSD and use the image on (NEW) to transfer the C: drive image from the Original drive to the SSD. I hope that makes sense.

I have very little experience in such things, but I am confident that I can do it if the checklist provided in this forum will work with my AI recovery software. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[dstrakele]

From your model#, I don't believe you have a BIOS issue.

1) Did these Recovery Disks previously succeed in restoring your system?

2) What happens if you press F9 at startup to enter ASUS Factory Recovery?

[pka4916]

I have a G75Vx with window 8 and 1 Tb HD,
F9 does not work, I do not get the ASUS Recovery setup. I have to do it through windows 8.
Does this program alow me to create a backup set from the hidden Partition ??
Also from reading, they removed the program from the site..
Is it elsewhere available ?

[pka4916]

ok, found 1.0.25 version and installed.. but keeps coming up with no hidden partition found.
I tried the changehd.exe file as admin in the folder, but does not work either.
any other suggestions?
I did disable my 2nd HDD in the Bios. so that it's only seeing 1 HDD