I think it was F8 or F9 on boot up that did the factory restore on my ASUS laptop when I bought it. I've since nuked the factory install for a clean install of windows 8.1. The Windows 8.x product code is embedded in the BIOS and not printed on the COA sticker. If you know what version was installed by ASUS, you can download the matching version here, Create installation media for Windows 8.1 - Windows Help and do a clean install with it. It will read and use Windows 8.0 and 8.1 product codes, even OEM embedded codes.
The installed version is likely 8.1 or 8.1 Single language. On mine it was 8.0 Core. If I install Windows 8.1 from the link I posted it installs without asking for a product code and activates online automatically with no issues.
Honestly jds63 I have no idea how supportive they (ASUS) are. Could be wonderful, just said what I have reviewed while researching the issues, before landing here. Personally all of it is a bit above my pay grade if you know what I mean. Just thought I would give it a shot on my own, seeing as I just received the computer like a month ago, if that. Thought maybe there would be a way to get a recovery disc seeing as though my fiance when she set it up did not do a recovery disc, and personally I never would have even thought to do one either.
The installed version is likely 8.1 or 8.1 Single language. On mine it was 8.0 Core. If I install Windows 8.1 from the link I posted it installs without asking for a product code and activates online automatically with no issues.
There is good hope !!
Honestly jds63 I have no idea how supportive they (ASUS) are. Could be wonderful, just said what I have reviewed while researching the issues, before landing here. Personally all of it is a bit above my pay grade if you know what I mean. Just thought I would give it a shot on my own, seeing as I just received the computer like a month ago, if that. Thought maybe there would be a way to get a recovery disc seeing as though my fiance when she set it up did not do a recovery disc, and personally I never would have even thought to do one either.
When I got mine there was no utility to create a recovery disk set. The only one available was for windows 7 and didn't work in Windows 8. I went back and forth with ASUS tech support via e-mail and it was a very painful frustrating endeavor. Eventually I determined that you had to run the Create a Recovery Drive utility in control panel and check the box for "Copy the recovery partition from the PC to the recovery drive" option. I abandoned that though when I put my SSD in, it wouldn't work anymore. I was wanting to do a clean install anyway to ditch all the ASUS installed bloat.
Honestly jds63 I have no idea how supportive they (ASUS) are. Could be wonderful, just said what I have reviewed while researching the issues, before landing here. Personally all of it is a bit above my pay grade if you know what I mean. Just thought I would give it a shot on my own, seeing as I just received the computer like a month ago, if that. Thought maybe there would be a way to get a recovery disc seeing as though my fiance when she set it up did not do a recovery disc, and personally I never would have even thought to do one either.
When I got mine there was no utility to create a recovery disk set. The only one available was for windows 7 and didn't work in Windows 8. I went back and forth with ASUS tech support via e-mail and it was a very painful frustrating endeavor. Eventually I determined that you had to run the Create a Recovery Drive utility in control panel and check the box for "Copy the recovery partition from the PC to the recovery drive" option. I abandoned that though when I put my SSD in, it wouldn't work anymore. I was wanting to do a clean install anyway to ditch all the ASUS installed bloat.
Guess is why so many make system image form programs like Macrium reflect. Thought with USB recovery drive be able to get to more options for repair rather then being stuck like this now.
Never use e-mail support much more frustrating, some tech help are helpful and knowledgeable even if reading off a screen or saying hold on, need ask someone.
When I got mine there was no utility to create a recovery disk set. The only one available was for windows 7 and didn't work in Windows 8. I went back and forth with ASUS tech support via e-mail and it was a very painful frustrating endeavor. Eventually I determined that you had to run the Create a Recovery Drive utility in control panel and check the box for "Copy the recovery partition from the PC to the recovery drive" option. I abandoned that though when I put my SSD in, it wouldn't work anymore. I was wanting to do a clean install anyway to ditch all the ASUS installed bloat.
Guess is why so many make system image form programs like Macrium reflect. Thought with USB recovery drive be able to get to more options for repair rather then being stuck like this now.
Never use e-mail support much more frustrating, some tech help are helpful and knowledgeable even if reading off a screen or saying hold on, need ask someone.
The replies I got seemed to be from a script. The recovery drive I believe, lets you do a refresh or reset. It just does it from the OEM recovery image that you copy to it. Mine required a 16 GB flash drive. I think I used it once. Doing a reset puts it back to OOBE, Out of the Box Experience. It's just like it was the first time you turned it on after unpacking it.
Guess is why so many make system image form programs like Macrium reflect. Thought with USB recovery drive be able to get to more options for repair rather then being stuck like this now.
Never use e-mail support much more frustrating, some tech help are helpful and knowledgeable even if reading off a screen or saying hold on, need ask someone.
The replies I got seemed to be from a script. The recovery drive I believe, lets you do a refresh or reset. It just does it from the OEM recovery image that you copy to it. Mine required a 16 GB flash drive. I think I used it once. Doing a reset puts it back to OOBE, Out of the Box Experience. It's just like it was the first time you turned it on after unpacking it.
Yes, only reason to make USB recovery drive is in that situation, if installed with a disc or have a disc no need to make one.
Were you mentioning something about Windows 8.1 being able make an image or did it ever have this capability ?
The replies I got seemed to be from a script. The recovery drive I believe, lets you do a refresh or reset. It just does it from the OEM recovery image that you copy to it. Mine required a 16 GB flash drive. I think I used it once. Doing a reset puts it back to OOBE, Out of the Box Experience. It's just like it was the first time you turned it on after unpacking it.
Yes, only reason to make USB recovery drive is in that situation, if installed with a disc or have a disc no need to make one.
Were you mentioning something about Windows 8.1 being able make an image or did it ever have this capability ?
The image I was referring to is in the OEM recovery partition, that gets copied to the thumb drive. The OEM creates it and its what's used to do the factory reset.