Solved Recovery Partition Created By Windows 8 Install

Daddyman

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Windows 8 creates its own hidden recovery partition during the install. In my case, it's 450MB.

From what I've read, I know not to touch this partition, and I intend to follow that advice. Even so, I'd like to know what's in that partition and how it's used. Can someone provide a concise explanation and/or links where I can learn more?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
You are welcome. :dinesh:
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
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    Notebooks x 3

    Desktops x 5

    Towers x 4
Does the computer boot to this partition first, and then hand off to the C:\ drive? I'm guessing that's the case because if Windows 8 fails to start after several attempts, it automatically boots to the advanced boot options screen. If so, and if you were to erase the 450MB (in my case) System Reserved partition, the computer would no longer boot normally and not be able to attempt recovery. (You would have to attempt recovery from a repair disc or drive.)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
Yes, you right with your homework. :thumbsup:
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Other Info
    Notebooks x 3

    Desktops x 5

    Towers x 4
The System Reserved partition holds the boot files & Repair tools.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2269-system-recovery-options-boot-windows-8-a.html

Well that's sort of right and sort of not. I spent all day yesterday trying to copy or migrate Windows 8 from one SSD to a brand new SSD. Apart from having all kinds of hassles, at one stage I just did a clean install onto the new SSD and guess what, no system reserved partition, and yet it booted just fine. I know it wasn't hidden because I checked with partition manager.

Anyway, has anybody ever copied Windows 8 onto a new SSD and got it to work, because I'm blowed if I can and I've done this hundreds of times with all the other versions.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro/Windows 8 Pro/Windows 7 64 Bit64Bit/Windows XP

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    7/8/ubuntu/Linux Deepin
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
at one stage I just did a clean install onto the new SSD and guess what, no system reserved partition, and yet it booted just fine

Where is the system partition and the hidden recovery folder?

Paragon does it fine: PARAGON Software Group - partition manager, drive backup, hard disk partitioning

There is a free/giveaway/cover version of Paragon Drive Copy Compact 12 floating around.

Ive got no idea why there were no other partitions, just one. On the other SSD there were two with system reserved being C.

I use Drive Image XML and an old version of Acronis and nothing works. I also rang Microsoft and they said I have to pay for another licence if I want to keep both copies going on the one computer.

I'm not real happy at the moment, all I want to do is put all my stuff onto another HDD, and I'm having huge problems.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro/Windows 8 Pro/Windows 7 64 Bit64Bit/Windows XP
I might have a go at Paragon I used it years ago, but because DXML is free I've used that for years and its also supposed to be compatible with Windows 8.

Everything seems to run smoothly as far as copying and backing up go, but it just won't boot, I think it must have something to do with their licensing system.

i would like to know if anyone else has done this successfully and if so what progs did they use.

Also once I get it going on the other HDD, I'm going to wipe the original and put it on my wife's computer and buy another Windows 8 licence for her, but if this doesn't get sorted today I'm going over to Apple and not looking back:cry:
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro/Windows 8 Pro/Windows 7 64 Bit64Bit/Windows XP
Yes I'm going to give it a go, nothing else seems to be working, this started out to be a 10 minute job, it only takes about 6 minutes to take an image off one SSD. And put it on to the other yet it just won't boot, I keep getting BOSD's all the time, first time since Windows 98.

it just would have been nice not to have to reinstall everything, not that it would take that long, but it just would have been nice.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro/Windows 8 Pro/Windows 7 64 Bit64Bit/Windows XP
All done, very painless but for some reason my libraries are no longer working Music, Video and Photos. Every time I try to enter them, it says it's safe to delete them, bit weird, any suggestions.

Looks like Paragon is the way to go.No idea why DXML doesn't work.

Fixed the libraries just deleted them, restored them, and all the files were still there, still a bit weird but it worked.
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro/Windows 8 Pro/Windows 7 64 Bit64Bit/Windows XP
Not sure what is going on with your libraries.

Maybe try deleting and setting them up again.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    7/8/ubuntu/Linux Deepin
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
Not sure what is going on with your libraries.

Maybe try deleting and setting them up again.

Yes, I did delete them and restored them, everything's still there the music and videos, who knows, weird.

Its been a funny 24hrs, but Paragon certainly did the job, I'm just not sure about the legality of doing things this way because I was told by MS I would have to buy another licence.

I told them I wanted to talk to someone from an English speaking country, they transferred me to a guy who claimed to be Australian but for some reason he sounded like an Indian Taxi driver.

I just didn't want to start over again with the new drive and I'm going to clean the old one and put a New Windows 8 licence on the old one for the wife.

Oh yeah I forgot, the taxi driver I mean technician told me if I wanted anymore info I would have to pay for it, anyway at about this juncture I told him he was giving me a headache and hung up.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro/Windows 8 Pro/Windows 7 64 Bit64Bit/Windows XP
It's not a sure thing that you'll see a Microsoft Recovery partition. It depends how the install is done. My son's laptop came with Windows 8 pre-installed by the OEM on a GPT layout, so he's got the Microsoft Recovery partition, followed by the EFI partition, followed by the system partition (which I re-partitioned into two partitions for software and data), followed by the OEM recovery partition. And somewhere at the end of the disk is another copy of the partition table.

It's also possible to have the recovery tools as part of the system partition, rather than in a separate partition. But in that case, if your C:\ drive gets hosed you have to boot from a Windows 8 install media to use the recovery tools.

As for backing up: I moved from Partition Magic - there will never be better - to Norton Ghost after PM was acquired by Symantec. Ghost sucked footballs so I moved on to Acronis. That was fine for a while, until Acronis succumbed to feature creep rather than making its basic functionality work properly.

My next stop was ShadowProtect Desktop. Expensive, but it's industrial strength and totally reliable. The problem is, it's really aimed at the enterprise and servers. It lacks many features that matter to a home user - like waking the computer when it's time for a backup - and support sort of 'puts up' with home users. What killed it in the end for me is that it's really not ready for GPT.

I auditioned Macrium Reflect. It's okay but I'm not crazy about it. The interface isn't very intuitive (to me), it has an obscure file naming method, it can't collapse incrementals, it comes with scripting capabilities (in VBS and MS-DOS) for which I have no use, and it includes file backup but not in zip format. Plus, it's expensive for what you get.

Next up will be Paragon, which I think will be my choice. I really liked the program the last time I checked it out, but I was put off by the funky English translation by a recent Berlitz graduate, Now it has a U.S.-based user forum where Paragon reps participate in native English.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
at one stage I just did a clean install onto the new SSD and guess what, no system reserved partition, and yet it booted just fine

Where is the system partition and the hidden recovery folder?

Paragon does it fine: PARAGON Software Group - partition manager, drive backup, hard disk partitioning

There is a free/giveaway/cover version of Paragon Drive Copy Compact 12 floating around.
I think the all in one sounds like a good idea. Does it really do all the things the "component" programs do?

I like to do things the easy way when possible. For years, I used Acronis True Image and its separate partitioning program (can't recall the name of the second right now). The True Image interface got so confusing over the years I now have quit using it (having uninstalled True Image 2013). Do you have any comments about the intuitiveness of the Paragon interface(s) in general or in comparison with True Image. I pretty much don't like to do things if I have to read about how to do or if I encounter non-standard terminology.

Does Paragon deal simply and efficiently with UEFI installations, GPT vs MBR, etc.?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win7 Ult on DIY; Win8 Pro on MBP/Parallels; Win7 Ult on MBP/Boot Camp; Win7 Ult/Win8 Pro on HP
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    DIY Rig; MacBook Pro (MBP)/Parallels/Boot Camp; HP Pavilion dv6500t Laptop
    CPU
    Intel i7-2600K (sometimes OC'd to 4.8 GHz)
    Motherboard
    ASUS P8P67 Deluxe Rev B3
    Memory
    16 GB Corsair Vengeance
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA 570 SC
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    Gateway
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    Dual Boot:
    Win7 Ult RAID 0 on OCZ Revo x2 and
    Win7 Ult RAID 0 on Caviar Black SATA 3's
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    Cooler Master Silent Pro 1000W
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    Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 5500
    Internet Speed
    20 Mbps Download/2+ Mbps Upload
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    Pioneer Blu-ray Burner/DVD Burner
For Paragon 12 paid for versions, fully supports Windows 8, uEFI, GPT & Secure Boot, & is signed by Microsoft.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Other Info
    Notebooks x 3

    Desktops x 5

    Towers x 4
Cool, thanks for your input.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win7 Ult on DIY; Win8 Pro on MBP/Parallels; Win7 Ult on MBP/Boot Camp; Win7 Ult/Win8 Pro on HP
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    DIY Rig; MacBook Pro (MBP)/Parallels/Boot Camp; HP Pavilion dv6500t Laptop
    CPU
    Intel i7-2600K (sometimes OC'd to 4.8 GHz)
    Motherboard
    ASUS P8P67 Deluxe Rev B3
    Memory
    16 GB Corsair Vengeance
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA 570 SC
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Gateway
    Hard Drives
    Dual Boot:
    Win7 Ult RAID 0 on OCZ Revo x2 and
    Win7 Ult RAID 0 on Caviar Black SATA 3's
    PSU
    Cooler Master Silent Pro 1000W
    Case
    Cooler Master 932 HAF
    Cooling
    Zalman CNPS9900MAX-B CPU Fan
    Keyboard
    Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 5500
    Mouse
    Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 5500
    Internet Speed
    20 Mbps Download/2+ Mbps Upload
    Other Info
    Pioneer Blu-ray Burner/DVD Burner
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