Solved Win 8.1: Install vs Reset on partitioned drive

qudrcps

New Member
Messages
5
This is a little complicated.

I have a Thinkpad T-60 (4GB) and a T-61p (8GB)

Both machines have SATA drives partitioned in 3 (System, Images, Data)

Originally, both had XP (the T-61p was RAM upgraded to 8 GB before upgrade (remember the $50 early-bird special?)

I upgraded the T60 without problem (as I recall).
I had to get the 64-bit physical upgrade as you could only download the version you already had (32-bit; remember that disaster?).

I clean installed (as I recall) 8.1 using a generic 8 key (right?) and then an 8.1 key (right?, or is that an 8 key that will still activate 8.1?)

So here it is 3 years later +/- and both 8.1 installs are pretty trashed so...

I downloaded both the 8.1 32-bit and 64-bit .iso's

I have my serial #'s

I tried a Reset on my Server last night (whole disk, no partitions) - it worked, and gave me an option to wipe all disks, or just the C: system disk (which I did, others intact). It is fine, all settings gone, no trash.


Now the question is what will happen with my partitioned drives. I want a clean install on the C: partition, and D: and E: left alone.

Will Reset trash all the partitions and load the entire disk? (NOT what I want) .. or ..
Should I use the Install option? (which I assume will go through the partition manager) and allow me to clean install on C: only.

Lastly, if I have read correctly, there is no point in putting 64-bit on the T-60 (4 GB) as all you end up is 3 GB active anyway, so I should go back to 32-bit and avoid the 64-bit headaches?

Thanks!!!
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8.0
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo T-61p
could you post a picture of disk management?

or from command prompt(admin) with / for the hard drive in question

diskpart

select disk 0 (or what ever disk #)

list partition

post that pic
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 3.1 > Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS 8700
    CPU
    I7
    Memory
    24 GB
Screen Shots

This is from the T-61p. The T-60 is similar. It was installed so there was no system hidden partition.
attachment.php

attachment.php
 

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My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8.0
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo T-61p
You have stated you Have an images Partition - are these windows Images??

Unless this is an OEM setup, and it is not.. I would not think you have windows reset images..

I would opt for doing a clean install and pointing to the present windows partition as the install to partition..

Hopfully it is partition 1 - the worst case is windows will create two other partitions in that space and the partition will become 450MB less then 100GB

as long as you do not remove those last 2 partitions - windows will not - you may just have to tell windows setup, if asked, to keep and use the present partition layout....
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 3.1 > Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS 8700
    CPU
    I7
    Memory
    24 GB
KYHI -

Thanks for the response.

1. No, this is not an OEM, nor was the old XP. As a developer, it is my policy to *always* wipe any OEM stuff (including the bloatware), repartition in 3 (depending on the size of the drive).

2. Partition 1 as you can see from the Disk Management screen above, is the C: partition which contains the OS and most programs. Partition 2, D:, is various program disk .iso's and old incremental build images made with True Image; none are Wiindows-images per se.

3. As I have both the 8.1 32-bit and 64-bit .iso's as DVDs, I can boot from the CD-DVD drive and do either the Install or Reset. I did notice in doing the Reset I was never asked for a serial #, which I assume I would be as an Install. If so, this would get into the slmgr /upk issue right? as the license key would be overwritten in the partition format?

Thanks so much for you clarification so far.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8.0
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo T-61p
You can do install and refresh using the windows setup media (Windows Image) - not sure you can do a reset via booted media... Maybe..

If you can and it does not ask for product key that is because it may be reading the current key as valid

You can use the windows setup media as the Reset / Refresh image via right charm , pc setting, recovery..
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 3.1 > Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS 8700
    CPU
    I7
    Memory
    24 GB
It gets weirder.

I did the 32-bit T-60 yesterday, using 32-bit 8.1. Recall this was originally done as 64-bit, and on several suggestions went to 32-bit.

However, using 32-bit media, trying to do a Reset fails entirely - you *have* to do a complete install per the usual routine of generic key, then your own key at the very end. It is like a completely different piece of software, and the .iso is 1/3 smaller than 64-bit.

A question tho - since I was working on partition 1, I didn't Delete if first, I just Formatted and installed. This seemed to go very fast. I take it that this is doing a Quick Format, not a "deep" Format.

If I had taken the "delete" then make a new partition route, then format, would I end up with the same size partition, or some "lopped off" for "dead space".

One thing I can say is that it does appear to run faster than 64-bit on those allowed 3 GB.

Tomorrow I do my multiply partitioned 8 GB T-61p. Will update after that "experiment".

Thanks for you're help, and will mark as "Solved" with kudos when finished.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8.0
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo T-61p
if anything it looped off 450MB from partition 1 for its system file.. I figured it would..

do diskpart again to see if you now have an extra partition you did not have before
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 3.1 > Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS 8700
    CPU
    I7
    Memory
    24 GB
I went through this several times...


THE ANSWER IS: Reset only effects the Physical Drive (in my case Drive 0) where the Partitions (1-3) reside.

Furthermore, if one elects to *NOT* delete Partition 1 (C: ), but Format it only for the Reset, Partitions 2 (D: ) and 3 (E:) are left intact.


This is one of the those horrible semantic ambiguities of what is a "drive". I'm guessing most people equate "drive" with a "physical disk" as most casual users don't partition disks.

It turned out the issue of "slmgr /upk" was a "non-issue". I didn't use it, and did not get hassled when activating the Reset partition.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8.0
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo T-61p
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