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Just got a new ASUS pc for my mom, with Win 8.1 ( it came with 8.0 and I did the free upgrade to 8.1)
I want to do the normal preparation so I can more easily recover from a hard disk failure or system corruption without having a heart attack, but its getting more and more difficult asL
- manufacturer no longer provide Window media ( or the key!)
- Microsoft, bless them, makes this harder and harder to do every year.
In terms of backing up the system files, I am aware of 4 strategies, but I have some issues with each already (!):
1) USB Bootable drive from ISO ( fits an 4-8GB USB)
This is normally straightforward to do when you have the DVD media (ie create an ISO file form the DVD and then create a bootable USB from the ISO). I do this for the machines I build from scratch, and sure is a pleasure . But the folks at ASUS, like many manufacturers , chose not to supply the 50 cent media DVD or a $4 USB stick They don't even supply the key. I wrote them to get a DVD, or bootable USB, and the key, and they are considering my request. They suggested I could take a image copy of thier install partition (buts I cant as I am on 8.1 and am not going back). I scoured many sites which talk about 8.1 ISO files, figuring I could download one, but they all start with the assumption one has 8.0 and a 8.0 key, which I do not have. Hopefully ASUS will come thru and ship me the DVD install media or bootable USB, and the key. I could not find the key on my own even using Belarc. They key is pretty crucial as when I went to the Windows store to upgrade to Window Pro, it asked for the key 8.1 key!! Are there other options here ? ..or am I at the mercy of ASUS? I don't feel I should have to pay $50 for a recovery disc on a brand new computer that is unrecoverable if it fails.
2- Windows - Create Recovery Drive(it prompts for a 32 GB stick) . Have not tried this yet - need to buy 32 GB stick, but juts curious,, does this yield me a self-contained bootable USB drive like (1)? which reloads Win 8.1 ( even without a key?), .. or does it just yield me an image for which I still need something else to fully recover?
3- Windows System Image - fair enough, but useless on its own if I cannot get 8.1 reloaded.
4- Third party Image backup software. similar to (3) but a bit better as one boots with a bootable device to reload the image to get back in business- correct?
I want to do the normal preparation so I can more easily recover from a hard disk failure or system corruption without having a heart attack, but its getting more and more difficult asL
- manufacturer no longer provide Window media ( or the key!)
- Microsoft, bless them, makes this harder and harder to do every year.
In terms of backing up the system files, I am aware of 4 strategies, but I have some issues with each already (!):
1) USB Bootable drive from ISO ( fits an 4-8GB USB)
This is normally straightforward to do when you have the DVD media (ie create an ISO file form the DVD and then create a bootable USB from the ISO). I do this for the machines I build from scratch, and sure is a pleasure . But the folks at ASUS, like many manufacturers , chose not to supply the 50 cent media DVD or a $4 USB stick They don't even supply the key. I wrote them to get a DVD, or bootable USB, and the key, and they are considering my request. They suggested I could take a image copy of thier install partition (buts I cant as I am on 8.1 and am not going back). I scoured many sites which talk about 8.1 ISO files, figuring I could download one, but they all start with the assumption one has 8.0 and a 8.0 key, which I do not have. Hopefully ASUS will come thru and ship me the DVD install media or bootable USB, and the key. I could not find the key on my own even using Belarc. They key is pretty crucial as when I went to the Windows store to upgrade to Window Pro, it asked for the key 8.1 key!! Are there other options here ? ..or am I at the mercy of ASUS? I don't feel I should have to pay $50 for a recovery disc on a brand new computer that is unrecoverable if it fails.
2- Windows - Create Recovery Drive(it prompts for a 32 GB stick) . Have not tried this yet - need to buy 32 GB stick, but juts curious,, does this yield me a self-contained bootable USB drive like (1)? which reloads Win 8.1 ( even without a key?), .. or does it just yield me an image for which I still need something else to fully recover?
3- Windows System Image - fair enough, but useless on its own if I cannot get 8.1 reloaded.
4- Third party Image backup software. similar to (3) but a bit better as one boots with a bootable device to reload the image to get back in business- correct?
My Computer
System One
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- OS
- Windows 8