System Recovery Options - Boot to in Windows 8

**Brink** · 14 Sep 2011

How to Boot to the "System Recovery Options" in Windows 8

Information

This will show you how to boot to the System Recovery Options options screen to be able to refresh Windows 8, reset Windows 8, do a system restore, do a system image recovery, do a automatic repair, open a command prompt at boot, or open Advanced Boot Options to help in the recovery of Windows 8.

OPTION ONE

Boot to "System Recovery Options" Using "Startup Options"

1. Boot to the Startup Options Menu, and click/tap on Troubleshoot. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: You will only see the Use another operating system option if you are mutli booting Windows, or added Safe Mode to the Windows Boot Manager.

2. From here, select the recovery option in Troubleshoot or Advanced options that you would like to do at boot. (see screenshots below)

Refresh your PC (Troubleshoot)

Reset your PC (Troubleshoot)

System Restore (Advanced options)

System Image Recovery (Advanced options)

Automatic Repair (Advanced options)

Command Prompt (Advanced options)

UEFI Firmware Settings (Advanced options)
NOTE: If your motherboard has UEFI, then you will have also have this option available in Advanced options. Check your manufacturer's uEFI BIOS manual for available settings in it.

Windows Startup Settings (Advanced options)
NOTE: You will not have this option if you booted from a system repair disc or recovery USB flash drive.

OPTION TWO

To Open "Recovery" Options from within Windows 8

1. While logged in to an administrator account in Windows 8, insert or connect your Windows 8 installation DVD or USB thumb drive, or ISO file if in a virtual machine.

2. Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the Recovery icon. (see screenshot below)

3. From here, select the recovery option that you would like to do. (see screenshot below)

Refresh your PC

Reset your PC

Create a recovery drive/Create a System Repair Disc

Open System Restore

Configure System Restore

That's it,
Shawn

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**vrosa** · 14 Sep 2011

Nicely done

**Bill2** · 15 Sep 2011

On a physical machine, F8 works as usual.

**Brink** · 15 Sep 2011

Hello Bill,

Yeppers.

**theog** · 15 Sep 2011

Nice one, Shawn.

**Dave76** · 18 Sep 2011

Nice tutorial Shawn.

**mikedl** · 18 Sep 2011

Indeed, very nice, Shawn.

As an aside, how do y'all get screen caps of the booting process?

**mikedl** · 18 Sep 2011

Well, I went into options and changed the boot order to favor Win 7 and now I can't get back the Win 8 OS selection screen. Any ideas?

**Brink** · 18 Sep 2011

Hello Mike,

You should be able to boot from your Windows 8 installation media into the recovery options to do a "automatic repair" (startup repair) on Windows 8 if it's listed.

**mikedl** · 18 Sep 2011

Originally Posted by Brink

Hello Mike,

You should be able to boot from your Windows 8 installation media into the recovery options to do a "automatic repair" (startup repair) on Windows 8 if it's listed.

Yeah, I tried that. I received the message there was nothing to repair. I could even change the default OS selection using F8 but, even afterward, I still get the old OS choice (a la Win 7) screen.

Mind you, I can still boot either OS (Win7 Ultimate x64 or Win 8 DP 8102 x64) but I am now stuck with the old OS choice screen after changing the default selection via the Win 8 options choice.

In the end, I suppose, it's not a big deal but I really liked the Win 8 OS choice screen.

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System Recovery Options - Boot to in Windows 8

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