Too many recovery partitions?

mourinho

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Hi,
Got this ASUS system recently and had to recover using USB recovery drive. Now I am not able to use the reset or refresh without using the USB drive. ASUS told me to send it in to reimage. I am trying to avoid that

I see 3 partitons named Recovery. Is this valid? I am wondering about the first two (900MB and 450MB). Could I get rid of the 450MB partition so that i won't stay in the middle of unallocated spaces.
list partitions.JPGpartion info 2.JPG450MB partition.JPG900MB partition.JPG



Thanks!

(new to the forum and thanks for having this platform)
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS N56
You have the exact number of partitions for a system updated from 8.0 to 8.1.

If you have Reset back to 8.0, the recovery tools should have been set back to the original Recovery Tools partition so the 450 MB partition would no longer be used.

Using an Administrative command prompt window and typing reagentc /info might show what is currently registered.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Grown
    CPU
    i7 3770K
    Motherboard
    ASUS P8Z77 -v Pro, Z87-Expert
    Memory
    16 G
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA GTX 680 Classified (2)
    Hard Drives
    Kingston SSD 240 GB
One is the original Windows 8. The others are for 8.1. That is normal.
 

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Hi,

I had deleted the 450MB partition before I saw the replies to my post. I had also started another recovery from USB recovery drive after I deleted the 450MB partition. Here is the command output latest.

reagentc 1.JPGdisk info.JPG

Thanks much for the help!!
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS N56
You need to point reagent at the folder containing install.wim ( or install.swm if they are split ).

Likely they are in a folder called sources. Have a look with something more useful, like Partition guru,Recover deleted files, Partition manager and Windows backup - PartitionGuru.
You can use the Pro version. It just runs in "unregistered" mode. That means the partition operations work fine, data recovery comes with registered version..
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    7/8/ubuntu/Linux Deepin
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
The recovery image is not registered on the system. There is a way to register it, but some information is needed.

If you look in the long thread about ASUS recovery partitions, you will see reference by a system SIW2 made available for helping with this.

But to re-register the recovery image which is in the 20 GB partition, you need to know the index of the correct image. On my ASUS system it is 3, but I have seen 4 quite often.

You will also need to add a drive letter to the Recovery Image partition using Diskpart in order to use the reagentc command. The index number will need to be the correct one. You may be able to get the information from the recovery drive in the reagent.xml file or if you had an earlier backup that might work.

Let us know if the information in the other thread helps or you want to try yourself to set it up.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Grown
    CPU
    i7 3770K
    Motherboard
    ASUS P8Z77 -v Pro, Z87-Expert
    Memory
    16 G
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA GTX 680 Classified (2)
    Hard Drives
    Kingston SSD 240 GB
Hi, I am using Mini Tool Partition Wizard and looks like the install.wim is in the Partition 6 (20GB partition). Is this enough info?install.wim.JPGpartiton 2.JPG
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS N56

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS N56
Yes, and you do need the Index number, from somewhere. One place is after you place the drive letter on the partition, say R: ,you can use the command below to find the information on the install.wim.

dism /get-imageinfo /ImageFile:R:\RecoveryImage\install.wim

You could then use that info for the Reagentc /setosimage ... command and then remove the drive letter from the partition. Just letting you know so if you find the information in the other thread, you will recognize it.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Grown
    CPU
    i7 3770K
    Motherboard
    ASUS P8Z77 -v Pro, Z87-Expert
    Memory
    16 G
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA GTX 680 Classified (2)
    Hard Drives
    Kingston SSD 240 GB
Let me start reading the long thread. Thanks much!

what I have so far:
reagent 1.JPGreagent 1 output.JPGreagent 2.JPGreagent 2 output.JPG
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS N56
I thought I would go through the process so you could see it. Make sure and use your configuration and index. Your image information will be more extensive than mine, with several indexes listed, so choose the correct one, possibly one that says FinalOS.

If you have any questions, let us know. This was all done from an Administrative Command prompt in Windows.

C:\WINDOWS\system32>diskpart

Microsoft DiskPart version 6.3.9600
Copyright (C) 1999-2013 Microsoft Corporation.
On computer:

DISKPART> lis dis

Disk ### Status Size Free Dyn Gpt
-------- ------------- ------- ------- --- ---
Disk 0 Online 298 GB 2048 KB *
Disk 1 Online 596 GB 1024 KB *
Disk 2 Online 7441 MB 0 B

DISKPART> sel dis 0

Disk 0 is now the selected disk.

DISKPART> lis par

Partition ### Type Size Offset
------------- ---------------- ------- -------
Partition 1 Recovery 300 MB 1024 KB
Partition 2 System 99 MB 301 MB
Partition 3 Reserved 128 MB 400 MB
Partition 4 Primary 124 GB 528 MB
Partition 5 Recovery 450 MB 124 GB
Partition 6 Primary 157 GB 125 GB
Partition 7 Recovery 15 GB 283 GB

DISKPART> sel par 7

Partition 7 is now the selected partition.

DISKPART> assign letter="R"

DiskPart successfully assigned the drive letter or mount point.

DISKPART> exit

Leaving DiskPart...

C:\WINDOWS\system32>dism /get-imageinfo /ImageFile:R:\RecoveryImage\install.wim

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 6.3.9600.17031

Details for image : R:\RecoveryImage\install.wim

Index : 1
Name : Drive-C
Description : <undefined>
Size : 28,285,394,810 bytes

The operation completed successfully.

C:\WINDOWS\system32>reagentc /setosimage /path R:\RecoveryImage /index 1

Directory set to: \\?\GLOBALROOT\device\harddisk0\partition7\RecoveryImage

REAGENTC.EXE: Operation Successful.

C:\WINDOWS\system32>diskpart

Microsoft DiskPart version 6.3.9600
Copyright (C) 1999-2013 Microsoft Corporation.
On computer:

DISKPART> sel dis 0

Disk 0 is now the selected disk.

DISKPART> sel par 7

Partition 7 is now the selected partition.

DISKPART> remove

DiskPart successfully removed the drive letter or mount point.

DISKPART> exit

Leaving DiskPart...

C:\WINDOWS\system32>
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Grown
    CPU
    i7 3770K
    Motherboard
    ASUS P8Z77 -v Pro, Z87-Expert
    Memory
    16 G
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA GTX 680 Classified (2)
    Hard Drives
    Kingston SSD 240 GB
Please see the output. I have not done the setosimage command because I see two index output. index 1 and 2. Don't know which one to pick.. Thanks!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


DISKPART> select disk 0

Disk 0 is now the selected disk.

DISKPART> list partition

Partition ### Type Size Offset
------------- ---------------- ------- -------
Partition 1 System 100 MB 1024 KB
Partition 2 Recovery 900 MB 101 MB
Partition 3 Reserved 128 MB 1001 MB
Partition 4 Primary 99 GB 1129 MB
Partition 5 Recovery 20 GB 911 GB

DISKPART> select partition 5

Partition 5 is now the selected partition.

DISKPART> assign letter="R"

DiskPart successfully assigned the drive letter or mount point.

DISKPART>

C:\WINDOWS\system32>dism /get-imageinfo /ImageFile:R:\RecoveryImage\install.wim

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 6.2.9200.16384

Details for image : R:\RecoveryImage\install.wim

Index : 1
Name : ASUS_HDI_Image
Description : <undefined>
Size : 28,019,596,926 bytes

Index : 2
Name : ASUS
Description : <undefined>
Size : 35,033,950,639 bytes

The operation completed successfully.

C:\WINDOWS\system32>
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS N56
I set it to 1 and now I have the Reset and Refresh options available. !!!!!

Thank you!! Respect! Heroes!!

C:\WINDOWS\system32>
C:\WINDOWS\system32>reagentc /setosimage /path R:\RecoveryImage /index 1
Directory set to: \\?\GLOBALROOT\device\harddisk0\partition5\RecoveryImage

REAGENTC.EXE: Operation Successful.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS N56
Have a question now. If I upgrade to 8.1 how does this work. I am going to lose the Reset/Refresh options again, correct? since 8.1 cannot use 8.0 recovery partition? Would I be able to create another recovery partition for 8.1 from within windows 8.1?

Thanks!
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS N56
It might be better to go with Index 2, since it is larger and shows as Index 2 in the Reagent.xml listing you attached....

I don't know what the HID designation means, but one of my images is called "Factory Mode".
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Grown
    CPU
    i7 3770K
    Motherboard
    ASUS P8Z77 -v Pro, Z87-Expert
    Memory
    16 G
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA GTX 680 Classified (2)
    Hard Drives
    Kingston SSD 240 GB
You can copy 8.1 winre.wim and 8.1 install.wim/install.esd onto your HD - doesn't matter where. Then use reagentc to point at those two. Same commands. Boot.sdi is needed to boot winre.wim, iirc reagentc should do that for you.

If you haven't got those, and you upgrade via the store:
when it shows 100% and it asks to restart, close the window and show hidden files and you should find C:\$Windows.~BT\sources\install.esd

Copy that somewhere safe before restarting.
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    7/8/ubuntu/Linux Deepin
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
It might be better to go with Index 2, .

Yes, I got a different looking desktop (compared to what I had from the factory),different ASUS theme and start screen with Index 1. Changed to Index 2 and now going through reset. Shall update

@SIW2, going to try the steps once I update to WIN 8.1

Once I have Win 8 all set up I am going to clone the HDD to a Samsung SSD with Macrium reflect and update to 8.1 on it. I need to get this done and over with. Good learning experience.

Thanks much!
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS N56
Index 2 gave the factory default desktop and start screen. Wonder why they have the 2 indexes. Index 1 looked lightweight. Index 2 has more apps and things.


Now off to run all the updates, uninstall Macafee, install Classic Shell and clone.Thanks much!
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS N56
If you haven't got those, and you upgrade via the store:
when it shows 100% and it asks to restart, close the window and show hidden files and you should find C:\$Windows.~BT\sources\install.esdCopy that somewhere safe before restarting.

Hi,
So I tried the upgrade to 8.1 from the store and copied over the install.esd (2.48GB file) over to its own partition (named R) under folder RecoverImage . Now I need to point reagentc to point to that file, correct? I ran the command below and got error:

dism /get-imageinfo /ImageFile:R:\RecoveryImage\install.esd

Please let me know what I am doing wrong

Thanks!

Capture.PNG
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS N56
Hi there

@OP -- I read your name again -- surely not Chelsea's manager (Chelsea FC in UK Premier league soccer) posting on the Forum !!!

Anyway my suggestion would be to use something like Free Macrium to copy the recovery partition(s) you have and the current system -- then WIPE the lot with GPARTED and restore the Windows OS and boot partitions. Then resize your HDD with GPARTED to sizes you want.

Keep the backup archives - if you need then to do a factory restore do the following

1) restore the recovery partition from the free macrium backup
2) run the restore as per the manufacturers instructions.

(I prefer Acronis - a commercial backup program -- IMO BACKUPS are Vital -- paying for a reliable program has been worth every Penny, Rouble, Cent, Eurocent, Forint, Zloty, Kronor or whatever currency you want to use. You can't get anywhere with computers UNLESS YOU HAVE BACKUPS AND MORE BACKUPS -- imagine having to re-rip say 3,000 CD's again even if they are all readable after all this time or you lose music from iTunes or whatever).

Cheers
jimbo
 

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    SSD's * 3 (Samsung 840 series) 250 GB
    2 X 3 TB sata
    5 X 1 TB sata
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