Refresh Windows 8 - Create and Use Custom Recovery Image

How to Create a Custom Recovery Image to Use to Refresh Windows 8 and 8.1​

   Information

This tutorial will show you how to create and register a custom recovery image to use instead of default when you refresh your Windows 8, Windows RT, Windows 8.1, and Windows 8.1 RT PC.

You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to do this tutorial.

Quoted from Microsoft:

Refreshing your PC to a state you define, including desktop apps

We know that many of you like to first configure your PC just the way you like it, by installing favorite desktop apps or removing apps that came with the PC, and then create an image of the hard drive before you start using the PC. This way, when you need to start over, you can just restore the image and you won’t have to reinstall the apps from scratch.

With this in mind, we’ve made it possible for you to establish your own baseline image via a command-line tool (recimg.exe). So when you get a Windows 8 PC, you will be able to do the following:

• Go through the Windows first-run experience to configure basic settings.
• Install your favorite desktop apps (or uninstall things you don’t want).
• Configure the machine exactly as you would like it.
• Use recimg.exe to capture and set your custom image of the system.

After you’ve created the custom image, whenever you refresh your PC, not only will you be able to keep your personal data, settings, and Metro style apps, but you can restore all the desktop apps in your custom image as well. And if you buy a PC that already comes with a recovery image on a hidden partition, you’ll be able to use the tool to switch from using the hidden partition to instead use the custom image you’ve created.

   Note

The recimg.exe command line tool lets you configure a custom recovery image for Windows 8 to use when you refresh your PC. When you create a custom recovery image, it will include the desktop apps you've installed and the Windows system files in their current state. Saved recovery images do not include your documents, personal settings, user profiles, or modern apps from the Store because that information will automatically be included by default at the time you refresh your PC. This way when you refresh your PC with the saved custom recovery image, it will save and include your current documents, personal settings, user profiles, and modern apps.

When you create a custom recovery image, recimg will store it in the specified directory, and set it as the active recovery image. If a custom recovery image is set as the active recovery image, Windows will use it when you refresh your PC. You can use the /setcurrent and /deregister options to select which recovery image Windows 8 will use. All recovery images have the filename CustomRefresh.wim. If no CustomRefresh.wim file is found in the active recovery image directory, Windows will fall back to the default image (or to installation media) when you refresh your PC.

Note that you cannot reset your PC using a custom recovery image. Custom recovery images can only be used to refresh your PC.

STEP ONE

To Create and Register a Custom Recovery Image

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1. After you have finished seting up Windows 8 how you like it, open a elevated command prompt.​

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2. In the elevated command prompt, copy and paste the command below, and press Enter. (see screenshot below step 3)​

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NOTE: If you like, you can subsititute the C drive letter in the command below for the drive letter of the location that you would like to keep the CustomRefresh.wim recovery image file at instead.​

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recimg -CreateImage C:\RefreshImage​

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   Tip

If needed, you can press the ESC key at anytime to cancel creating this custom refresh image.

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3. When finished, this new custom recovery image of your current Windows 8 setup will now be set (registered) as the current active recovery image used whenever you refresh Windows 8 next in STEP TWO below.​

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NOTE: It may take a bit to finish creating your custom recovery image. At the Writing image line the progress stays at 1% for a bit and then increases slowly until finished at 100%.​

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   Tip

You can create multiple or new recovery images every so often to have an updated version handy if you should need to refresh your PC with.

Whenever you create a new recovery image, the new image will be used instead by default afterwards since it will be the latest registered (set) active recovery image.

   Note

To unregister this custom recovery image for refresh to have Windows 8 go back to using it's default refresh, see: How to Deregister the Current Custom Recovery Image to Refresh Windows 8

To set a previosly created CustomRefresh.wim recovery image file to be used by refresh, see: How to Set a Custom Recovery Image as Active to Use to Refresh Windows 8

STEP TWO

To Refresh Windows 8 with the Custom Recovery Image

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1. If you have not already, you must have already previously created and registered a custom recovery image using STEP ONE first to use to do the refresh with.​

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2. You can now use either option in the tutorial below to refresh Windows 8 like you would normally do so, but your custom system image will now be used to refresh Windows 8 with instead.​

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Refresh Windows 8​

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

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• How to Refresh Windows 8 and Windows 8.1
• How to Refresh or Reset Windows 8 without Installation Disk
• How to Do a Repair Install of Windows 8 without Losing Anything
• How to Set a Custom Recovery Image as Active to Use to Refresh Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Display Path of Current Active Recovery Image Used to Refresh Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Deregister the Current Custom Recovery Image to Refresh Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Reset Windows 8 and Windows 8.1
• How to Boot to the "System Recovery Options" in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Create a System Image in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Do a System Image Recovery in Windows 8 and 8.1

 

[Brink]

Wolfgang,

Did you already try the OEM key from OPTION FIVE below? This is usually the embedded key.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/27129-product-key-find-windows-8-a.html

 

[whs]

No I did not try that yet. I used "Key" which I got from Belarc and that looked something like this:

00266-XXXXX-XXXXX-BBOEM (Key: 4MMQ4-XXXXX-XXXXX-94R2C-JHT6R)

And I don't really know what that first 20 digits are.

I will try Option 5 and see what that yields.

 

[KYHI]

that is the Product ID

View attachment 56550

 

[Superfly]

No I did not try that yet. I used "Key" which I got from Belarc and that looked something like this:

00266-XXXXX-XXXXX-BBOEM (Key: 4MMQ4-XXXXX-XXXXX-94R2C-JHT6R)

And I don't really know what that first 20 digits are.

I will try Option 5 and see what that yields.

That Product ID (and key) is for Win 8.1 CoreConnected (aka Windows 8.1 with Bing)

 

[whs]

Thanks guys. I must have brain damage not remembering the product ID. But I may have found a solution with the help of Chris.

BIOS with no boot options - Page 3 - Windows 7 Help Forums

 

[Superfly]

Thanx for the link - that seems quite a nifty tool Been using Paragon's version but it's Grub4Dos based and messes with Grub.

Anyway that Product ID sems a bit odd - Not sure if it's just Belarc (it reports the Tech Preview as Windows 9) or whether Bing edition has changed from -AAOEM to -BBOEM... Does system properties show the same?

 

[whs]

or whether Bing edition has changed from -AAOEM to -BBOEM

LOL, Nah, I changed it to BB just to scramble the key here.

 

[Brink]

Hello PixeliouseFox,

You can create and save the custom recovery image to any drive letter you like. The note under step 2 can give you more details on how to do this. Unfortunately, it can't be on a hidden partition. It must have a drive letter to be able to register it.

Hope this helps.

 

[1CM69]

I created a custom refresh for my Win 8.1 installation and have recently upgraded to 8.1 Pro.

If I perform a system refresh now, will it refresh the system back to 8.1 non Pro version?

Regards..,

 

[Brink]

I created a custom refresh for my Win 8.1 installation and have recently upgraded to 8.1 Pro.

If I perform a system refresh now, will it refresh the system back to 8.1 non Pro version?

Regards..,

I'm afraid so. It'll refresh back to the same state Windows was in when the custom refresh image was created.

You can always create a new custom refresh image to use instead though.

 

[1CM69]

I created a custom refresh for my Win 8.1 installation and have recently upgraded to 8.1 Pro.

If I perform a system refresh now, will it refresh the system back to 8.1 non Pro version?

Regards..,

I'm afraid so. It'll refresh back to the same state Windows was in when the custom refresh image was created.

You can always create a new custom refresh image to use instead though.

Thanks.

 

[Brink]

You're welcome.

 

[mrgeek]

Brink; explain advantage of custom system image vs create restore point. Don't both rewind Windows to said point w/o affecting personal files and programs ? Only diff I see is putting image on ext media vs on drive for re-booting purposes, right ? Thanks in advance.

 

[whs]

The main advantage in my book is that refresh images are safe to keep. Restore points are very volatile and can disappear for a number of reasons.

 

[mrgeek]

Safe enough to keep on computer's drive like Mfr's recovery partition ? I have used Acronis True Image to create an image of the OS and programs for a long time on an ext HD. This intrigues me as an extra layer of protection, if so.

Since you bring up volatility, I notice that 8.1 does not seem to have a restore schedule like XP did every few days. They are few and far between and sometimes, when I'm in CCCleaner, I can see they all disappeared which leaves NONE. I thought the last was always kept !. Or, are they kept for a max period of time on 8.1 ?

 

[Cliff S]

The main advantage in my book is that refresh images are safe to keep. Restore points are very volatile and can disappear for a number of reasons.

What whs has said, plus it is to be used like windows refresh, except all your favorite programs can be already loaded, all windows updates to the time you create the image are installed, and your libraries will be save. It's kind of a system image back up, but to when you (your decision) you have the perfect setup.

:note:This is absolutely NOT a substitute for a weekly or monthly image backup... this is to be a clean/virus free 1st image, where as a weekly or monthly has all the usual pitfalls(that's why I DO NOT use incremental-in case I have a infected/corrupt image I then have another choice)
If something goes wrong I use my monthly image 1st, A refresh should be more or less used as a "clean slate".

 

[Brink]

Hello mrgeek,

I think Wolfgang and Cliff explained it pretty well. If you have any further questions, then please let us know.

 

[whs]

Speaking of images - Refresh or other. I bought this cute 11.6" Asus x250 laptop for $99 (now $149). It is a really nice little device - the whole 2 pounds of it. But it is a little retarded.

RECIMG is not a supported function so I cannot manipulate the refresh images. Only the factory image is available. I also cannot use my usual imaging programs because the disk was Device Encrypted during the OS installation . I decrypted it but there is still an encryption bit set for the C partition and the imaging programs cannot deal with that.

In addition I cannot set the BIOS to legacy mode because the BIOS does not have that option. But since I absolutely wanted some images, I used this Command Prompt command

wbAdmin start backup -backupTarget: -include:C: -allCritical -quiet

Where D is my external disk - I use a SSD that was lying around and the 3 partitions (EFI, C and Recovery) are being imaged pretty fast. Recovery is with my recovery flash drive which I burnt from the recovery partition and is UEFI and can boot from USB.

I am, of course, subject to all the perils of Windows imaging. But with careful handling (leave the images alone), it works. Now I am happy.

 

[mrgeek]

Hello mrgeek,

I think Wolfgang and Cliff explained it pretty well. If you have any further questions, then please let us know.

Thanks, guys. I'll try this as an on the computer backup in additon to my TI image. I understand the big advantage of not having to re-install updates after a full recovery and I'm always leery of system restore which is one of the first things a virus or malware infects so it can restore itself when run out of desperation. I agree that full images are the only way to go, they don't take that long to create if personal files are a separate backup. Cheers.

 

[way2ob2se]

OMG, I'm feeling quite incapable right now, but I am stuck on Step 2 of the Tutorial, where all I should need to do is copy/paste. When I open the command-prompt it shows c:\Users\{my username}> and if I copy/paste it comes back with `V. I don't know how to get it to show C:\Windows\system32 to put in the command.

I am on Windows 8.1 on HP desktop (came with 8.0 and I upgraded to 8.1 last year) . I'm attempting to create a custom refresh point...but guess I need the simplest instruction ever.

P.S. I am logged in as Admin.