[HELP] Windows 8 Laptop - parition,recovery,fresh install

Hi!

I bought new Dell Inspiron 15R Turbo laptop that comes with pre-installed windows 8. I few queries if u can help me.

I want to make partition on my 1tb hdd. It comes with single visible c drive which has os and other 3 hidden partitions for recovery, system reserve and one more. First will I be able to create partition from c drive? If yes, My requirement is like i want to create 120gb for c drive and remaining 735gb to be d drive. Can i use windows disk management to shrink c drive to 120 gb or should i use easeus partition master?

Other thing is if m able to create d drive partition than will i loose that d drive partition when i use dell recovery disk (yet to create that 2 dvd disks) or restore factory image function as i don't wanna lose that partition bcoz that would be the one which will have all data and stuff. so which option to use to save d drive partition? And as shown in ur tutorial when should i use create image function of windows i.e. before creating partition or after creating partition? As if i create image before partition than it might delete that partition while restoring bcoz image was created before partition was created? Same applies to recovery disk about creating it before or after partition or its just the factory image of windows and doesn't alter any partitions when used for recovery?

I was planning to make fresh windows 8 install. But i don't have product key due to this new inbuilt bios key mechanism. So will it work if i use downloaded retail windows 8 x64 915440 iso from net. Will it get key automatically from bios or not? Is it suggested to make clean install to get clear and fast system experience or it may lead to some problems if proper drivers are not found. Though i have dell resource cd with me which has all drivers i guess. also if i go for fresh windows 8 install do i need to format hdd as mentioned in tutorial or just format c drive which has windows 8 pre-installed n over write it. bcoz formating hdd will delete all 3 hidden partition including the recovery partition created by dell. Also i have installed windows 7 directly over existing windows 7 pc which has issue from other partition using extracted iso of windows 7. later it creates windows.old folder in that drive. Will same thing work from windows 8 if i extracted windows 8 iso on other partition n started setup from running windows 8 itself.. ? This way installation completes quickly as setup is on hdd only. Just temp. files of setup are copied from d drive extracted iso folder to c drive where windows 8 will be installed on existing windows 8 setup. This is how i used on windows 7.

all this years i have been using farstone restoreIT and it has served me good on my old xp p4 pc. When i think its affected by virus i just restore using complete back and my pc is back to state with basic apps that i had installed while creating complete backup. RestoreIT load between bios and windows system when pc starts. So will it work with windows 8 is same manner or its not advisable to use it with windows 8 as its bios type is different and also there are changes in disk formations - may be some table type like mbr vs gtp (i read somewhere in tutorial - )??

This long query is bcoz windows 8 looks quite different to play with n i don't wanna make system unusable in just few days of getting it. So y not take precautions in advance. Your advice would be highly appreciated. Thanks...

Welcome to EightForums.

1)Yes, you can.
Partition or Volume - Shrink - Windows 7 Forums


2)Dell factory image, will restore partition as there now.

3a)Do not download from from net
How to use Dell Recovery Partition,make Recovery Disks & how to order Recovery Disks.

Dell - Support

3b) As the new PC has a uEFI BIOS.
How to install Windows 64 bit on a uEFI BIOS:


http://www.eightforums.com/tutorial...e-firmware-interface-install-windows-8-a.html


4) You need to use the Windows 8 version with uEFI BIOS & Secure Boot support.

for disk partition i have attached screenshot of actual status... will disk management allow me to shrink c drive to 120 from what it is at present.. or should i use third party like easeus ..


dell factory image and recovery disk has same content or different??

as said by u factory image returns to state as of now so my d drive would get deleted if I create that when such situations arises..

does this apply to recovery disk also as the dell link doesn't answer that...

if any method will delete my d drive than there is no use of creating partition if it can't be saved when recovering/restoring/fresh install of windows 8... like in old windows xp, 7.. we can just format n install our fresh os on patition with all data intact in our other partitions... or this is due to oem lappy.. .. .. also how about creating system recovery drive from windows 8 control panel after creating partition.. will that help to keep d drive when restored from it? it would be great if u can give proper answer to my query..

4 - from where do I get windows 8 iso that would work my my lappy or there is no way except recovery disk?? will not retail ios work n get key from bios by itself when trying to install with steps mentioned in windows 8 install tutorial.. ?

at present my lappy boots in flat 15-17 secs.. just dell logo for say 10 sec n in next 5 secs my lappy is ready with windows lock screen ... so it is the magic of uefi .. right ?

1) AS C: is 923gb, shrink will work.

2) That is your HD Drive Recovery.

3) As said

4) From the link, up to now Dell send out Reinstall DVD, not the Dell recovery DVD you no the PC.

5) After you repartitioned, you can use the Windows system image, which will reinstall all the partitions, you tick the box for.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/8956-system-image-create-windows-8-a.html

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/5132-recovery-drive-create-usb-flash-drive-windows-8-a.html

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2855-system-repair-disc-create-windows-8-a.html

6) This for OEM's only, I am not OEM so can not look.


7) From the link, up to now Dell send out Reinstall DVD, not the Dell recovery DVD you no the PC.

8) Yes.

bro all i want to do is play with only c drive when serious situation arises (like getting it back to how it is now) and keep d drive intact any how (whatever changes I make to that drive i.e. today or after 2 months.. it should stay like that when windows is repaired, recovered or reinstalled) .. so what measure should I take.. ?

should i create system image with only c drive n system partition and when restore will newly created d drive stay there or will get deleted?

how about using dell recovery dvd disk/usb will that also delete the d drive or will only play with my c drive... ?

about getting dvd from dell they are very rigid in India to send disk or they charge for same.. they tell that u create recovery disk by urself with our tools .. thatz it..

my q. doesn't get answered with reply u give.. sorry bro but ur ans. is like general not specific to my q. .. everyone is not a pro user to understand from the hint..

don't mind but i need proper solution for my data that m going to stack up after creating new partition from c drive...

if i had windows 8 product key i would not worry much as i can resintall os on c-drive if is anything serious happens and keep d drive intact but i don't have product key and due to this bios pre installed key thing one of my friend says that this is like a windows 8 machine and no other os can be installed on this.. what u say for this ?

adminhead said:

my q. doesn't get answered with reply u give.. sorry bro but ur ans. is like general not specific to my q. .. everyone is not a pro user to understand from the hint..

Click to expand...

All answered above.

admnhead said:

no other os can be installed on this.. what u say for this ?

Click to expand...

You can install other OS's, if you do it in the right way.