Solved Create ISO file from recovery install.wim file

I am currently using ubuntu 14 I installed it to dual boot with windows 8.1 but something went wrong on install and I deleted / corrupted my Windows 8.1 install before I made a recovery disk.

Asus say that they cannot send a recovery disk because they only have them available for Windows 8 not 8.1.

I did however, save the recovery partitions (x2) on looks like a boot partition the other has a install.wim file. Is it possible to create a bootable ISO file with these recovery files so I can boot into Windows and make a fresh install.

Any help or advice appreciated.

Probably. Depends exactly what you have aside from the install.wim. I expect your install.wim will be for 8.0 if it came with the machine.

Might be easier to d\l the correct edition of 8.1 using the download tool they provide:

Creating installation media for Windows 8.1 - Windows Help

If that install.wim is one from a harddrive partition - then it is the factory recovery image.. Thus you can not make anything out of it..

It is possible to re-apply it to the harddrive - but that would be a nightmare to explain how..

Like what was already said - just download windows 8.1 media (link in sig below) and do a clean install..

I am not running a windows machine but using ubuntu 14 so I cannot run a exe file. WINE is an option but I dont know if it will allow me to do the necessary jobs this exe program needs to do.

could I install windows 10 preview and roll back to windows 8.1?

ok I think the only way is to install my dodgy copy of windows 7 I downloaded from some file sharing site and upgrade to windows 8.1 using my product key. Only thing is do you think that the upgrade will still contain possible dodgy code from my original windows 7 install?

just download windows 8.1 media (link in sig below) and do a clean install..

ok thanks KYHI. I installed virtualbox and a windows 7 install and managed to download from your link and create a ISO file.

The other problem I faced was that I didnt have the windows 8.1 product key, but I think I found it in the install.wim file but would you mind confirming that what found is correct?

File: machineinfo-output.txt

in that I found something called UUID it has the same amount of characters so I assumed it was it.

just upgrading my windows 7 in virutalbox to 8.1 and going to try and use this key if it works I will try a fresh install.

the media will read the embedded BOIS key if your PC can with windows 8/8.1 or you will need the retail product key..

the key within the iso will not activate

OK KYHI

Looks like this worked. For anyone else who decided to wipe windows 8.1 with ubuntu and wants to reinstall and needs the product key these are the steps.

1) run the following command to get the product key from the bios:

sudo hexdump -s 56 -e '"MSDM key: " /29 "%s\n"' /sys/firmware/acpi/tables/MSDM

2) download the windows 8.1 ISO using the link in KYHI sig:

http://www.eightforums.com/redirect...om/en-us/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media

3) burn ISO to disk and continue with installation using the product key.

Thanks everyone.

Yes, it is handy to be able to get the key from Terminal.