Pre-formatted disk install --- be careful of THIS problem (W8 RP)

Hi there
I decided to install W8 RP on a shiny new 120 GB SSD -- it was partitioned with a full partition (Primary / active).

Install went fine but it wouldn't boot.

So I went back to install again -- this time in the CUSTOMIZE section I deleted the partition -- and created a new one.

Windows created a 320 MB system partition too -- then install and boot up worked fine (7 mins on SSD !!!).

Now Windows W8 CP didn't mind not having a system reserved partition -- W8 RP seems a bit fussier. So if you find your system won't boot after install check whether it has a system reserved partition or not (to check just start the install process again and choose custom in the installation type screen).

Whether this is because I am using an SSD I don't know but the fix worked and with the SSD it' LIGHNING fast. !!

Cheers
jimbo

Jimbo45, Please have a glance at my posting of yesterday about the disaster I encountered and see if you think you might be able to help me. I would like to be able to call you for a conversation on the subject.
Waldie

How much of your 350 MB system reserved is used? I made mine 200 MB when I installed Windows 7 and new I was going to dual boot with Windows 8. In the past I have gotten a "Not enough free space on system reserved" message when trying to install Windows 8 in a dual boot setup. Only 33 MB was used this time around and I'm wondering if Windows 8 even put any files on it? I have also noticed that if I set Windows 7 as the default OS, on the next reboot I get the Windows 7 boot menu. Set it back to Windows 8 and the Windows 8 graphical boot menu comes back.

Yes, that is how win8 bootmgr behaves.

You can change that behaviour if you like.

If you only have one HD , then win8 will have overwritten the boot files in your 200mb partition with it's own.

Check your Win8 partition and see if you have a hidden recovery folder containing winre.wim

My dual boot is all on one hard drive, 200MB System Reserved > 100GB W7 > 100GB W8 > 250GB Data
There is a hidden Recovery partition on the Windows 8 partition. Access denied so I don't know what's in it. Windows 7 has one too.

I don't have any of those little sys res volumes at all.

I guessed that would be the case for your system.

I would think if there is already an active partition - win8 will try and deposit boot files and winre on it.

If it is too small - then it will drop winre on the win8 partition.

Don't know for sure - haven't tried it out yet, but it makes sense.

Something like this:

%systemdrive%\recovery\{guid}\winre.wim

you will find boot.sdi in there as well.

Winre.wim is the fella you boot up by pressing F8

It may depend on how many partitions you have. If you already have 4 primary partitions it skips making the system reserved. Everything is working so I'm happy enough to leave things as they are.