Solved How to recover Windows 8.1 Files without re-installing?

tjsuominen said:
I do not want to make a Rescue ISO from my current installation, if that's what You mean...? Why, because if that's the corrupted one... ;o)

I can not create the ISO through MSFT Web as I have Lenovo OEM Windows Product ID which is NOT accepted. And no, Lenovo does not have yet the 8.1 Recovery media.
So I am more than stuck...
Click to expand...

Suggest you make the Rescue ISO or Rescue Disc.....this will not alter your present setup....All you are after is the key to opening
Image Recovery.....If it opens up all well and good to proceed.
As for the Skydrive backup....have you activated it?....If so you can always recoup everything stored by signing into your Microsoft Account.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro
Thx @dencal. Yes I do have the SkyDrive activated, basically everything goes there as backup.

Further Questions:

1) If I make Rescue ISO / Disc, is that created from my hidden Lenovo partitions/volumes aka "[FONT=courier new,courier]Volume 4 Lenovo_Reco NTFS Partition 19 GB Healthy Hidden[/FONT]"

2) How is that Rescue ISO / Disc created?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo T431s
tjsuominen said:
If I make Rescue ISO / Disc, is that created from my hidden Lenovo partitions/volumes aka "Volume 4 Lenovo_Reco NTFS Partition 19 GB Healthy Hidden"
Click to expand...

Yes.

tjsuominen said:
How is that Rescue ISO / Disc created?
Click to expand...

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

If you have a store bought OEM computer that came with Windows 8 preinstalled, then you could also check the Copy contents from the recovery partition to the recovery drive box to be able to use the recovery USB flash drive to do a factory restore/recovery of Windows 8.
Click to expand...

 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo G580
    CPU
    Intel Core i5-3230M
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 4000
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, standard user account
    Other Info
    UEFI firmware (BIOS) embedded Windows 8 product key.
Thx @dencal.

Next question: how on earth I can map (as drive letter?) the recovery partition to be visible (?) or is that needed... ?? As the recovery tool does not allow me to put a [x] for the option "Copy recovery partition from the PC to the recovery drive" on...

diskmgmt.jpg

Or what's the problem?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo T431s
tjsuominen said:
Thx @dencal.

Next question: how on earth I can map (as drive letter?) the recovery partition to be visible (?) or is that needed... ?? As the recovery tool does not allow me to put a [x] for the option "Copy recovery partition from the PC to the recovery drive" on...

View attachment 39621

Or what's the problem?
Click to expand...
Do not worry about not being able to tick the box.....click next.....you will be prompted to connect USB or DVD Drive.
Click Create System Repair Disk.....the drive letter is the USB or DVD.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro
tjsuominen said:
As the recovery tool does not allow me to put a [x] for the option "Copy recovery partition from the PC to the recovery drive" on...
Click to expand...

Something is wrong, I don't know what to do.

So you can't copy contents from the recovery partition to the USB flash drive. You can only create a recovery USB flash drive without contents from the recovery partition.

I have a Lenovo laptop with preinstalled Windows 8 (updated to Windows 8.1) and I can click the "Copy the recovery partition from the PC to the recovery drive" checkbox.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo G580
    CPU
    Intel Core i5-3230M
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 4000
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, standard user account
    Other Info
    UEFI firmware (BIOS) embedded Windows 8 product key.
What has happened in the past days:

A) Lenovo on-site-Support changed the motherboard -> had no impact on the error (which I expected).

B) I found instructions how to manually create (according these instructions) USB Flash stick with a booting Custom (OEM) Recovery Image.

C) Booted with USB and performed "Refresh your PC without affecting your files."

D) Windows was refreshed but...

-->>

Still the error remains (Windows scanning and repairing drive \?\Volume{f62db2cf-efe4-4b55-a3f7-0e7db991a984} on each and every boot.

1) Related Error in Event viewer (NTFS):

A corruption was discovered in the file system structure on volume \?\Volume{f62db2cf-efe4-4b55-a3f7-0e7db991a984}.

A file on the volume is no longer reachable from its parent directory. The parent file reference number is 0x2000000000002. The name of the parent directory is "". The parent index attribute is ":$I30:$INDEX_ALLOCATION". The file reference number of the file that needs to be reconnected is 0x400000003db80. There may be additional files on the volume that also need to be reconnected to this parent directory.

2) Related Error in Event viewer (NTFS - Microsoft Windows NTFS):

Volume \\?\Volume{f62db2cf-efe4-4b55-a3f7-0e7db991a984} (\Device\HarddiskVolume5) needs to be taken offline to perform a Full Chkdsk. Please run "CHKDSK /F" locally via the command line, or run "REPAIR-VOLUME <drive:>" locally or remotely via PowerShell.


-->>


Now Lenovo support is proposing a full re-install (to be performed by myself) of Windows as this is SW issue.

Summary:

- Refreshing my T431s with OEM Image does not help
- The error remains on \?\Volume{f62db2cf-efe4-4b55-a3f7-0e7db991a984} (\Device\HarddiskVolume5; Lenovo Recovery partition) OR at least Windows thinks so...
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo T431s
tjsuominen said:
What has happened in the past days:

A) Lenovo on-site-Support changed the motherboard -> had no impact on the error (which I expected).

B) I found instructions how to manually create (according these instructions) USB Flash stick with a booting Custom (OEM) Recovery Image.

C) Booted with USB and performed "Refresh your PC without affecting your files."

D) Windows was refreshed but...

-->>

Still the error remains (Windows scanning and repairing drive \?\Volume{f62db2cf-efe4-4b55-a3f7-0e7db991a984} on each and every boot.

1) Related Error in Event viewer (NTFS):

A corruption was discovered in the file system structure on volume \?\Volume{f62db2cf-efe4-4b55-a3f7-0e7db991a984}.

A file on the volume is no longer reachable from its parent directory. The parent file reference number is 0x2000000000002. The name of the parent directory is "". The parent index attribute is ":$I30:$INDEX_ALLOCATION". The file reference number of the file that needs to be reconnected is 0x400000003db80. There may be additional files on the volume that also need to be reconnected to this parent directory.

2) Related Error in Event viewer (NTFS - Microsoft Windows NTFS):

Volume \\?\Volume{f62db2cf-efe4-4b55-a3f7-0e7db991a984} (\Device\HarddiskVolume5) needs to be taken offline to perform a Full Chkdsk. Please run "CHKDSK /F" locally via the command line, or run "REPAIR-VOLUME <drive:>" locally or remotely via PowerShell.


-->>


Now Lenovo support is proposing a full re-install (to be performed by myself) of Windows as this is SW issue.

Summary:

- Refreshing my T431s with OEM Image does not help
- The error remains on \?\Volume{f62db2cf-efe4-4b55-a3f7-0e7db991a984} (\Device\HarddiskVolume5; Lenovo Recovery partition) OR at least Windows thinks so...
Click to expand...
You state you have "refreshed your PC".....My suggestion is as originally stated....."System Image Recovery."
Now that you have created a flash stick.....follow instructions as on post 12....You must forget Lenovo recovery, the problem is in Windows.....Good luck.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro
Nothing else worked so I finally did the last option: Made full repair (= re-installation of Windows 8 from LENOVO recovery media as instructed by Lenovo). Have done now basic Win8 -> Update Win8.1 and Office installations and so far the error has been away.


A lot of my apps still missing (= haven't had time to install them), but will install them upon need and keep on monitoring my system health.


So PROBLEM solved (but not in a way would have wanted) AND actual root cause still unknow...


Thx a lot for good comments and help!


// T
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo T431s
tjsuominen said:
Nothing else worked so I finally did the last option: Made full repair (= re-installation of Windows 8 from LENOVO recovery media as instructed by Lenovo). Have done now basic Win8 -> Update Win8.1 and Office installations and so far the error has been away.

A lot of my apps still missing (= haven't had time to install them), but will install them upon need and keep on monitoring my system health.

So PROBLEM solved (but not in a way would have wanted) AND actual root cause still unknow...

Thx a lot for good comments and help! // T
Click to expand...
Glad to see you have finally got a working computer....a pity that it did not recognise you had a bona fida W8.1, as it would have saved you an awful lot of reinstallation.....it would have been so much simpler to do a System Image Recovery.
Good luck.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro
Thx @dencal

When I have completed basic Windows "tuning", will (try ;o) make a new recovery image.

// t
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo T431s
Once you have it all setup, do an image backup using Macrium Reflect (free) or Acronis True Image (not free).
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro X64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo IdeaCenter K450
    CPU
    Intel Quad Core i7-4770 @ 3.4Ghz
    Motherboard
    Lenovo
    Memory
    16.0GB PC3-12800 DDR3 SDRAM 1600 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel Integrated HD Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP h2207
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050@59Hz
    Hard Drives
    250GB Samsung EVO SATA-3 SSD;
    2TB Seagate ST2000DM001 SATA-2;
    1.5TB Seagate ST3150041AS SATA
    PSU
    500W
    Keyboard
    Wired USB
    Mouse
    Wired USB
    Internet Speed
    3GB Up, 30GB Down
    Browser
    SeaMonkey
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender; MBAM Pro
    Other Info
    UEFI/GPT
    PLDS DVD-RW DH16AERSH
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