Need HELP with Windows 8.1!

[DJMetal]

So a Windows update corrupted a reg file or two and I can't seem to fix it with SFC.
"When I open the "Charms" and tap "Change PC Settings" NOTHING opens!
I tried doing a command string to get it to open, but it failed with a ton of error codes in red fonts and It "suggests" I reinstall, but I don't have any disc/dvd of windows 8.1 to use.
The version that came pre-installedi on my Toshiba laptop did NOT come with anything, no disc/dvd, no product key, nothing, and this laptop was purchased a few years ago at a "Circut City" store and they are long gone now and Toshiba no longer makes or supports laptops.
I do NOT have a flash drive nor a blank DVD.
How do I do a refresh?
Please help, I can't afford a new laptop right now and it seems they have really shot up in price, since everyone uses stupid cell/smart phones nowadays.
Thanks in advance!
DJ

 

[MGhee]

Hi DJMetal

I'm not much help with fixing a seriously broken system. I usually have my data backed up then do a fresh install. If you need anything off the drive, password lists, bookmarks, your tunage , get it off before you do a fresh install. If you can afford it pull the old drive, set it aside as a backup, and install on to a new drive, SSD if possible.

The recovery media usually costs extra, if a company closes its doors you likely can never restore a machine back to new including the applications. Hopefully this isn't a deal breaker, you should be able to install 8.1 fresh anyway. The only detail left to determine is can you download the drivers you'll need from Toshiba. I can't vouch for this dynabook website which comes up but it may be the source for your needed drivers. If there's an active Toshiba forum you might enquire there, maybe someone in here might know how to get the drivers, but you'll need the drivers for the audio, video, wifi, lan, etc.

I mention this as an option to keep this thing running, using the internet, email, listen to music, watch videos, simple stuff, there's always a version of Linux - Ubuntu, Mint... and others. The truth is Linux would install pretty easy onto your oldish Toshiba, the question is, does Linux have everything you want in an OS, looks, apps. As far as getting your system back up and running I bet it would work fine. You should try it out even for fun, you don't have to install it, just boot to the media and run what is called Live, a little slower than a regular install but you can get an idea if it looks good for you, and if it detects all your hardware. A Live test really is an opportunity to try before you buy so to speak

If you do get a fresh install of 8.1 worked out, strait away create an image & recovery disk so you can easily reinstall later should you need/want to. Using Windows own tools does a good job, 2 USB drives is all you need to purchase - one for the image (bigger than the image), the other for the recovery drive (4GB should work) to install the image. There's videos on Youtube that walk the viewer through the process. Create the new image and recovery disk from a healthy OS in good working order otherwise why waste any time reinstalling a buggy OS. Most of us wait too long to create a good backup - after the system is degrading from use over time, a few too many MS updates that broke the system.

The product key is stored in the BIOS on your motherboard so what you do is download (for free) the ISO image from Microsoft, then use a free tool like Rufus (there's others too) and make a bootable USB drive from the downloaded image... or bootable DVD if you have a drive installed. I'm assuming you have a version of 8.1 Home installed, Pro might require other steps to obtain.

What you need to determine is the particular version of 8.1 installed, this ensures a simple reinstall... the correct OS will detect the key stored in the BIOS and wont ask you to type it in, the install will begin. If you are asked for the key you likely have the wrong OS on your bootable media. Also, you may need to activate the OS even after a successful install, I did, but activation should happen in a flash assuming working wifi and you're connected to the internet.

I downloaded the correct version of Windows 8.1 the first time , I needed -> Windows 8.1 - English - 64-bit. I doubt you have the K or KN or the other versions. The worst is you need to reformat the media or burn a new DVD and download a different version, and try again. Regardless, you'll get an .iso image file about 4GB+ in size. Save it to a working computer that can be used to create the bootable media. If you have a USB port available I would use USB over DVD.

Here's where I downloaded my OS:
-> Download Windows 8.1 Disc Image (ISO File)

Here's the DynaBook site that seems to have some Toshiba drivers - I cannot vouche for this site so be careful:
-> Drivers & Software Support | Dynabook

Sorry for the long post, hope something in here helps

 

[Bree]

Here's the DynaBook site that seems to have some Toshiba drivers - I cannot vouche for this site so be careful:
-> Drivers & Software Support | Dynabook

DynaBook bought the PC business from Toshiba. Their support website is the old Toshiba site with a rebranded logo. It is the official support site for Toshiba PCs.

The version that came pre-installedi on my Toshiba laptop did NOT come with anything, no disc/dvd, no product key, nothing.....
....How do I do a refresh?

A Toshiba laptop with an OEM pre-installed W7/8/8.1 would have been supplied with a hidden 'factory reset' partition. If your reset partition still exists you can use it to do a factory reset.

How to Reset a Toshiba Laptop Back to Factory Settings

If you are trying to figure out how to reset a Toshiba laptop back to factory settings, this is the article for you.

crashcloud.com

 

[DJMetal]

Thanks MGhee and Bree!
I hadn't thought of doing a Linuc install before.
I might just try that suggestion!

I already knew and tried using that dynabook site, while it had some drivers, most are just generic and dont run correctly in the Toshiba, it also doesn't have the apps or features that the Toshiba originally came with.
It originally came with Winblows-8.1 pro (full version) when I had bought it new at a now defunct "Circut City" corporate chain box store (NO surprise that it went bankrupt, most corporates do after a short time due to their GREED and corruption!

I have tried everythhng that I could find on the web, but;
#1, there is NO partition with any recovery stuff!
#2, there is NO useful product key in the Bios, only a generic OEM one that said "Invalid" when I tried to reinstall and naturally it caused the reinstall to fail!
#3, Microshitt is NO help, well, not unless I pay them $99+ for something I ALREADY PAID FOR and I dont feel good about paying another swwbuck for an old outdated laptop!

It frustrated me to no end, so I gave up, broke down and stupid me went and bought a new Asus Laptop and it sucks!
The Toshiba is 17" and has a clear, clean, sharp, bright picture!
This Asus has only a 15' screen that isn't all that bright, I have it set to 100% and it's way darker than the Toshiba is on 65%!
This Asus also has NO optical drive (NO CD/DVD drive, like the Toshiba has)
It has NO Ethernet port! (like the Toshiba has) (NERDS called it "An obsolete Dinosaur port!", yet I have cat 5 in every room of my house and it is way faster than my homes wireless wi-fi and I dont trust wireless connections very much, firewall or not, some schemeing dork/hacker dewsh WILL find his way in due to the MANY windblows vulnerabilities)
It has Windblows-10 with all it's forced in and non-removable crapware/spyware/bloatware/trackingware/spyware/clickware/adware and loads of giggabite wasting useless Apps and crap that I will NEVER use or need!
The Toshiba only cost $329 NEW!
This POS Asus was $639 "on sale", yet has nothing, can do nothing and havent worked right since I opened it!

Also, I don't have an Xbox, i dont use Skype, I DONT keep contacts on my laptop, thats what I have a PHONE for, I also never need or use Maps on my laptop, again, thats what I have a PHONE for! I don't need to know the weather on a laptop, once again, thats what I have a phone for!
MS needs to quit forcing in their GARBAGE that us REAL world people have NO use for, dont need and dont want!
They need to quit forcing in crap that we cant simply remove!
Why should I be forced to waste MY space on the hard drive I paid for to keep their crap that I don't need, don't want and will NEVER use?
It seems like something which SHOULD be illegal, if you ask me!
Windblows-10 home, before I put ANYTHING in was wasting 38.6 GIGS!
(I actually asked why that is on the microshitt "help" site and got bitched at by some "know it all expert" who knows NOTHING AT ALL about windows 8/8.1/10 for ranting about MS and Windblows, so I told him that he didn't need to read my "rant" if he didn't want to and if he didn't like it he could have kept his worthless opinion to himself and moved along and let someone else take the care and it isn't MY fault that he's a nutless MS fanboy dorklord!
And he got so childishly triggered that had cried and got me banned for 7 days, like I'm some dumb child that can be punished so easily!)
I called him "Karen" for being such a woosie boy snowflake and ranting about my rant, which I was entitled to, since MS basically RIPPED ME OFF!

They really are such corporate brown nosing pro-MS sissies over at the Microshitt "help community" with their retardedly gay "guideline", "tos" and other corporate kiss-ass gayness and in here people actually TRY to help and give some good/decent suggestions, which I do deeply appreciate!
(nah, I'm NOT a homophobe, nor am I against gay folk, I just HATE corporate GAYNESS, ya'll know what I mean, and how it's ruined the America I once knew and loved and fought for*!)
*US Army 86-90, 101st AIRBOURNE Rangers!
(Yeah, I hopped out of planes and "choppahz!", crawled or swam thru mud and swamps and got paid to shoot at "sh*t" and sh*tty people, who believe me, would chop you up and serve you to their goats/camels/kids without batting an eyebrow!)
(Yes! AIRBOURNE IS the proper spelling, please tell this websites dictionary, as it underlines it as a misspelled word! lol)

Ya know, I've noticed it's no so strict or annoying here and REAL people who actually USE MS crap actually try to HELP and give good/decent suggestion and aren't all "Look at MEEE, I'm a Windblows expert, I have a piece of paper that says I sat thru some MS class which taught me to say "We must first know which OS your running (even though you SAID Win8.1 pro at least 12 times) and our personal fave; "You must do a clean fresh reinstallation of windblows!" and I haven't read any" I'm bertter than YOU and YOU and YES! YOU TOO!" crap yet!
LOL
Have a great one and thanks again!
I'm off to find a Linux installer! hehe

 

[Bree]

...Ya know, I've noticed it's no so strict or annoying here and REAL people who actually USE MS crap actually try to HELP and give good/decent suggestion and aren't all "Look at MEEE, I'm a Windblows expert, I have a piece of paper that says I sat thru some MS class....

Actually I have some of those pieces of paper from MS, though my most recent ones do say 'Windows NT4'. Still, you now know where to come for some vintage support

Many of the same helpful people are also on the sister-site Ten Forums if you want help taming the Asus.

There's one aspect where this site is as strict, if not more so. Infringing Rule 1 in particular is liable to lead to an immediate ban.