Refresh Windows 8 - Set a Custom Recovery Image as Active

Brink · Apr 1, 2014

No worries. Usually, programs are installed in the "Program files" folder, but the user settings for the program are often store in a folder bearing the program's name in the user's %AppData% folder.

Programs often have files scattered in various locations on the hard drive, and entries in the registry.

nashphil · Aug 7, 2014

Excellent article Series on this.
I have 7 Lenovo Thinkpad Yoga S2 20CD's and they were Not imaging the traditional way.
This turned out to be better, faster and has a smaller image.
I just put the refreshImage on a 16gb thumbdrive and installed everything (MS Office, Browsers, Apps and very custom settings for our network/domain)
THANKS!!!!

Brink · Aug 7, 2014

Hello Phil, and welcome to Eight Forums. I'm glad it was able to help.

junglee · Aug 7, 2014

There is a tiny free applet RecImg Manager that does things even better. It can be downloaded from RecImg Manager - Backup & Restore for Windows 8 and Mobile Devices!.

vrosa · Aug 7, 2014

RecImg Manager provides unlimited operating system and application imaging - including all system files and installed software - in a matter of minutes with no document loss and a tiny image footprint.

Only the Windows 8 operating system and applications are imaged and refreshed: files such as video, music, & personal documents remain intact. No personal documents are erased during restore and recovery.

Store OS and Application images on primary as well as external or networked storage or devices

Looks good !

paul1149 · Jan 7, 2015

Anyone have any ideas on this? I successfully created, validated and set a custom Win8 image to the D partition. But a dry run attempt to refresh or reset from it fails. When setting the image, recimg says it's on partition7, yet I only see 6 partitions on the disk. But it wouldn't call it a success if that were a problem, right?

Stuck...

I tried to Reset after a hard Restart, and this time got an error number: 80070490

EDIT: I'm having a problem with the jpg attachment showing in preview but not on the forum. Here's an external link:

KYHI · Jan 7, 2015

from a command prompt(admin)

type> recimg /showcurrent

that will tell you where and what folder it is looking for the custom refresh image

paul1149 · Jan 7, 2015

Please see my linked photo.

KYHI · Jan 7, 2015

recimg /deregister

recimg /setcurrent d:\refreshimage

which means recimg is looking for the "customrefresh" image in the refreshimage folder on drive D

paul1149 · Jan 7, 2015

Thanks, Shawn, for attaching that image. Wondering what I did wrong.

KYHI - how does that differ from what I did?

KYHI · Jan 7, 2015

KYHI said:
recimg /deregister

recimg /setcurrent d:\refreshimage

which means recimg is looking for the "customrefresh" image in the refreshimage folder on drive D

thank shawn - don't have to flip back

paul1149 · Jan 20, 2015

I think the problem was SmartScreen was set to its max position.

prz42 · Jan 30, 2015

Change in Windows 8.1 from 8.0 for recimg.exe

I have been following the post and it seems as if recimg.exe in Windows 8.1 works different than Windows 8. It now doesn't backup the two hidden files pagefile.sys and swapfile.sys. Which is good because Windows creates these two files on startup. It does backup hiberfil.sys which can be deleted and windows restores this file also at startup. I use this script to turn off hiberfil.sys so it isn't included in the CustomRefresh.wim

(In elevated command Prompt box in Windows)
powercfg -h off
recimg /showcurrent
//recimg /deregister
recimg -CreateImage D:\RefreshImage\Image1
powercfg -h on
//recimg /setcurrent D:\RefreshImage\?
(In elevated command Prompt box in WinPe) (Drive letter might change in PE, Check first!!!)
Dism /Capture-Image /ImageFile:"D:\Original_Win\install.wim" /CaptureDir:C:\ /Name:"Windows8.1_x64_Pro"
(In elevated command Prompt box in Windows)
C:\Windows\System32\reagentc /setosimage /path D:\Original_Win /target C:\Windows /index 1

After installing windows for the first time and windows finishes I customize anything without adding any additional programs
except for old windows components like Windows 7 games. I then do the above steps to have a complete install.wim. I do delete
the three hidden files and do an advance clean. The install.wim is about 5 gigabits, the original install.wim is about 3.5 gig in the
64 bit windows 8.1.

One thing I am unable to figure out is how to have the different partitions named Recovery instead of Primary Partition.
I use these command to view the description of the Partitions.
Diskpart
lis dis
sel dis 0
lis par
sel par 1
det par

KYHI · Jan 30, 2015

SET ID
GPT ATTRIBUTES

prz42 · Jan 30, 2015

Commands

KYHI said:
SET ID
GPT ATTRIBUTES

This it what it shows.

Code:

C:\WINDOWS\system32>Diskpart


Microsoft DiskPart version 6.3.9600


Copyright (C) 1999-2013 Microsoft Corporation.
On computer: ABLE_ENTERPRISE


DISKPART> sel dis 0


Disk 0 is now the selected disk.


DISKPART> lis par


  Partition ###  Type              Size     Offset
  -------------  ----------------  -------  -------
  Partition 1    Primary            350 MB  1024 KB
  Partition 2    Primary            130 GB   351 MB
  Partition 3    Primary             66 GB   130 GB
  Partition 4    Primary            734 GB   196 GB


DISKPART> sel par 1


Partition 1 is now the selected partition.


DISKPART> det par


Partition 1
Type  : 07
Hidden: No
Active: Yes
Offset in Bytes: 1048576


  Volume ###  Ltr  Label        Fs     Type        Size     Status     Info
  ----------  ---  -----------  -----  ----------  -------  ---------  --------
* Volume 1         System Rese  NTFS   Partition    350 MB  Healthy    System


DISKPART> SET ID


The arguments specified for this command are not valid.
For more information on the command type: HELP SETID


DISKPART> GPT ATTRIBUTES


The arguments specified for this command are not valid.
For more information on the command type: HELP GPT

KYHI · Jan 31, 2015

You have MBR partitions - your windows recovery tools and boot manager files are on partition.

Nothing wrong with your disk layout as the partition is a primary

1CM69 · Feb 1, 2015

I have successfully created and set a recovery image following this tutorial but have some questions.

My system is a self build and I used a Windows 8.1 full install disc to install the OS, so not an 8.1 upgrade from 8.

As my system is non OEM it initially did not have any form of Recovery Image, which I have now rectified.

My system drive is C:\ & currently the Recovery Image is located in the folder C:\RefreshImage as per this tutorial.

Can I create a separate partition on my C:\ drive, for instance, giving this new partition the drive letter D and then create the Recovery Image to reside there within the RefreshImage folder?

Whenever there comes a time that I needed to use my Recovery Drive to refresh my PC, would it automatically find the Image located elsewhere other than the default C:\RefreshImage folder?

This may sound like pretty basic questions and I am fairly certain that I already know the answer but over many years of messing around with PCs, I have learnt never to take anything for granted, especially when you need to rely on it.

This bring me to another set of questions.

My wife has a laptop that came preinstalled with Windows 8 and I upgraded it OTA to 8.1 some time ago.

A couple of weeks ago the laptop developed a fault, eventually it turned out to be HDD failure but at the time I did not know this.
Because the laptop only came with the Drivers disc and no form of OS discs I had to purchase them direct from the manufacturer at a pretty penny of course :huh:

After umptine reboots I managed to get the first of the system recovery discs to run and was surprised that it informed me that the recovery would revert the laptop back to Windows 8, not surprised that it would wipe all the data off at the same time though.

After this disc failed to proceed any further and also spewed out an error, it was at this time I correctly suspected HDD failure.

Jumping ahead a bit, got a new HDD and reinstalled OS from manufacturers recovery discs all fine and dandy, reupdated to 8.1.

I want to save myself grief and hard work in the future by creating an image of the laptop as it is now & making a Recovery Drive for it.

So, if I used the procedure outlined in this tutorial to create a Recovery Image on this laptop and then created a Recovery Drive, plus I would also create a System Image, could I side step the need to revert to W8?

If there was a need in the future to replace the HDD, could I use the files created above to do a full install back to the state when the System Image was taken?

Regards..,

Brink · Feb 1, 2015

Hello 1CM69,

Answers inline.

1CM69 said:
Can I create a separate partition on my C:\ drive, for instance, giving this new partition the drive letter D and then create the Recovery Image to reside there within the RefreshImage folder?

Yes, you sure could.

1CM69 said:
Whenever there comes a time that I needed to use my Recovery Drive to refresh my PC, would it automatically find the Image located elsewhere other than the default C:\RefreshImage folder?

As long as the custom refresh image is registered and the drive it is on doesn't fail, the registered image should automatically be used whenever you do a refresh.

1CM69 said:
So, if I used the procedure outlined in this tutorial to create a Recovery Image on this laptop and then created a Recovery Drive, plus I would also create a System Image, could I side step the need to revert to W8?

If there was a need in the future to replace the HDD, could I use the files created above to do a full install back to the state when the System Image was taken?

A custom recovery image would restore Windows to exactly how it was when the image was created. You wouldn't need to install 8 and upgrade to 8.1.

Creating a system image in addition to a custom recovery image would be a good backup to have to be safe in case the custom recovery image couldn't be used for whatever reason. You wouldn't need to install 8 and upgrade to 8.1 with a system image as well since a system image would restore the hard drives to how they were when it was created.

If all else fails, you can also now download a 8.1 ISO file using OPTION ONE below, create a bootable Windows installation DVD/USB with the ISO, and do a direct clean install of 8.1. It will automatically detect and use the OEM key embedded in the UEFI firmware to activate Windows.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/18309-windows-8-windows-8-1-iso-download-create.html

Hope this helps,

Shawn

KYHI · Feb 1, 2015

click on and find the size of the refresh image.. (customrefresh.wim)

Go to disk management and shrink C by the image size, plus 500MB ie 3.5GB image + .5GB = 4GB partition D

move the refresh folder to D and register the image again

recimg.exe /deregister

recimg.exe /setcurrent D:\refreshimage

If you want to hide the partition from windows - go into disk management and remove the D drive letter from D

1CM69 · Feb 1, 2015

Brink said:
Hello 1CM69,

Answers inline.

1CM69 said:

Can I create a separate partition on my C:\ drive, for instance, giving this new partition the drive letter D and then create the Recovery Image to reside there within the RefreshImage folder?

Click to expand...

Yes, you sure could.

1CM69 said:

Whenever there comes a time that I needed to use my Recovery Drive to refresh my PC, would it automatically find the Image located elsewhere other than the default C:\RefreshImage folder?

Click to expand...

As long as the custom refresh image is registered and the drive it is on doesn't fail, the registered image should automatically be used whenever you do a refresh.

1CM69 said:

So, if I used the procedure outlined in this tutorial to create a Recovery Image on this laptop and then created a Recovery Drive, plus I would also create a System Image, could I side step the need to revert to W8?

If there was a need in the future to replace the HDD, could I use the files created above to do a full install back to the state when the System Image was taken?

Click to expand...

A custom recovery image would restore Windows to exactly how it was when the image was created. You wouldn't need to install 8 and upgrade to 8.1.

Creating a system image in addition to a custom recovery image would be a good backup to have to be safe in case the custom recovery image couldn't be used for whatever reason. You wouldn't need to install 8 and upgrade to 8.1 with a system image as well since a system image would restore the hard drives to how they were when it was created.

If all else fails, you can also now download a 8.1 ISO file using OPTION ONE below, create a bootable Windows installation DVD/USB with the ISO, and do a direct clean install of 8.1. It will automatically detect and use the OEM key embedded in the UEFI firmware to activate Windows.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/18309-windows-8-windows-8-1-iso-download-create.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

KYHI said:
click on and find the size of the refresh image.. (customrefresh.wim)

Go to disk management and shrink C by the image size, plus 500MB ie 3.5GB image + .5GB = 4GB partition D

move the refresh folder to D and register the image again

recimg.exe /deregister

recimg.exe /setcurrent D:\refreshimage

Perfect, thanks to you both.

Refresh Windows 8 - Set a Custom Recovery Image as Active

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