Solved Unable to use built-in ASUS recovery partition

You probably saw, in order to determine the current state of your Recovery System, we need the listing from a Reagentc /Info command.

Until we get that, what exactly are you trying to do and how are you doing it? For instance, are you trying to Reset your system and using that process from within Windows 8.1? The term "Recover" can mean so many different things, we need to know for sure what you are attempting.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Grown
    CPU
    i7 3770K
    Motherboard
    ASUS P8Z77 -v Pro, Z87-Expert
    Memory
    16 G
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA GTX 680 Classified (2)
    Hard Drives
    Kingston SSD 240 GB
What is inside the Recoveryboot and Recoveryimage folders?

Also see if there is recoveryimage\sources and what is in there.

That would be the the original os your machine came with, though.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    7/8/ubuntu/Linux Deepin
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
I am trying to reset my computer to factory status, basicaly from windows 8.1 to windows 8, here is the print from Reagent /info
3.png
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    Graphics Card(s)
    gt740m
Well, your Recovery Image is not registered, so you will not be able to use it until it is registered. The other thing is the Recovery Tools is showing as Partition 2, where it should be showing as partition 5.

The fact you are still showing the original Recovery Tools as the referenced one seems to be something the problematic systems have in common.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Grown
    CPU
    i7 3770K
    Motherboard
    ASUS P8Z77 -v Pro, Z87-Expert
    Memory
    16 G
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA GTX 680 Classified (2)
    Hard Drives
    Kingston SSD 240 GB
you may be able to after doing this:

What is inside the Recoveryboot and Recoveryimage folders?

Also see if there is recoveryimage\sources and what is in there.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    7/8/ubuntu/Linux Deepin
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
Since you seem to be having difficulty showing us whtat is in the Recoveryimage\sources folder, I will take a wild guess.

There is likely to be Recoveryimage\sources\install.wim

It might be Install.swm.

If you are using one of my winpe things (I have no idea which one if you are ), you can just apply the image from recoveryimage\sources\\install.wim to your windows partition. You can use GGEX (Gimagex) for that. Then use the "drive letter fix" option in NT6Repair.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    7/8/ubuntu/Linux Deepin
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
This is how I sorted Mine.

I have an Asus ET2221 All In One system.

Problem was same. Can't use recovery partition after Windows 8.1 update and received "recovery partition is missing message" in recovery system.

I have tried to access to built-in recovery system using F9 at start up but that seems corrupted by windows 8.1 too.

After everything sorted now i can't use built-in recovery but i can do everything again in order to recover the system if i need to.

Do your backup first before doing anything i explained here.

SOLUTION:

1-Prepare a UEFI Windows 8 (not 8.1) Usb stick.
2-Boot from USB stick by pressing ESC key at startup.
3-During windows 8 setup screens continue until you see partitions on screen.
4-Deleted Windows 8.1 loaded partition
3-Press enter to install a fresh copy windows 8 into this partition and wait patiently until installation finishes (takes 10-15 minutes)
4-After everything done and you see the main window of windows 8 restart the pc and boot from usb stick again.
5-Once windows 8 setup screen asking you for language selection, press SHIFT and F10 together to see command prompt.
6-At command prompt type DISKPART (enter) then LIST DISK (enter). At this stage look for the listed disk with highest capacity. It's generally the DISK 0 (if you don't have any other hard disk in your pc. Then type SELECT DISK 0 (enter) then LIST PARTITION (enter). Now you should be seeing the list of partitions with numbers. Probably the last partition is named as RECOVERY or OEM. It's capacity should be in between 4 to 30GB depending on your system. Usually a recovery partition takes that much space so you are not looking for something bigger or smaller than this. That partition has a number that you can see when you listed partitions. Type SELECT PARTITION 6 (the number 6 can be different in your system so enter the correct number of the partition). Type ASSIGN LETTER="R". This will temporarily reveal the recovery partition and you can access into it. Type EXIT to enter DISKPART but stay in COMMAND prompt.
7-Type R: and press enter. type DIR to see list of files and folder. I forgot how the folder named but it was something like ASUSRECOVERY or SYSTEMRECOVERY. If you don't have anything similar to this then do this. DIR *.WIM /S (enter). This will search the recovery partition and will give you a result where the WIM files kept. You will see the DIR command gives you the result that install.wim or xxxxx.wim is kept under R:\xxxxxxx\xxxxxx\xx\ directory. (x does represent the name of folder in your recovery system. Go to that directory by typing CD R:\xxxxxx\xxxxx\xx then press enter. now cursor should start blinking at this directory. Type DIR again to see list of files. If you see a lot of files then type DIR *.WIM to see list of WIM files. Look for the larger capacity WIM file if you have more than one WIM file. If you have WIM file to process than skip to NOW THE TRICK BIT section below.

But if you can't even find a WIM file then type DIR *.SWM to see where your SWM files kept. Now if you have SWM files then you need to combine them but in your recovery partition there is not much space left for combined output file. So i recommend you type EXIT at command prompt, go to partitions in windows setup, delete windows 8 partition only, This time create a new partition on unpartitioned space (you just deleted your windows 8 partition). Windows gives you an amount for all usable unpartitioned space. Lower this value by roughly 30gb and create the partition. Then create another partition on remaining 30gb usable unpartitioned space and format it on the same partition screen. Install windows 8 on larger space that you created before 30gb space. After windows installation finished like i explained before re-boot into windows usb stick press SHIFT F10 type DISKPART, SELECT DISK 0, LIST PARTITION, SELECT PARTITION X (X is the number of RECOVERY or OEM partition but not the 30gb space you created) then type ASSIGN LETTER="R", type EXIT. Go to that place where your SWM files kept. Before typing the command below find out which drive letter is for the 30gb space. it's probably D drive. type D: press enter. type DIR to see list of files. if nothing listed then look for the free space reported on screen after typed dir command which returned with no file to show. if it's 30gb or something close to this then you are in the right place and you can use this place for combined output file. type R: press enter. Type DIR *.SWM again. Now you should be seeing the list of SWM files. Their names are looking similar to each other but some of them has numbers. forget about the number but focus on the first file without number.

example file list.

file.swm
file01.swm
file02.swm
file03.swm
file04.swm
file05.swm
and so

to combine and extract the SWM files into D:\ drive as a single WIM file then type this.

imagex /ref file*.swm /check /export source.swm 3 d:\target.wim (i also explain the meaning of number 3 just below)

now the tricky bit

these WIM files has all the operating system files loaded into it along with recovery system and some other setup systems that i don't know at which stage the built-in recovery program is using. They are in the same WIM file but seperated and given a name. These names are called INDEXes. So once you do the following command type the correct index number. In my case the index number was 3. I managed to identify the index number using a software called WinNTSetup. The software works under a working windows. When my windows 8.1 was working i downloaded this software, again used diskpart to reveal the recovery partition then used WinNTSetup and choose that WIM file process. At the main window of it there is section called OPTIONS EDITION. There is a dropdown menu in there which shows the indexes in that wim file. The last index was named as FinalOS. That finalos was the 3rd option in the list and i assumed the index number of it was 3 and i was right at the end.

now the final bit

8-Type Dism/apply-image/imagefile:r:\recoveryimagedirectoryname(and this is something you see)\install.wim /index:3 /applydir:c:\ (so only thing you need change is the drive letter and name of the directory in red which is holding the WIM file)

this will dump everything into C: drive where your freshly installed windows stays in.

After process finishes in roughly 20 minutes type EXIT to exit from command prompt and close the windows setup to restart the system. When system reboots remove the usb stick.

This sorted out mine. Now my system is running fine without a single problem. If i need to recover my system i can do this again.

This might be lenghty and confusing. It took 4 hours for me to find this way.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Os X 10.9 Mavericks
@iddqd It is strange, I have an ASUS 2702 All-in-0ne and did the 8.1 update where I got the 450 MB partition. Resetting the system from within Windows was no problem...... The Factory reset will not work after the 8.1 update.

My system probably has the same install as yours, with Index 3 being the correct image, but most of the laptops seem to be using Index 2.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Grown
    CPU
    i7 3770K
    Motherboard
    ASUS P8Z77 -v Pro, Z87-Expert
    Memory
    16 G
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA GTX 680 Classified (2)
    Hard Drives
    Kingston SSD 240 GB
@iqdd,

It is a lot easier to do it with this, and win8 installation media is not required ( I don't think brad has it anyway). That is why I went to the bother of making it. IIrc, I have put winntsetup in the one below. That is easiest of all.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1dhwsc3zz084lgc/REv19.zip
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    7/8/ubuntu/Linux Deepin
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
It is just too bad we don't seem able to repair the actual problem.........
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Grown
    CPU
    i7 3770K
    Motherboard
    ASUS P8Z77 -v Pro, Z87-Expert
    Memory
    16 G
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA GTX 680 Classified (2)
    Hard Drives
    Kingston SSD 240 GB
Hi!! I have the same problem and have done what you Guys have done. But i cant come into the programme that iSaw listed.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
Let me first explain that I am not experienced in fixing computers, so I've had to stumble through this long thread trying to make sense of what it's all about. I've managed to get to the point where I can use a partition manager to find and copy the Win 8.0 winre.wim and install.wim files. I have identified the location of the recovery image on partition 7 and have confirmed that index 2 is the correct setting. Both reagentc and Diskpart commands work fine.

I've downloaded SIW2's command line zip (post 192). Now my problem is working out how to use it. For example, an error message comes up :

'The device does not support symbolic links''.

but it continues anyway and looks for WinRE. Eventually, it comes up with:

'bootable wim not found would you like to d/l winpe from ms?' Should I do this?

Assuming winpe solves my immediate problem, what do I then do?

I think what I'm asking for is a step-by-step explanation of exactly how I create a bootable flash drive with all the relevant files on it using the program that SIW2 has so kindly provided. .I get confused trying to refer back to instructions from previous posts, which are not always up-to-date, not applicable to my situation or too darn techie for my feeble brain!

I bit the bullet, and loaded winpe. During the process, it asked whether I wanted to load wim drivers. I don't know the answer to that either! Anyway, it created the ISO but when I tried to burn it an error occurred: 'The selected disk image isn't valid'
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus550CA
    CPU
    I5
    Memory
    4Gb
    Antivirus
    Kaspersky Pure 3.0
@ Cogent1, first you need to understand, the thread started just after the 8.1 update was released, and the update process has changed at least 3 times since then.

But what are you actually trying to do and what messages are you getting regarding a Reset? SIW2 will have to answer specific questions concerning his utility.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Grown
    CPU
    i7 3770K
    Motherboard
    ASUS P8Z77 -v Pro, Z87-Expert
    Memory
    16 G
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA GTX 680 Classified (2)
    Hard Drives
    Kingston SSD 240 GB
@ Cogent1, first you need to understand, the thread started just after the 8.1 update was released, and the update process has changed at least 3 times since then.

But what are you actually trying to do and what messages are you getting regarding a Reset? SIW2 will have to answer specific questions concerning his utility.

Thanks for your quick response. I quite understand that changes occur very frequently and I am not being at all critical about that. It's just that for a non-technical person, it's easy to get confused about what is relevant. So a clear summary of all the steps currently needed would be a boon.

Basically, I've got the same problems as other Asus users. I foolishly upgraded to 8.1 immediately I received my notebook and before backing up. I assumed that the upgrade would be beneficial rather than detrimental. That was before I knew about the incompatibility of the product keys and the way 8.1 alters the partitions. So now, I get 'a required drive partition is missing' when I try a reset. I tried a backup on to a flash drive using Asus's recovery program, but that too cannot find the partition. Diskpart shows the Recovery Image on Partition 7 and reports it as Healthy.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus550CA
    CPU
    I5
    Memory
    4Gb
    Antivirus
    Kaspersky Pure 3.0
The Factory Reset will, in many cases, no longer function after the update. So make sure you have tried the reset starting from the Charms bar and Settings, Change PC Settings, and Update and Recovery.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Grown
    CPU
    i7 3770K
    Motherboard
    ASUS P8Z77 -v Pro, Z87-Expert
    Memory
    16 G
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA GTX 680 Classified (2)
    Hard Drives
    Kingston SSD 240 GB
Thanks Saltgrass, but the error message about missing drive partition occurs whether I use Windows, the f9 key on reboot or an external drive. I am hoping that SIW2's program will be the answer, if I can get it to work.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus550CA
    CPU
    I5
    Memory
    4Gb
    Antivirus
    Kaspersky Pure 3.0
@iqdd,

It is a lot easier to do it with this, and win8 installation media is not required ( I don't think brad has it anyway). That is why I went to the bother of making it. IIrc, I have put winntsetup in the one below. That is easiest of all.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1dhwsc3zz084lgc/REv19.zip



Hello siw2 i've downloaded your tool and thanks
I also read all this thread and in particular here:
http://www.eightforums.com/installa...ilt-asus-recovery-partition-7.html#post331521

I found screenshot of it? am i right?

I would like to install it and use some of the tools (like see indexes in my *.wim), and prodkey
how can i do that?

i'm afraid to launch the CMDs...

...do it install other software? or do it copy or move any wim file?
I'd like to undesrtand how does it work, what exactly is?

Thanks
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win8 / 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus N550JV
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