Solved Windows 8.1 Recovery - Could not find recovery environment

[rmander4]

Bernie02, your scenario seems to be very similar to mine. I also used Acronis True Image to upgrade my laptop to an SSD drive and I too had screenshots very similar to yours. A couple posts up I did exactly what genet told me to do. After doing so, and restarting, my Windows Upgrade failed for a completely different reason, 80240020. The solution to this new problem is easily fixed here.

 

[Bernie02]

Thanks, Rmander. I'm not sure, though, whether "OEM" is the same as "unknown." Several early posts indicate that the first occurrence of OEM should not be renamed.

 

[genet]

Below is the list of my partitions.

The screenshot does not show up in your post.

 

[arist]

Hello everyone!
I have an Asus j750n with preinstalled win 8 and updated to 8.1. On restore, I had the same problem as was written here - recovery partition can not be found. I had 3 partitions with OEM type and put such commands:

select partition 2
set id=de94bba4-06d1-4d40-a16a-bfd50179d6ac
gpt attributes=0x8000000000000001

for partitions 2, 5 and 7.

However, on another attempts to reset system from recovery partition i had the same problem.
in this ss - partitions 8 and 9 - was made by EaseUS P. M. from part. 6
Any suggestions of fixing this would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Bernie02]

Sorry - screenshot was present earlier; I thought it appeared twice. Here it is:

 

[Bernie02]

I wasn't sure how to include screenshot, and notice that others in this thread are attachments.


Apologies for posting this more than once. I'm really eager for your advice.

 

[genet]

Partition 1 - System (500 MB) - THE PARTITION ID IS OK. - EFI System partition. UEFI firmware loads files stored on the EFI System partition to start installed operating systems.

Partition 2 - Reserved (128 MB) - THE PARTITION ID IS OK. - This partition not visible within Windows Disk Management.

I replaced the HDD in a new Dell ultrabook with a 512 GB SSD. I used OEM Acronis True Image that came with the SSD to clone the original drive, which was smaller. I created the System Recovery USB, and deleted the recovery partition on the drive. I then (unfortunately) used Easeus to resize the partitions and take advantage of the unallocated space (the 457 and 18 GB partitions).

I'm not entirely sure what you've done.

- Open a command prompt as administrator and type (or copy and paste) the following commands.

diskpart
select disk 0
list partition

select partition 3 Note! If this is a recovery partition (Windows RE location).
set id=de94bba4-06d1-4d40-a16a-bfd50179d6ac
gpt attributes=0x8000000000000001

select partition 5 Note! If this is a recovery partition (Recovery image location).
set id=de94bba4-06d1-4d40-a16a-bfd50179d6ac
gpt attributes=0x8000000000000001

list partition
exit

reagentc /info

Do I need to restore the recovery partition, and if so, can I do that from the system recovery? (I still have the original hard drive, but I can't recall whether I deleted the recovery partition before or after I cloned it.)

How to install Windows 8/8.1 to a blank hard drive from the Windows 8/8.1 Recovery USB flash drive. -> link

How to download and clean install Windows 8.1 if you have an OEM computer with UEFI firmware (BIOS) embedded Windows 8/8.1 product key. -> link

 

[sharxx47]

Dear Awesome people

Please help. I have ASUS ROG and I just resized C drived via EASEUS. Now I cannot update to Windows 10.

Please see screenshot and help. Thank you so much in advance.

 

[Bernie02]

select partition 3 Note! If this is a recovery partition (Windows RE location).
set id=de94bba4-06d1-4d40-a16a-bfd50179d6ac
gpt attributes=0x8000000000000001

select partition 5 Note! If this is a recovery partition (Recovery image location).
set id=de94bba4-06d1-4d40-a16a-bfd50179d6ac
gpt attributes=0x8000000000000001

Here is a screenshot of the original HDD.


It looks like the new partition 3 might be the location of Windows RE. (At least it is the same size as Partition 4 Recovery on the old HDD.) If I reset the ID of partition 3 on the new SSD and it is not the Windows RE location, how can I set it back (or do I need to)? Partition 5 is not the recovery image - it is an NTFS partition with data. When I created the USB system recovery, I used the option to delete the recovery partition.

How to install Windows 8/8.1 to a blank hard drive from the Windows 8/8.1 Recovery USB flash drive. ->link

The option I get is "Remove everything and reinstall Windows" to reset to factory settings. Is this what I need to do if all else fails? Thanks for all your help.

 

[genet]

When I created the USB system recovery, I used the option to delete the recovery partition.

So you only need "Windows RE location".

Windows RE location. - This partition contains Windows Recovery Environment tools and utilities, allowing the user to repair problems that affect the system drive.

It looks like the new partition 3 might be the location of Windows RE.

Yes.



diskpart
select disk 0
list partition

select partition 3
set id=de94bba4-06d1-4d40-a16a-bfd50179d6ac
gpt attributes=0x8000000000000001

list partition
exit

reagentc /info

If I reset the ID of partition 3 on the new SSD and it is not the Windows RE location, how can I set it back?

Here is a reference list of partition type and ID, when you are using the GPT partition style. You need to manually select partition and then SET ID for the damaged partition type.

- Recovery is DE94BBA4-06D1-4D40-A16A-BFD50179D6AC
- System is C12A7328-F81F-11D2-BA4B-00A0C93EC93B
- OEM is BFBFAFE7-A34F-448A-9A5B-6213EB736C22
- Reserved is E3C9E316-0B5C-4DB8-817D-F92DF00215AE (You cannot update the partition with type Reserved.)
- Primary is EBD0A0A2-B9E5-4433-87C0-68B6B72699C7

The option I get is "Remove everything and reinstall Windows" to reset to factory settings. Is this what I need to do if all else fails?

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2302-reset-windows-8-a.html

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2293-refresh-windows-8-a.html

Do you get any error message when you click on the "Get started" button? For example, "Could not find the recovery environment".

Note! You must connect your Windows 8 Recovery USB flash drive, because: "When I created the USB system recovery, I used the option to delete the recovery partition."



Then select the "Cancel" option (see screenshot below).

 

[genet]

I have ASUS ROG and I just resized C drived via EASEUS. Now I cannot update to Windows 10.

- Open a command prompt as administrator and type (or copy and paste) the following commands.

diskpart
select disk 0
list partition

select partition 2
set id=de94bba4-06d1-4d40-a16a-bfd50179d6ac
gpt attributes=0x8000000000000001

list partition
exit

reagentc /info

 

[Bernie02]

Yes, even with USB plugged in, I get "Could not find the recovery environment - insert recovery media and restart your PC with the media." I did not change the Partition 3 ID yet.

 

[KYHI]

@ Bernie02

reagentc /info

post pic..

 

[Bernie02]

Thanks a million for your patience. Partition 3 reset to recovery, reagentc /info indicates RE is enabled. System Refresh now says "Insert Media - Some files are missing,. Your Windows installation or recovery media will provide these files."
Now I will try Win 10 upgrade again and report back. [Does Microsoft know about you?]

 

[focusen01]

Thank you very much for this information. After spending hours trying to install Windows 10 I now finaly succeded.
Great information mate.

 

[bilal546]

Hello dear Genet.
I have another laptop "Hp envy k027cl i5". I bought this laptop with preinstalled windows 8 but unfortunately after some days I deleted some registry files by mistake and laptop shutdown with some error I took it to the shop he formatted my whole drive and installed windows 8 pro again and activated with some activator . Now the question is that Can I get me "preinstalled windows 8 key" from bios or from anywhere else ? Kindly help me
Reply will be highly appreciated.

 

[genet]

Can I get me "preinstalled windows 8 key" from bios or from anywhere else ?

You need to download the correct version of Windows 8.1 that matches your UEFI firmware (BIOS) embedded Windows 8/8.1 product key.

Showkey - Windows 10 Forums

How to download and clean install Windows 8.1 if you have an OEM computer with UEFI firmware (BIOS) embedded Windows 8/8.1 product key. -> link

Note: If you have an OEM computer with UEFI firmware (BIOS) embedded Windows 8/8.1 product key, the Windows 8.1 installer should automatically detect product key from UEFI firmware (BIOS).

Note: When installation is finished, Windows 8.1 will be activated automatically, if your internet connection is up and running.

Thank you very much for this information. After spending hours trying to install Windows 10 I now finaly succeded.
Great information mate.

Glad I could help.

 

[Bernie02]

Another thank you, genet. Win 10 upgrade went without a hitch.

 

[Tscschipper]

Same problem here with updating to Windows 10. I have a Dell Inspiron 3847. Also repartitioned my C-drive using EaseUs software.

In Diskpart the following shows:



What do I have to change?

Thanks already!

 

[KYHI]

set ID and partition attributes on > partition 4 and 7