I b0rked Windows 8

[Afasoas]

As you may have read else where, I bought a new PC.

Instead of coming with just one 2TB hard disk, it came with two. And supports RAID0.
So... I cloned the two hard disks. Enabled RAID0. Created two RAID partitions. Restored the two hard disk images to the two partitions.

Now nothing boots and the Windows 8 repair doesn't work either.
Of course, a bit by bit copy of a GPT partition doesnae work.

The PC I've bought, there's no way of recovering it without the recovery partition. The backup DVDs created rely on that partition being there.
I could probably boot the machine off a Linix live USB (I've made several attempts with various CSM settings but no avail yet) but from what I've read, with the UEFI enabled bios, if I managed to get a Windows 8 ISO (even an upgrade version) it will give me a fresh install, no questions asked.

I believe you can find this sort of thing on torrent sites and newsgroups but I'm not expert at this sort of thing and most searches I make are just turn up "windows 8 unlockers" which don't appear trustworthy.

Can anyone help?
Thanks

[rusky]

That's a bit shit. So if you create a recovery DVD & the HDD failed, you wouldn't be able to recover it??

Mind you, I'm not fond of RAID0 as if one drive goes, you're screwed.

[Afasoas]

You can still do it, but not my a bit-by-bit copy.
Although I've just read somewhere if you clone the whole disk, rather than the partition you should be okay. That's not true in my case those, because I did clone a whole disk and not just a partition.

If I didn't need windows I'd be putting 'nix on there out of frustration now.

[rusky]

I can get you an ISO of Win8 but there's no guarantee your key will work.

[Afasoas]

From what I've read, with UEFI I won't need a key.
So that would be grand!!

[rusky]

Win8 Pro 64bit?

[Afasoas]

Sorry, it's win 8 regular x64

Thanks for this Rusky.

[rusky]

I can only get Pro, may be worth giving it a go anyway

[Afasoas]

Yeah I figure it might be the same media, just license key dependant

[rusky]

It's uploading to google drive, I'll post a link when it's finished!

[Afasoas]

Thank you so so so much.
YACF to the rescue.

I'll need to return the favour

[rusky]

Apologies, the upload seems to be taking forever & there's no way to view the progress!

Mind you, if your location in your profile is up to date, you may want to drive over with a blank dvd or usb stick!

[Afasoas]

Not the location in my profile isn't accurate, I'm afraid.

[Afasoas]

In summary, if you are buying a new PC, it's probably best to buy the OS separately.
I'm liking Win8 thus far, but had I not needed it to run Photoshop/Lightroom I'd have gone for a Linux installation instead. It's not worth the £££.

That said, even though I've paid the exorbitant £££ to activate Windows 8 Pro just for the sake of getting a working system (I've projects to complete!), the end result is still less £££ for the equivalent iMac so I'm not overly upset.




Rusky,
Google-Fu turned up the Pro install media on a public Google Drive so I downloaded and tried that.


Extensive research indicated that the install media for Windows 8 Core (basic)/Pro is the same, and the that UEFI embedded product key should ensure the correct version gets installed.

Not so in my case. I couldn't force the installer to install the Core version. I also found Windows 8 upgrade media and tweaked that into doing an install on an empty hard disk. Same net result.

Some of the OEM versions are "CoreSingleLanguage" or "CoreSingleCountry" so I figured I probably needed one of these - but finding one to match your product key is a needle/haystack affair. There's a few hacks around for editing the installation media to get it working - but it goes beyond my level of trial/error patience.

It seems the Microsoft and OEMs have betweened them thoroughly shafted the consumer with lack of installation media and no ability to create installation media for recovery. The Windows 8 flavour system restores require having the recovery partition intact. If you are converting a system from HDD to SSD or recovering a failed HDD, you need to do your research first and handle with care.

[DaveJ]

See the EIFG Removal Utility to convert the installation disk.  This says it works on both Windows 7 and 8 disks.  It certainly works OK on 7.

Dave

[ian]

If you've bought a new PC with Windows OEM on it and it goes belly-up, then the onus is on the supplier to deal with it, like any other warranty item.

(The Apple App Store is a far easier – and nicer – way of handling it, Microsoft licensing hell is truly a place darker and more sulphurous than Satan's executive bathroom the morning after Hell's monthly curry night.)

[Afasoas]

Dave,
In essence tried that.

Ian,
I think the user removing the recovery partition probably relieves the OEM of any warranty obligation.
And if they fixed it as a gesture of goodwill, then I figure I'd end up at square one with no RAID and reloaded cr4pware.