Creating a Backup of The OS for Reformatting Purposes

Kkuba on 15/05/2015 - 13:33
Last edited 15/05/2015 - 13:53

Hi all,

So, in the past, whenever I have had to reformat a PC (when it has been running slow, or whatever) I have had an optical drive where I can insert the OS install CD and boot from that, but how do you achieve this when you have no CD, and no optical drive.

I recently purchased the ACER laptop from this deal:

https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/193622

and I want to upgrade to an SSD, so I will need to reinstall windows.

I found the attached ACER Recovery Management software, and it has an option to create a "factory default backup"

First question is, am I going about this the right way? Will I be able to boot from this?

If so, I am given two options,

  1. tick the box that says "Copy the recovery partition from the PC to the recovery drive" and this asks me to insert a flash drive with 16GB of free space (and all data will be deleted off it).

  2. choose not to tick the box, and then it asks me to insert a flash drive with 512MB free space.

What is the difference between these two options, especially since I don't see a 'recovery partition' on this machine (is it hidden?). And secondly, does it really mean that I will require 16GB of free space, or will a 16GB flash drive (with the typical ~14.9GB free space) be sufficient? I am happy to buy a flash drive to do this, but just want to make sure I am not spending money on an unnecessarily large flash drive, which will only be used for this purpose, as I have also just bought a flash drive recently to use as my main one.

Thank in advance.

Computing

Comments

  • GaelicAU on 15/05/2015 - 13:51
    +1

    I believe this Acer has a lot of bloatware so if you want a clean Win 8 OS, I would go the 'Create installation media' route. It allows you to select the correct version of Windows 8 and whether you want to create a USB or DVD copy. Once you press okay, it downloads the Windows installer and you can then reformat with that.

    • Disclaimer - I haven't tried this with this Acer, but if you're placing a new SSD into the machine, you still have the original HDD if all else fails.

    http://windows.microsoft.com/en-AU/windows-8/create-reset-re…

    EDIT: I should also note that the activation key is within the BIOS of your machine, so a fresh install should activate automatically.

    EDIT 2: The link above states you only need a 4GB USB drive. I guess this is due to the compressed installer file / ISO opposed to duplicating the OS file system post-installation.

    • Kkuba on 15/05/2015 - 14:02

      Thank you very much for that information, that is exactly what I was looking to do! much appreciated!

      And yes, I will have a temporary fall-back plan with the old hard drive (until it goes into my PS3.. hehe)

      • GaelicAU on 15/05/2015 - 14:07

        Your'e welcome. Let me know how you go. I bought one for a family memebers bday present and will be doing the same once it is opened.

    • Kkuba on 16/05/2015 - 14:39

      Just going through this now, and it didn't activate automatically. It is asking for a product key, is this something that I can find by going inyo the bios?

      • GaelicAU on 18/05/2015 - 13:52
        +1

        You will run into this issue if you downloaded the incorrect Window 8.1 version.

        In this case, you need to download the standard Win 8.1 and not Win 8.1 PRO

      • matabuntu on 18/05/2015 - 20:50

        Maybe that method will only work with ACER OEM Windows in the recovery partition or if you buy recovery disc from Acer.

        You can find your previous OEM key that is hidden in the system BIOS.
        Use this tool: RWeverything: http://rweverything.com/download/
        Tutorial here: https://philipyip.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/rweverything.p…

        Source: here

        Note: I have just tried it on my vaio pro and it did show me a key.

  • scrimshaw on 15/05/2015 - 13:51

    The recovery partition is hidden.

    Option 1 copies the WHOLE recovery partition to your USB hard drive. That is why it needs so much space. You will not need EXACTLY 16GB of free space — but you will need enough to fit the contents of the recovery partition. You could try an 8GB drive but if you run into any errors, you would have to choose the next size up, which would be 16GB.

    The advantage of this option is that if you replace the hard drive, OR if your hard drive breaks you will still have a copy of the Windows installation media on hand, in that USB drive. This will allow you to reinstall windows in the abscence of a working internal HDD.

    Option 2 does not copy any files — it just makes a generic Windows repair toolkit which is honestly useless anyway, as there are so many other ways to create the toolkit, and second it is superfluous once you have a windows install media created.

    a 16GB stick is only less than $9 from Dick Smith, I don't see how you can not afford a 16GB USB drive.

    • Kkuba on 15/05/2015 - 14:06

      Thanks for the info. I was prepared to buy a 32GB stick, as that is the smallest size stick that will have "16GB of free space". I can afford what ever is required, but this is ozbargain, so I hope to buy only what is required, no more. = )

  • Kkuba on 15/05/2015 - 14:11

    So it seems I have a resolution, with two options, the first by GaelicAU will create a file to boot from, and this will initiate a fresh install of windows.

    The second (using the application I mentioned in my OP) will essentially create an image of the current OS (all bloatware included).

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