Question about recovery partition on Aspire V5-122P-0889...

Gabe1972

My recovery partition is 14.82GB in size, but it only has 95.21MB of used space. I upgraded to Windows 8.1 through the Windows store, but I highly doubt this would have wiped out the info in the partition. Also, this computer is a factory refurbished computer. When I got it it only had a 30 day warranty on it. I got it because I was included in the eMacines Floppy Drive class action suit. This should not matter though, as a factory refurbished computer, refurbished by Acer, should have the info in the recovery partition, shouldn't it? I'm at a loss. I would like to use the recovery option to reinstall Windows 8 as I don't care for Windows 8.1, but now I see my only option is to purchase the recovery USB from Acer, and this is $43. This just doesn't sit well with me. Any ideas? Just because it's factory refurbished doesn't mean it should be faulty.

I do have a System Image backup from when it was still just Windows 8, but it will not allow me to use it because it says that I cannot use a system image from Windows 8 to restore a computer that presently has Windows 8.1 on it.

I know that I can download a Windows 8 ISO, but only with a valid product key, and an OEM product key isn't going to work. Besides, who knows what the product key is anyway, as it is stored in the BIOS. Again, any ideas? Thanks in advance.

Accepted answers

Gabe1972

Well, after doing a little research, it turns out that one of the wonderful features of upgrading to Windows 8.1 is that it makes your recovery partition unusable. I guess it tells you this in the FAQ about upgrading from Windows 8 to 8.1. The only option would have been to make a recovery USB before doing the upgrade, but of course, I didn't do that. As I said, I do have a Windows 8 system image from this machine, but it is useless to me. Evidently my only option is to go ahead and order the recovery USB from Acer, then after Windows 8 is reinstalled, use the saved system image so I can get all of my programs back without having to redownload everything. Oh well, $44.95 and a few headaches because I didn't read the FAQ and think to do a proper USB Recovery Backup. Maybe this lesson I learned will help someone in the future. Such is life.

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Vince53

Gabe, I wish you hadn't upgraded to 8.1, but since you did, I would press forward. There are plenty of free driver programs online that will search your laptop and recommend better drivers.

Customer reviews of your budget model consitently complain that it is slow. But for the price you paid, plus a touchscreen, you have a good deal. If your problem is speed, going back to 8 won't help.

Gabe1972

Um, okay. Thanks for the advise, but it has nothing to do with my question. My reasons for wanting to switch back to Windows 8 have nothing to do with the question I asked, nor drivers.

Gabe1972

Well, after doing a little research, it turns out that one of the wonderful features of upgrading to Windows 8.1 is that it makes your recovery partition unusable. I guess it tells you this in the FAQ about upgrading from Windows 8 to 8.1. The only option would have been to make a recovery USB before doing the upgrade, but of course, I didn't do that. As I said, I do have a Windows 8 system image from this machine, but it is useless to me. Evidently my only option is to go ahead and order the recovery USB from Acer, then after Windows 8 is reinstalled, use the saved system image so I can get all of my programs back without having to redownload everything. Oh well, $44.95 and a few headaches because I didn't read the FAQ and think to do a proper USB Recovery Backup. Maybe this lesson I learned will help someone in the future. Such is life.

Stix2002

You can still create a recovery USB. The recovery partition would still be intact but it will recover you back to Windows 8 rather than 8.1, which I believe is what you wanted.

Gabe1972

I appreciate the advice, but I no longer have the recovery partition on the drive. I deleted it. I did try to do exactly as you suggested though. I spent almost five hours collectively trying to create a USB recovery drive from the partition, but to no avail. I tried various different things, but for some reason the drive was just not accessible no matter what. Whether trying to do it using the Acer program or through various methods using Windows itself, it just would not work. Either it was corrupted, or messing with the partitions so I could make a backup of the system image in Windows 8.1 screwed it up, as in the placement of the partition on the drive (System Image in Windows 8.1 has a problem when it has been upgraded from Windows 8. The small recovery partition (the 350mb one) doesn't have enough space for the volume shadow copy after upgrading from 8 to 8.1, so you have to do some altering). Again, no matter what I did, it would not work, and after the almost five hours of trying I gave up and just deleted it to save me from the almost certain prospect of getting frustrated all over again by reattempting it in the future and having it do the same thing...not work. I even tried reregistering the partition, but it still would not allow me to make the USB recovery drive.

I do have an external USB DVD drive and a Windows 8 disk from Dell, and it works on the Acer as it uses the built in key code to activate. I used it on the SSD that I installed in the Acer and it worked perfectly, then I upgraded to 8.1 like normal (again having to work with the partitions to get the System Image program to work properly in 8.1 (it's not as simple as expanding the partition so it has enough room for the VSC)). Of course, I wish the original option would have worked as I wouldn't have had to load all of the drivers and programs, though I don't really care about the programs and I downloaded and made drive disks for both 8 and 8.1 for the Acer.

Again, I appreciate the advice, but it just wouldn't work for me no matter what I did and it wasn't worth the frustration. Had I not had the Windows 8 Dell DVD, I'm reasonably sure that I would have purchased the recovery USB from Acer by now for the $45 they are asking. Again, thanks for the suggestion. It's nice to know that there are people out there that still try to help other people just because.

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