If you have an installation disk with operating system you are spared from such losses (How to reinstall Windows 7, saving settings and installed programs), but subsequent installation of drivers and updates is inevitable. I offer you a method that will significantly reduce the time spent setting up the system after reinstallation; moreover, it will not require installation disk. The article uses materials from Vadim Sterkin’s blog and a video report by Valery Volobuev Setting up the Windows Recovery Environment in Windows 7. The algorithm described below does not require specific knowledge and is relatively easy to implement for a home user. We will perform the task in the following order:
- prepare a partition for the future recovery partition;
- create a system image in Windows environment RE;
- configure the recovery environment;
- Let's reinstall and reconfigure the recovery environment.
Preparing the recovery partition
First of all, we need to create a partition on which we will subsequently place the operating system image file, as well as the file for deploying the recovery environment. There are many ways to perform this operation, I will use standard tools: Disk Management and the command line utility DISKPART. You can read about this in the article “Disk Management in Windows Vista and Windows 7”. We will determine the partition size based on the current occupancy of the partition with the operating system and the availability of free space. For example, if the system takes up about 20 gigabytes, the optimal size would be from 5 to 10 gigabytes. In my example, the section D:\ was first compressedFigure 1 – compression of partition D:\
Then in the resulting unmarked area
Figure 2 – unallocated disk space after compression
Using the utility DISKPART a primary partition was created, formatted, and a label was assigned to it Recovery and letter R. (DISKPART was used due to the fact that using Disk Management, the fourth partition created will be an additional one. You can experiment with placing the recovery partition on an additional partition.) Run sequentially:
::Start DISKPART
Diskpart
Sel disk 0
::Creating a primary partition on the entire unallocated area of the disk. If necessary, specify the partition number using the LIST PART command
Create partition primary
::Quick formatting of the created partition and assigning the “Recovery” label to it
Format LABEL=”Recovery” quick
::Assigning the letter R to a section:
Assign letter=R
::Stopping DISKPART
Exit
Figure 3 – work in DISKPART
Here and in what follows, we will work in a command line launched with administrator rights. Before moving on to capturing an operating system image, create a R:\
folder WinRE for storing it.
Figure 4 – WinRE folder at the root of the future recovery partition.
Creating an operating system image
First of all, study the article “Creating a customized operating system image”. It describes the principles and tools, namely the utility imagex.exe, part of the Windows AIK. Depending on the bitness of the system, you must use the appropriate version of this utility. I have posted both versions of them on the section D:\ in folder WAIKTools.
Figure 5 – WAIK Tools folder on a non-system partition
I also strongly recommend Vadim Sterkin’s article for review and guidance: “How to quickly determine drive letters in the recovery environment or Windows PE.” This knowledge will help us not to make mistakes in the command syntax for capturing an operating system image. Restart your computer and enter the recovery environment (to do this, press F8 after turning on your computer and select "Troubleshoot your computer" from the advanced boot options menu).
Once downloaded, run the command prompt and text editor: notepad Use the Open menu (Ctrl + O) to identify partition letters. In my example, as can be seen from Figure 7, the system section received the letter D:\
, utility imagex.exe is in the folder E:\WAIKTools\
, and the section Recovery– letter F:\
.
Figure 7 – partition letters in the WindowsRE environment
One note: since we will not need to transfer the customized image to another computer, we will use the command given in the “Boot to Windows PE and save the image using the ImageX utility” section of the above article.
Run the command:
"E:\WAIK Tools\amd64\imagex.exe" /capture D: F:\WinRE\install.wim "Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 Custom"
Necessary clarifications:
- "E:\WAIK Tools\amd64\imagex.exe" - Path to the imagex.exe utility. Quotes are used to avoid problems with spaces in the folder name.
- /capture D: - The key indicates the capture of the system image located on the D: partition (as seen in WindowsRE).
- F:\WinRE\install.wim "Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 Custom" - Saving the captured image to the install.wim file (this is important, since in this case only this name is valid) in the F:\WinRE folder. A file comment is specified, and the default compression method is used (compress maximum).
Figure 8 - creating an operating system image in the Windows RE environment
Quit WindowsRE and reboot. Let's move on to the final stage of creating a recovery partition.
Setting up the recovery environment.
In addition to the operating system image file, I decided to place a file on the new partition that would boot into the recovery environment. With this arrangement, it will not depend on the partition with the operating system. As you know, the recovery environment is deployed from an image file WinRE.wim located in the folder Recovery at the root of the system partition. Via Explorer Windows access this folder is closed. The file attribute is hidden system. How to place the file in the location we choose?Let's use command line utilities. First, disable the recovery environment. Please note that Any actions with the recovery environment must be preceded by disabling it! To do this, on the command line run
Reagentс /disable
After running this command the file WinRE.wim will move to the folder c:\Windows\System32\Recovery.
From it we will copy the file to the folder R:\WinRE.
Use the command xcopy with key /
h:
xcopy /h c:\Windows\System32\Recovery\winre.wim r:\WinRE
Figure 9 – copying the WinRE.wim file
And finally, a few final chords:
/
path
) to the system image file located in the folder specified by the key/
target
Reagentc /setosimage /path R:\WinRE /target c:\Windows
::Set custom path (key/
path
) to the system recovery environment deployment file located in the folder specified by the key/
target
Reagentc /setreimage /path R:\WinRE /target c:\Windows
::Enabling the recovery environment
Reagentc /enable
::Checking recovery environment settings
Reagentc/info
As can be seen from Figure 10, the setup was successful. Do not close the window - the command line will still be needed.
Figure 10 – setting up a custom recovery environment.
It will be interesting to see what changes have taken place in the section Recovery. To do this, enable the display of hidden and system files.
Figure 11 – changing the contents of the R section.
As you can see, the file WinRE.wim in folder WinRE no, but a folder appeared Recovery at the root of the section. Believe me, the file is now in it. I will not dwell on the structure of the Recovery folder - if you wish, you can study its contents, and also compare with the BCD parameters (using the command bcdedit /enum all). All that remains is to protect the section from accidental impact from users. To do this, you need to hide it from Explorer and exclude the ability to work with it in Disk Management. The utility will help us with this again Diskpart. On the command line, run sequentially (the disk and partition numbers correspond to the configuration given in the article):
::Start DISKPART
Diskpart
::Disk selection. If there are several of them, then the number the desired disk determined by the LIST DISK command
Sel disk 0
::Selecting a section. If necessary, specify the partition number using the LIST PART command
Sel part 4
::Removing a letter - the section will be hidden in Windows Explorer
Remove
::Setting the section IDID=27.This ID is set specifically for recovery partitions. It becomes impossible to work with such a partition in Disk Management, which provides additional protection for it
Set id=27
Figure 12 - working with the recovery partition in DISKPART
Changes that have occurred in the system
Firstly, the partition is not visible in Windows Explorer, and it does not have a context menu in Disk Management.
Figure 13 – Explorer and Disk Management Manager.
Secondly, in the Advanced Recovery Methods window in the description of reinstalling Windows, there is no requirement to have an installation disk.
Figure 14 – advanced methods menu Windows recovery.
Thirdly, the recovery environment menu has changed:
Figure 15 – additional menu item in Windows recovery options in the recovery environment
This could have been the end of it. But there is a need to dwell on several nuances that arise after reinstalling the system in this manner. I will reinstall the system from the recovery environment.
Setting up a recovery environment after reinstalling the system
For the purity of the experiment, I will format the partition with the system and the partition with the download files. Moreover, I strongly recommend formatting the “System Reserved” section to avoid confusion with loading in the future.
Figure 16 – formatting partitions in the WindowsRE environment.
No user participation is required during the reinstallation process. You will receive a system identical to the one you had at the time you took the image.
Figure 17 – beginning of system reinstallation.
The only thing is that after reinstalling you need to make a few changes:
- Due to a complete rebuild of the BCD, the recovery environment must be reconfigured.
- hide section in explorer Recovery.
Reagentc /disable
Turn on display of hidden and system files, open the folder WinRE on the section R:\
and make sure the file exists Winre.wim. If necessary, copy it from the folder Windows\System32\Recovery or from a folder R:\Recovery\xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx. After that delete the folder Recovery on the section R:\
.
Figure 18
Then enable the recovery environment: Reagentc /enable Make sure the settings are correct (note that the name of the folder where the WinRE.wim file is located in the Recovery folder is different. Therefore, before connecting the recovery environment, you can safely delete the old one.):
Reagentc/info
Figure 19 – connecting the recovery environment after reinstallation.
Remove the letter from the partition R:\
Diskpart
Sel disk 0
Sel part 4
Remove
Exit
Your computer is ready for a fresh reinstallation. One final note. While performing numerous reinstallations while preparing this article, I noticed the appearance of an incomprehensible folder in the list of available drives on the “System Protection” tab. This may be due to the missing folder in the system image SystemVolumeInformation or changing section IDs.
Figure 20 – phantom partition in the list of available disks on the “System Protection” tab.
To get rid of the strange folder, disable system protection on this phantom partition and enable it on the partition with the current system.
Conclusion
There are probably more simple ways reservations, especially using various programs. I don’t pretend that you will definitely use the method described above, but I think it’s convenient and practical. Of course, the system will be updated over time. To keep the image up to date, periodically rewrite the file in Windows RE Install.wim.This document describes how to create recovery media that can be used to restore your computer to its original state if serious problems occur.
HP strongly recommends that you create recovery discs or a USB drive as soon as you receive your computer. If on your desktop computer HP with Windows 7 does not have HP Recovery Software, or if media was not created before the recovery partition was damaged or deleted, you will need to find a set of HP recovery discs that match your model number online or install a new operating system.
HP Recovery Software allows you to create only one backup. The backup files contain the original version of the operating system, drivers and software supplied with your computer.
Recovery media options: Disc or USB flash drive
Your computer may have one or two options available for creating recovery media. Use the option that is most convenient for you.
To identify the available options for creating recovery media, click Start (), All Programs, Recovery Manager.
If appears in the list, only discs can be used.
If the list shows Creating recovery media, you can use discs or a USB flash drive.
Depending on the type of media your computer is handling, do one of the following procedures.
Burning recovery discs using recovery disc creation software in Windows 7
Watch a video on creating recovery discs in Windows 7
Features and important information about creating recovery discs
Below is a list of features and important information about creating recovery discs:
The recovery media creation program only allows you to create one complete set of discs.
The Recovery Media Builder requires an intact recovery partition (Recovery Image (D:)) to create a set of disks. The term "intact" means that the recovery partition Not has been changed or deleted.
Each recovery DVD will take approximately 30 minutes to burn. A complete set of discs does not need to be created in one session.
You can abort the Recovery Media Creation program at any time other than the burning process by clicking the Cancel button. The next time you start the Recovery Media Creation program, it will automatically resume where it left off.
Recovery discs created on your computer can only be used on another computer if it is the same model of computer.
Recovery media creation software is used to create a set of recovery discs. This will require several clean DVDs(DVD-R, DVD-R DL, DVD+R or DVD+R DL format). HP recommends using blank DVD+R discs. Use reputable manufacturers because these recovery DVDs are very important. You will need 4 blank DVD+R discs. At the beginning of the process, the recovery media creation program will indicate how many disks are needed.
Note.The recovery media creation program only supports DVD-R, DVD-R DL, DVD+R, or DVD+R DL discs. The following is a list of disk types, not supported recovery media creation program:
Creating recovery discs in Windows 7
Follow these steps to create a set of recovery discs.
Note.If your computer's drive supports DVD+R, use DVD+R discs. Discs in CD and DVD-RW/DVD-RW formats incompatible with the program "Create Recovery Discs".
Note.If a disk encryption program is run during the disk creation process, errors may occur when checking files. If you are using a disk encryption program, such as bitlocker, it is recommended to disable this program before starting to create discs.
Note.The images on your computer screen may differ slightly from the images below.
Do one of the following depending on what appears in the Recovery Manager window.
When the window is displayed Welcome to the Recovery Disk Wizard Click Next to continue.
If a window is displayed Welcome to the Recovery Media Builder, select item Create recovery media using blank DVDs and click Next to continue.
Rice. : Recovery Manager: Selecting recovery media
Insert the first blank DVD disc and close the drive door. To continue, click Next.
Note.
If you install a blank disk, you may receive an autorun message. In this case, close it by clicking x in the upper right corner. This message does not apply to creating recovery discs.
A verification window will open showing the type of disk as well as information about the number of disks required.
Rice. : Creating Recovery Discs: Check Disk Window
-
The Recovery Disk Creation Wizard window will open. It will display the status of the following processes.
Attention!
Canceling the process during recording may damage the disc. Before canceling, wait until the disc burning and verification process completes and the system prompts you to load the next disc.
Wait until the disk creation success message appears.
Rice. : Creating recovery discs: Disc created successfully
Once the disc is created, the tray will open automatically.
If a message appears asking you to insert another disc, insert it into the tray.
Note.
A message may appear on your desktop about automatic start. If this message appears, close it by clicking x in the upper right corner of the window. This message does not apply to creating recovery discs.
The identical process will begin for Disc 2 and subsequent discs if required. After each disc has been successfully burned, a message will appear indicating that Disc burning completed successfully, and the drive tray will open automatically, after which you can remove the disc.
Continue the disk creation process until the Recovery Disc Builder displays a message that all recovery disks have been created successfully.
Rice. : Creating recovery discs: Creating recovery discs completed
Click the Finish button.
Check that the disks are numbered correctly and store them in a safe place.
Attention!
Provide the necessary protection for the created disks. Store discs in a safe place away from direct sunlight.
If you try to create another set of recovery discs after you have successfully created one set of discs, you will receive a message stating that you are only allowed to create one recovery set. The only option is to click OK and exit the program. If the first set of recovery discs is incomplete or damaged and this message appears, obtain new discs using other methods. See Looking for recovery discs? .
Disconnect your computer from the Internet and close all other applications. Creating discs requires significant system resources. Do not perform other computer operations while recovery discs are being written.
Click the Start button and enter the phrase "recovery manager" in the search field.
When the User Account Control window appears, click Yes or enter your password. HP recommends that you temporarily disable User Account Control.
Click on the displayed option Creating recovery media or Creating a recovery disc.
Note.If the Create Recovery Media or Create a Recovery Disc options are grayed out, you have already created a recovery image before. Due to license protection, you can only create one set of recovery media. New recovery media must be ordered online or otherwise purchased.
The recovery disc creator will display the number of discs required to create your own set of recovery discs.
Prepare the number of blank DVDs shown in the window and number them with a special disc marker.
For example, label the first recovery disk as 1/2 , and second - 2/2 .
Rice. : Creating recovery discs: Discs required
Troubleshooting disk check failures
If the disc is ejected and an error message appears during verification, it means that the disc could not be written. DO NOT complete the pending process of creating system recovery discs. Instead, insert another disc and wait until the burning process completes. If the error occurs again, use a different brand of disk.
If you were unable to create recovery discs and you need them, see Looking for recovery discs?
Saving a recovery image to a USB flash drive in Windows 7
Watch a video on saving a recovery image to a USB flash drive
Features and important information about saving the recovery image to a USB flash drive
Below is a list of features and important information:
Select an item Create recovery media with a USB flash drive (Create media with USB drive), then click Next to continue.
Rice. : Creating recovery media
Click the button Create recovery media using a USB flash drive, then click Next.
A verification window will open, showing the location of the drives.
Select the location of your USB flash drive, then click Next.
A Recovery Manager message will appear telling you that the flash drive will be formatted. Click OK to format the USB flash drive and continue.
Note.
Formatting a flash drive will delete all files on it.
Wait while the software creates the recovery media.
Creating a recovery image is a two-step process.
First, the software copies the files to a USB flash drive.
OK and exit the program.
Frequently asked questions about creating HP recovery media
Why does the message "Recovery disk created" appear?
Only one HP recovery solution can be created, and Recovery Manager determines that one has already been created.
Due to licensing restrictions, you can only create one HP Recovery Solution per computer. This message appears if recovery media has already been created. If you purchased your computer second-hand or from a store where it was already opened, recovery media was likely already created, so this message is natural to see. If your computer is not old, there is a good chance that you can get a recovery solution from HP. Depending on the warranty status of the computer, the country/region where the computer was purchased, and the reason for the message, you may be charged for a recovery solution. For getting additional information see Looking for HP Recovery Discs or HP USB Recovery Drive? The USB device must be less than 32GB in capacity and the device must NOT be a Windows 8 compatible USB flash drive.
HP Recovery Manager is not compatible with many USB drives larger than 32 GB. HP Recovery Manager shows the total size of the source files during the creation process. You can leave a window with this data on the screen during the creation process to understand what capacity drive you need to use. Use a drive that is larger than the original files but smaller than 32GB.
In addition, you cannot use USB drives, which are marked as compatible with Windows 8. USB devices with this marking are configured to work with Windows function To Go in Windows 8 and do not appear as external devices in this OS. They function as internal ones in Windows hard disks and are displayed as local disks. HP Recovery Media Creation Software is looking for external media, so USB drives labeled as compatible with Windows 8 do not appear in the list of devices (and cannot be used as recovery media).
Create and use a system image to restore your computer (Windows 7).
Use a clean, high-quality USB flash drive with a capacity of 32GB or less that is NOT labeled as compatible with Windows 8.
The Recovery Manager window will open.
Note.If the Create Recovery Media option is not available (grayed out), a recovery image has already been created before. Due to license protection, you can only create one set of recovery media. New recovery media must be ordered online or otherwise purchased.
Rice. : Recovery Manager: Selecting recovery media
AHTUNG!!! ANON DON'T BE SURPRISED THAT YOU DON'T FIND P.4 (POINT FOUR) IN OUR ARTICLES - WE DON'T WRITE IT ON FUNDAMENTAL, BUT WE'RE SUPSTITIVE...
It sometimes happens that you get into your hands Nth quantity devices with Win7. And they need to have a recovery partition.
Initially, many laptops/netbooks with an OS pre-installed from the store have such partitions, and there is even special software from the manufacturer that performs backup and rollback by pressing just one functional “hot key”.
However, it is not uncommon to have to “collectively farm” and make a similar decision in the manner described below. Because If you have the same installation flash drive, the implementation has a right to life.
As you know, it is advisable to create such partitions after installing the operating system and installing all the drivers necessary for its operation, as well as the necessary software.
So, for the sake of understanding and at least some systematization of anon’s actions, let’s break everything down point by point:
1. To create the treasured recovery partition, you need to create a separate partition on your hard drive. Even the forgotten partition-magic, or the popular Acronis, is suitable for this. Taking into account the typicality of the situation that you can guess, we will do this standard means Wi(shi)ndows. So, through the workbench, go to the “Management” menu (to do this, right-click (right mouse button) on the “Computer” icon - then “Management”). Next, go to “Disk Management”. Press RMB again on HDD which we want to use for separation in order to store our image, click “Compress Volume”.
2. Pay attention to the “Size of compressed space (MB)” field; here you need to indicate the size of the future partition for recovery. Its volume should be calculated from the current occupied OS space on your OS partition. Those. If now “Winda” takes up, for example, 15 GB, then don’t be a redneck, set aside about 16 GB for it in recovery. In the example, the size is approximately 20GB, because someone got greedy (it happens). Next, click “Compress”.
3. Right-click on the newly created partition and select “Create simple volume”.
5. Continuing the setup wizard, click “Next” as often as almost always.
6. You can assign any letter, but we’ll write “R”, because it’s recovery, damn. And enter the same name for the volume label.
7. Done!
8. Thus was created recovery section on the hard drive, now you need to make a system image. Go to “Start” - “Control Panel” - “System Backup and Restore”
9. Click on “Create a system image”
10. Select our partition that we prepared for the recovery image in the window that opens.
11. Follow the steps of the wizard and click “Archive”
12. We are waiting for this slow process to complete, or we are going to drink tea/coffee.
13. Once the process is complete, you will be asked to create a recovery disc using DVD-R media. If you want, then go ahead, but in this case there is no point in doing it. Yes, and you can restore it through the same media from which you installed your miracle build by selecting “Recovery” in the process.
Hello admin! I have new laptop with Windows 8.1, without hidden factory settings partition, I deleted this section for a long time, but then I regretted it. There is a desire to independently create such a partition with a backup reference image of Windows 8.1, so that, if necessary, I can roll back to this image containing all the software I need. Question! Tell me how, using the tools built into Windows 8.1, to create backup image Win 8.1 with all installed programs and link it to the system recovery environment so that I can roll back to this image using one button - Push-Button Reset Overview?
How to create your own partition with factory settings or how, using the tools built into Windows 8.1, create a backup image of Windows 8.1 on a laptop and link it to the system recovery environment
Hello friends! Today is a very interesting article for computer enthusiasts, in which I will tell you about one unknown secret of restoring Windows 8.1.
Create reference Windows image 8.1, containing all the programs you need, possible not only on a new laptop, but also on regular computer. Install on your Windows laptop 8.1, then install everything on the system necessary programs, then create an image of Windows (in a way that I will show you), then link it to the system recovery environment and roll back to this image in the event of a severe system failure, you can roll back when the system is still functioning and booting, and also in the case when Windows won't boot at all. Details later in the article.
Many readers may ask the question: “What is Reset Windows with one button - Push-Button Reset Overview ?
We all know that in Windows 8.1, if system problems occur (which cannot be eliminated), there is a way to return the computer to the initial state- Push-Button Reset Overview, i.e. Resetting Windows with one button, you will need an installation one, in a nutshell I will remind you how this is done. Insert the installation disk with Windows 8.1 into the drive, then go to
Options
Update and recovery
Recovery
After this happens Windows reset to the original state, as a result the user loses everything installed programs and settings, as well as personal data on the drive (C:), but the operating system takes on its original appearance. Let me remind you that to restore, Windows 8.1 takes backup files from the installation distribution, which should be inserted into your drive.
Experienced users will notice that you can use the utility built into the system and create a recovery image in advance, and if necessary, roll back to it, in this case some part of the user data will remain intact! I note that in this case, most user settings and all installed applications are still lost.
To save all programs installed in the operating system, I suggest creating a complete image file of Windows 8.1 in WIM format and placing it on a specially created hard drive partition. Next, you need to bind the WIM image to the Windows 8.1 recovery environment, that is, upon return computer to its original state - Push-Button Reset Overview (one-button reset), the Win 8.1 operating system will use for recovery not the Windows 8.1 distribution files, but the one we created Windows 8.1 image file! In this case all your programs installed on the C: drive will remain safe and sound. If necessary, you can update the install.wim image file over time.
So, let's go. We have a new laptop with a UEFI BIOS and Windows 8.1 installed on it.
The programs we need are installed in the operating system.
First of all, we check whether our recovery environment is enabled.
Open a command prompt as administrator and enter the command:
reagentc /info (program REAgentC.exe Used to configure the Windows Recovery Environment boot image and one-button reset recovery image, and to administer recovery options and settings. In our case, the REAgentC program shows that the recovery environment is turned on and, as expected, is located on the first hidden partition (Good recovery partition, volume 300 MB), but the recovery image and its location are not indicated, which means that recovery using one buttons - Push-Button Reset Overview Windows 8.1 DVD will be used).
Note: if in your case the recovery environment is turned off - Disabled, then go to the very end of the article and read the necessary information).
In our case everything is fine.
Windows Recovery Environment Status: Enabled
Windows Recovery Environment Location: \\?\GLOBALROOT\device\hardd
isk0\partition1\Recovery\WindowsRE
Boot Configuration Data ID: 222a737e-019e-11e6-bc4d-aabece8a
bcca
Recovery image location:
Recovery image index: 0
Custom image location:
Custom image index: 0
Disk management.
We deleted the hidden partition with factory settings and will now create it again.
We create a regular partition at the end of the hard drive, a size of 20 GB, drive letter (E:) will be enough for me.
Go to the drive (E:) and create a folder on it: Recoveryimage
After that, we boot into Special boot options.
Options
Change computer settings
Update and recovery
Recovery
Special download options
Reboot now
Diagnostics
Extra options
Choose our account
If you have a password, enter it and click Continue.
A command prompt window opens.
Enter the commands:
diskpart
lis vol (we determine the drive letters, we see that the operating system is installed on the C: drive, and the recovery partition we created has the letter D: instead of E:)
exit (exit diskpart),
enter the command:
Dism /Capture-Image /ImageFile:D:\ recoveryimage\install.wim /CaptureDir:C:\ /Name:"Windows"
install.wim: is the name of the WIM disk image (C:) with Windows 8.1.
D:\recoveryimage- the location where the WIM image is saved.
C:\- section with installed Windows 8.1 .
Operation progress 100%. The system image has been created.
Enter more commands
cd /d C:\windows\system32 (with this command we enter the directory C:\windows\system32)
reagentc /info (the recovery environment is enabled, but the image and its location are not specified)
reagentc /setosimage /path D:\Recoveryimage /index 1 /target C:\windows (this command binds the recovery image we created install.wim located on disk D:\ in folder recoveryimage to the system recovery environment (RE), now to restore using one button - Push-Button Reset Overview this will be used image file install.wim.
C:\Windows\System32>reagentc /setosimage /path D:\recoveryimage /index 1 /target
C:\Windows
Directory specified: \\?\GLOBALROOT\device\harddisk0\partition5\recoveryimage
REAGENTC.EXE: Operation completed successfully.
All this can be checked again with the command reagentc /info
C:\Windows\System32>reagentc /info
Windows Recovery Environment configuration information and
system reset:
Windows Recovery Environment Status: Enabled
Windows Recovery Environment Location: \\?\GLOBALROOT\device\hardd
isk0\partition1\Recovery\WindowsRE
Boot Configuration Data ID: 222a737e-019e-11e6-bc4d-aabece8a
bcca
Recovery image location: \\?\GLOBALROOT\device\harddisk0\pa
rtition5\recoveryimage
Recovery image index: 1
Custom image location:
Custom image index: 0
REAGENTC.EXE: Operation completed successfully.
Resetting your computer to its original state
Friends, now to return the computer to its original state - Push-Button Reset Overview (one-button reset of Windows), you do not need an installation distribution with Windows 8.1, since we have reprogrammed the recovery environment and now to return the computer to its original state, the file we created will be used -recovery image install.wim located on disk D:\ in the recoveryimage folder.
Options
Change computer settings
Update and recovery
Recovery
Removing all data and reinstalling Windows
Resetting your computer to its original state
Important Note: Many users delete together with the factory settings (15-20 GB), also
Feature of the operating room Windows systems 7, and also a big surprise for users who installed this system on their computer for the first time, hidden section System Reserved(Reserved by the system). In this article I will try to reveal the functions and advantages of this innovation.
Purpose of the hidden section
If Windows 7 is your first operating system, then you may not suspect anything about the existence of this partition. It is not visible in Windows Explorer. Over time, if the main purpose of the computer is not gaming or surfing the Internet, you will reach “Disk Management” and see that in addition to one or two partitions there is little space on the hard drive. It looks like a separate section, but it doesn’t have a letter and the name is unclear. Why then is it needed?
The main purpose of this section is to protect operating system boot files. This partition contains the boot store configuration files (BCD) and the system boot loader (bootmgr file). It is believed that this partition can be used to perform a system recovery (sometimes called the recovery partition). This is not entirely true, since the volume of all files located on the partition System Reserved, does not exceed 30-35 MB, while the volume of recovery files is about 150 MB. Although you can log into the recovery environment using this partition, there is no image of the recovery environment on this partition. He is in hidden system folder Recovery on the partition with the operating system
Do not confuse the hidden partition, reserved by the system for boot files, and the recovery partition, created by manufacturers to return the computer to its “factory state”. Such sections have completely different attributes. At the same time, on modern computers(especially on laptops) both of these sections are necessarily present.
Automatic partition creation during operating system installation
To be honest, it was a mystery to me why in one case, when installing the system, a hidden partition is created, but in another - not. The answer to the question emerged as a result of experiments.
There are several prerequisites for creating a section:
- The first and main condition is loading from external device(DVD, USB), because when running the installation program from Windows, you will not be able to work with hard disk partitions;
- The total number of main (primary) hard disk partitions before installation should not exceed 3. That is, if before installation the space of your hard drive is already divided into 4 such partitions, in this case a hidden partition of 100 MB in size will not be created, and the download files will be located on the existing active partition. Moreover, this may not be the partition on which the system is installed. The number of logical partitions on an extended one does not matter.
- The partition into which installation is performed must be the first one (top, in the graphical representation of disk space);
- The operating system must be installed into an unallocated area of the disk. If the disk is already partitioned, then when choosing a partition to install the system you need to not only format it, but also create it again, that is, the partition for installation must first be deleted. Accordingly, if you do not want a partition to be created on your hard drive System Reserved, do not delete the existing one;
One point is interesting in this regard. If the system installation partition and the active partition are not the same, the active partition becomes invisible after installation is complete. This happens because the installer places the files first Windows boot 7 to the active partition and then "unmounts" it - removing the letter. This is why many users since the beta version of Windows 7 (and even now, sometimes it happens), installing the system on an inactive partition, “lost” the partition with the already installed system (with Windows XP, for example). The cause of “invisibility” can be easily corrected by assigning a letter to the active partition in Disk Management.
Advantages and disadvantages
As I already noted, the purpose of the hidden partition is to protect the boot data storage. Since this partition is not connected to the others, operations such as disk space compression do not affect boot files, which avoids compression-related problems such as boot messages "bootmgr is compressed". With certain knowledge and skills, boot restoration is not such a difficult process, but it is time-consuming certain time. If they are absent, the matter may end with reinstalling the system.
The second advantage is the less labor-intensive process of reinstalling one of the systems if you have several of them on the same computer. You can read about this in the article “Restoring a joint boot of Windows 7 and Windows XP when reinstalling one of them” - section “Option two - the recovery partition has been created”.
Finally, having a hidden section is another type of foolproof protection.” To be honest, the experience of helping users solve problems with the operating system allows us to conclude that problems often arise due to a lack of experience and knowledge, as well as a lack of understanding of many of the processes that ensure the stable operation of the operating system.
A few words can also be said about the shortcomings, although it would be more correct to classify them as inconveniences. They are connected with the fact that when organizing a joint boot with Windows XP, you have to assign and delete the letter of the hidden partition to place the XP boot files on it. But I think the advantages of this section outweigh this disadvantage.
Conclusion
The hidden "System Reserved" section in Windows 7 was another step in the evolution of Windows boot, which has undergone significant changes in Windows Vista. Thanks to this section, system booting becomes more reliable and less dependent on user actions.
I express my deep gratitude to Vadim Sterkin for reviewing the article and helping with publication.
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