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Refresh/Reset Windows 8 x64 OEM with no disk, no product key

Hello,
I apologize for the somewhat lengthy question.

I bought one month ago a Lenovo G780 with Windows 8 x64 OEM, i.e. no disk was handed.
My Windows 8 is starting to be instable, almost since the beginning, and I need to refresh
or reset it.

Unfortunately, I have split my Windows 8 C: partition containing Windows 8 in two partitions:
one for the Windows 8, and the other with letter D: for my data. I did this with Windows 8
Disk Management.

Having changed the size of the windows 8 partition has as consequence that I cannot use
anymore the standard OneKey Recovery method offered by Lenovo.

I see that my hard disk has got the WINRE_DRV partition, followed by SYSTEM_DRV, LRS_ESP,
Microsoft Reserved Partition, Windows8_OS, my newly created DATA partition, LENOVO partition
and finally PBR_DRV.

My questions:

1)  If I refresh or reset Windows 8 using the method described in
    http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/restore-refresh-reset-pc
    am I sure that I will not be asked for a Windows 8 Installation disk, because
    I do not have one? The article above is rather vague. And what about any
    Windows Product key because my copy of Windows 8 is pre installed OEM?
    Can I easily activate it again after the reset/refresh?
    I miss all these information in the above article.

2) To reactivate Lenovo OneKey Recovery, I want even to give up my data partition and
    try to resize the Windows 8 partition as it was.
    My question is:
    how can I manage to create at place of DATA partition Unallocated space
    and to merge this to Windows 8 partition using just Disk Management?
    Any other tool like GPARTED? Is GPARTED disk recognized by Secure Boot UEFI setting in
    my BIOS? I hate change the BIOS settings.   

   Regards Rasa Vulci

Hey,

 

Yes, we need an CD\DVD while performing Refresh\Reset.

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Hi,

 

In order to perform reset\refresh you need Operating System disc and you need Product key for activating Operating System.

I would suggest you to contact Lenovo support team for assistance. They should be able to provide you the Operating System disc and product key for the same.

http://forums.lenovo.com/

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Thanks Srinivas, and computer_legend for your replies.

This means that we poor Windows 8 OEM cannot use an important feature of Windows refresh/reset without this OP disk and product Key?
Quite unfortunate...

I will try to discuss this with Lenovo, but I do not know who quick I can get a reply from them....

I was hoping just to refresh my Windows installation without this disk....My Operating System is somewhere in the machine, and my Product Key is also somewhere in my BIOS....

Is anybody there who can give me any hint, any hint at all...?

Thanks for any help...
Regards Rasa




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The product key you shouldn't need as it is embedded within your systems BIOS and the installation media should automatically pick it up.

 

Unfortunately you will need the installation DVD. Microsoft do not provide a direct link to a .iso like they did in Windows vista and Windows 7 creating an assortment of problems as highlighted in this thread here: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_8-windows_install/a-clean-install-of-windows-8-oem-media-download/1b1e2517-5658-450d-943e-7e81f902adec

 

For users such as yourself who would rather create their own partitions or reinstall the OS manually or dual boot. The OEM recovery partitions are in general useless and multiple problems like this arise.

 

Microsoft also seem to not allow OEMs to sell their systems with proper installation DVDs. It also seems like they have restricted OEMs in selling Reinstallation DVDs and hence it is difficult for customers to procure them.

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Oh yes, manufacturers will supply a system disc - at a price! Furthermore, I paid about £30 for a system disc from HP and it wouldn't even work with the PC I purchased directly off them! I contacted them and they sent me another set of discs - but they didn't work either!
HP Pavilion 500-141ea. 4GB RAM.3.50 gigahertz AMD A8-6500 APU with Radeon HD Graphics

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Last updated October 17, 2022 Views 7 Applies to: