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Question

Dang Win 8.x re-installs

Dec 1, 2014 3:55AM PST

One thing I have found frustrating is reloading/re-installing Win 8.x. More often than not, the user hasn't made a back-up image/recovery disc(s). No clue of the key and then if Win 8 to Win 8.1 that mess too. Sure, it can be redone but the hassle even if you know what to do has become a long time consuming process. This maybe more of vent, but anyone knows the fastest way to restore the OS, please come forth.

Excluding any h/w issue and dealing with reloading or restoring a working PC, what has worked for you.?

Has your vendor/maker really been of help?

Thanks in advance, -----Willy Happy

Discussion is locked

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Answer
What I learned.
Dec 1, 2014 4:21AM PST

If they didn't make the backup or recovery then I advise them to order them before we start. Since my tech folk charge by the hour, even ordering these can run up the bill before we started.

Once we have the restore media the only trouble I ran into was when I needed to wipe the drive clean ahead of the restore.
Bob

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Of course, save this or that
Dec 1, 2014 5:04AM PST

If I can access the HD with my tools and then get the data they so desperately want to save, I try but eagerly point out that may take a while and do they have "blank discs"? NO, sure I have some, adds to the cost and time involved. I also mentioned if they have 10-30gb of video/audio, please decide what they really need. If they have ext. HD or can get one or allow me to return once they have that on hand. I stand by thier decisions as best as I can, what was just a OS reload is now data recovery, etc. as well. Let's not forget what normally could have been 3-4hr. job is now 5-7hr. not including a possible return, time restraints.

Thanks Robert

tada -----Willy Happy

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Now let's bill that as if it's at a local shop.
Dec 1, 2014 5:15AM PST
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A few I carry around beyond that.
Dec 1, 2014 12:14PM PST
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do you keep a collection
Dec 1, 2014 12:54PM PST

of the main manufacturer loadup discs?

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No.
Dec 1, 2014 2:00PM PST

As there are some hundred new laptops a month and maybe the sub percent chance I'd have one, ordering restore media is cheaper than collecting, organizing and storage.
Bob

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Have you seen this yet?
Dec 1, 2014 11:18PM PST
https://www.modern.ie/en-us/virtualization-tools#downloads

I'm not sure why anyone would want to do it, other than for some banksites, or testing webpages against various browers, but...I will give them credit for trying anyway.

This is linked in the new windows 10 Internet Explorer as offered from microsoft. It's virtual machine versions of different IE as they would appear on different systems. Available for windows, linux and mac.
Seems to install a basic number of file that will run IE in the virtual machine for whichever system it might be used on. Interesting they are pushing IE out to Linux users now.

Doesn't need WINE anymore.

http://www.rdeeson.com/weblog/126/how-to-run-internet-explorer-7-8-and-9-in-linux-with-or-without-wine.html

Also have here.
https://gist.github.com/magnetikonline/5274656#ie11---win7

$ mkdir -p ~/vm/ie11win8.1 && cd ~/vm/ie11win8.1
$ wget -i https://gist.github.com/magnetikonline/5274656/raw/ie11-win8.1.txt
$ chmod u+x IE11.Win8.1.For.LinuxVirtualBox.part1.sfx
$ ./IE11.Win8.1.For.LinuxVirtualBox.part1.sfx
$ tar xf "IE11 - Win8.1.ova"
$ rm IE11.Win8.1.For.LinuxVirtualBox.part?.* IE11*.ov? ie11-win8.1.txt


Translated;
make a directory for the file to go into in the virtual machine folder
wget or download the file
change or set permissions so you can run the sfx file as executable
the ./ placed in front of path executes the file which creates the rar or zip file form the parts of the file.
tar unzips the resulting file which can be used in the virtual machine
the rm removes what is no longer needed


most today would instead just use the archive manager graphical program in linux to glue the zip file back together, pull the files needed then from it, and use the graphical file manager to create and place what was needed for the virtual machine to use.
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Looks like Azure to me
Dec 1, 2014 11:58PM PST

That's the cloud computing Microsoft is pushing. We looked at it but the price schedule and Microsoft's flightiness meant we went with a more classic solution.

"The Cloud" is worthy of its own discussion.
Bob

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In disk management
Dec 2, 2014 12:18AM PST

in windows 10 you can setup virtual harddrives, so I guess that's the place to place those files in that system. I started a thread in win10 forum about it. Also on the link given previously, try the browser screenshots function, that's very helpful for web managers.

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I see your new question.
Dec 2, 2014 12:25AM PST

Appears we can do this in 7,8, etc. Armed with VirtualBox I've done this in XP.

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Toolbox
Dec 1, 2014 11:37PM PST

I carry many of those excluding any direct Linux repair discs for linux only. As for MS, I have a source where the user can d/l the OS version(only OS), pay, then I burn the version. The legal aspects of this is OK as the re-use of the user key allows this to proceed or finalize. As Robert stated having the discs in hand is a primary reason for all the hassles as many don't or can't find them. Win 8.x though started to get more frazzled in getting this route as clean as possible. Let's not forget that the OEM supplied recovery/restore discs also provide the s/w bundle that they got upon initial purchase, always a good plus, IMHO. Since, Win 8.x doen't provide a key sticker anymore as many did before that the key search is required provided the HD is OK to access. Again, just another hurdle to do.

Thanks -----Willy Happy