Hi everyone, First I would like to thank AnarethoS for this great tool. I've been trying for weeks now to figure out a way to create a recovery partition like the one found in Dell and HP laptops. In my first post here in the forum, I've asked for help to determine the best option for me, but since I didn't get any reply I decided to try AnarethoS tool. After many days of trial and error, here is my experience. My Laptop is HP Pavilion G6-2288SE OS: Windows 7 Home Premium, HP DVD. Please allow me to post the same thread of sneakychrono post#1976 as what happened with him is almost the same to what happened to me (my comments will be in red): ************************************************************************************************* Hi all, and Thanks AnarethoS and everybody else who's helping the total noobs like myself here. I have used the tool and it works (i have some issues, but i think it's my pc, hopefully someone will clarify it for me) Being the total noob that i am i couldn't understand the whole instructions from the documentation. Since you guys are pros, just by looking at couple of steps you can figure out how to do it, but i couldn't. Now that i have done it, i understand the documentation lol. i will explain what i did that worked for me ( this is from a total noob perspective ) my PC is old so it doesn't have a UEFI bios and it has windows 7. I use the file "Basic 1.3.13" 01- Download zip file(s) ((( you will see why i downloaded both zip files as you read on ))) Sorry. I can't post links yet. 02- unzip both files in the flash drive ( inside Basic 1.3.13, there are 4 folders, "AutoUnattend" - "Documentation" -"Windows 7 Recovery Tools" - "Windows 8 Recovery Tools") 03- Go into "AutoUnattend" folder then into "MBR" folder (because my bios is not UEFI), copy the AutoUnattend.xml file. ("GPT" for UEFI, the newer bios) 04- Go into your usb drive and paste the AutoUnattend.xml file in the root directory of the drive. 05- Put the Windows 7 installation disc in the CD/DVD drive. (make sure the usb drive with the AutoUnattend.xml file is connected to the pc) I've used the USB here. 06- Restart PC and boot from CD/DVD drive to install windows. 07- Windows' installation will pop up, click next, then choose the version of windows you want to install (ultimate, home premium etc...), check the box and agree to the terms. 08- Windows will load in OOBE mode (with that little box in the middle of the screen) install drivers for your pc and other applications that you want. (((Here is what i did on my pc. i open windows update, download and installed the 1st batch of updates about 135. after that inside the update window(box) i clicked the "Restart Now" button, because after the updates the pc needs to be restarted for the updates to take effect. Then the PC rebooted, applied the updates and windows load in OOBE mode again, download the second batch of updates (that one had the service pack in it). after that inside the update window(box), i click the "Restart Now" button. The PC rebooted (couple of times), applied the updates and windows load in OOBE mode again, install java runtime, adobe flash/reader/shock silverlight and other application. the last app i installed was office 2010. then i went to windows update and got 30 updates. again inside the update window(box) i click the "Restart Now" button then the PC rebooted, applied the updates and windows load in OOBE mode again))). OK. I read a lot regarding this step and I'm really confused. It seems that I should install all drivers and applications in Audit Mode, so to be in the safe side I've restarted my Laptop again in Audit Mode before doing anything and whenever my Laptop required restarting I've restarted through the window (box) in Audit Mode. All drivers and installed applications are preserved at the final stage although some of them required to put their serial numbers and settings again. But I read post#1993 by AnarethoS saying that I should close the window (box) and restart normally! I'm really confused here?! Can someone explain to me what to do exactly. 09- After installing all of the programs and drivers (while PC is in OOBE mode). i went to the basic 1.3.13 folder and copied the "Windows 7 Recovery Tools" in my C drive root directory. 10- The 2nd zip file you downloaded (Basic1.2), after unzip it got renamed "Recovery Tools - Basic". This is where you get imagex go into "Recovery Tools - Basic" --> "GPT" or "MBR" ---> "Scripts-GPT" or "Scripts-MBR" ----> "CaptureImage" -----> "Capture" ------> "imagexAMD64.exe" or "imagexX86.exe" 11- Copy "imagexAMD64.exe", go back to the C drive --> "Windows 7 Recovery Tools" ---> "Imagex" ----> "64bits" and paste it there. 12- Copy "imagexX86.exe", go back to the C drive --> "Windows 7 Recovery Tools" ---> "Imagex" ----> "32bits" and paste it there. 13- Rename "imagexAMD64.exe" to "imagex.exe". Rename "imagexX86.exe" to imagex.exe 14- Go back to the C drive --> "Windows 7 Recovery Tools" ---> "Settings - Examples" ----> "MBR" (for old bios, non-UEFI) ("GPT" for UEFI, the newer bios) 15- Copy all the files (ResetPartition, Settings, SettingsRE and Sysprep) 16- Go back to the C drive --> "Windows 7 Recovery Tools" ---> "Settings" and paste all the files there. 17- Go back to the C drive --> "Windows 7 Recovery Tools" double click "Update_Settings.cmd". black window came up it says it copied the file with error while updating settings. 18- Go back to the C drive --> "Windows 7 Recovery Tools" ---> "Installer" double click "Install.cmd" the black windows will pop up and start doing its thing. AND VOILA You should be good to go. (from that point the process took me about 20 minutes,then i setup the account and password and logon windows etc...) Just be patient though, i thought it was stuck because the black pop up window would stay idle for 3-5 minutes don't do anything, the pc will reboot it will do couple of stuff and then it will show the percentage of the image capture then it will tell you it was successfull and to press any key to continue. **Issues** 1. - after successfully capturing the image with the choice to "press key to continue" PC rebooted but it kept saying it accounted an error and it needs to reboot to continue the setup. and get stuck on the same error message again and ask to reboot everytime. ((( my way around it is to hit f8, go into safemode w/ networking, it gets the same error message at the service setup screen and ask for a reboot, hit enter to reboot. keep hitting F7 while rebooting then it gives me 2 choices: one that says Windows 7 (it's the black screen where you pick operating system if you had multiple operating system to choose from). the other choice is way at the bottom and says press F8 for advance options. i highlight Windows 7 then setup completes and then it ask for name of pc, password etc... ( all my stuff are installed). when i restart the pc everything works fine it doesn't loop anymore. The same issue that happened with sneakychrono happened with me also and the same solution worked for me. 2. - F7 does not do anything it gives me 2 choices "Windows 7" "F8 for advanced options" 3. - When i hit F8 it says there was an error it couldn't start windows and gives me 2 choices "Repair Computer. "Start Windows Normally" (the only way i can go into safe mode is through msconfig, which i kind of like to be honest with you. LOL) 4. - here is the issue i get at the above step #17, when i update the settings command (i ran it with admin rights also) Didnt' have this issue probably because I removed the read attribute from the folder. ************************************************************************************************* I read somwhere that AnarethoS faced many issues with HP and couldn't sucess with them, could that be my issue? But again sneakychrono is having an old PC which I'm guessing is not HP. Also, what is the Splash Logo issue and what I should do with it? The guide provided by AnarethoS need a little bit of further explanation for newbies like me. I don't want to be greedy and suggest a video explanation. But there are things I'm seeing everyone talking about it here not mentioned in the guide. For example: Setupcomplete.cmd script? I've tried to start reading the thread from the begining to the end, but I relaized that the earlier versions must have been totally different than the current version, so I've tried to read the last few pages. Still many things I couldn't comprehend. Appreciate if someone could explain to me what I've done wrong and what I should do. Thanks & Regards, Mouna.
help me. fater geve me error. my hp prtable have this partition : partition efi size=400 partition msr size=128 partition primary partition recovery 14 gb max 24 gb tanks
@MoonLaf Here are the step you should follow. 1) Copy the AutoUnattend.xml file to the root of the USB drive 2) Copy the files from the "Settings-Example" folder to the "Settings" folder 3) Run the "Update_Settings.cmd" script 4) Copy the "Installer" folder to the root of the USB drive 5) Plug the USB drive on the computer and start Windows installation 6) The computer should be in AUDIT mode. You will know you are in AUDIT mode if the SYSPREP screen show-up 7) Close the SYSPREP window. Always close it. NEVER TOUCH THE SYSPREP WINDOW! 8) Install drivers, apps, etc. Reboot if required. When you reboot, CLOSE the SYSPREP window. 9) Copy the "Installer" folder from the USB key to the computer 10) Run the install script Also, only use "clean" installation media. Never use Dell, Hp, etc. branded installation disk. They may have some modifications on them. Use a fresh MSDN or RETAIL disk. I am completing the 1.3.14 version now. The guide will have a new section call "Step by step" which will provide screenshot for each stage. It should help people I think.
@Luxcer - Can you give me what are your partition order exactly? - How much partition do you have on the computer? - Windows 7 or Windows 8 on the computer with the problems?
Run the following in command prompt and copy me the content here Code: DISKPART SELECT DISK 0 LIST PARTITION Do you have the eroor? Waht does it tells you exactly?
Version 1.3.14 is out Windows 8 : you can have the recovery image on the last partition and have deleted when a recovery media is created Windows 7 : Added Italian language Update : Installation guide. Now with a step-by-step part with screen shots to guide you. Help you will like it! Note : Starting today, the Basic Tools version 1.2.0 is no more supported.
AnarethoS, in win8 do you have "option" of deleting the recovery partition or is that auto deleted after creation of recovery media? Just curious.
Hi i am using a New windows 7 Home Premium SP1 and No drivers and No software, when the recovery tools creator sysprep the computer, i get "a fatel error occured while tring to sysprep your machine." can anyone help me with a solution, i have tried all versions of the tools same thing happens Every time.... Thanks in advance
I installed windows 8 on bios mbr is perfect. I installed again according to the procedure described Windows 8 on uefi bios, I get fatal error written during sysprep. I did the test both with 1.3.13 then even with the AutoUnattend.xml file 1.3.14 and copying the recovery tools in c After making the partitions and shuts the first time it tells me that it is impossible to get into Windows and is locked help x please Thank you
is a sysprep error on Windows 8 pro, in administrator account duriring installation i used your AutoUnattend.xml file! now i do to step previus post thank you
Double Commander is not showing the hidden partitions for some reason with windows 8 UEFI 1.3.14. All I can see is C(windows) and X(ram directory). Let me know if its just me or if anyone else is having this issue. Also, you pry didnt change this... but it would be nice if it was maximized when it started. Thanks. YOU DA MAN anarethos!