Preparing Windows 8.1 for the possible disaster

I have been reading the excellent discussion in the thread
DISCUSSION - Best method (and program) to backup (image) GPT/UEFI disk



and will eventually make the decision for which image backup program to get for new Windows 8.1 laptop.

In the meantime, I have made the recovery USB stick that Windows 8.1 allows you to make--that stores the recovery partition data (I think--it wouldn't boot from it).

PAUSE...
during that process, screen says 8GB flash drive required. Yea, I have one. Would not work--no way, no how. Multiple tries. Eventually I decide it is because the formatted size on the stick is 7.45GB. So, go buy a 16GB stick because the machine says I need 8GB but won't use an 8GB rated stick. Very annoyed...need $10 device instead of a 25c DVD.
END PAUSE

I also made recovery DVDs by accidentally discovering a Toshiba utility on the machine that did that.

Now, to the point of this post. As best I understand it, these things are useless unless I have a system repair disk to boot the machine in order to use these recovery items. Windows 8.1 does not allow you to make a system repair disk. So, what now bro? How do I make a Windows 8.1 system repair disk? <<That is my question.

 

I do not have an install DVD as that would obviate any need to have the recovery disks--the install DVD would be the recovery. I am willing to bet that 90% of people who bought computers in the last 5 years do not have OS disks with them--especially laptops.

As for the flash drive, as I said, it does not boot. And all of that leads to my question of How do I make a Windows 8.1 system repair disk? I suppose it should be expanded to any disk that will boot and install the recovery images that are on the flash drive I made or the DVDs that the Toshiba utility made.

 

I am not asking about an imaging program--that is a different approach altogether. I an talking about a boot disk that will enable me to do a recovery using the flash drive Windows 8.1 allowed me to make, or the using the DVDs the Toshiba utility allowed me to make.

 

^^ Why do you say that? When I tried to use it (the 8GB one that is 7.45GB formatted), the dialog would not light up the "Next" button to proceed. How can you say it was big enough? When I used a 16GB flash drive, the Next button was lighted and it did proceed.

AS for boot order, I have yet to find the key that will open the "BIOS" editing screen. It does NOT show during the boot process. F2 does not do it. Del does not do it. Esc does not do it.

 

Well, the 8GB stick issue is kind of moot at this poinr, as I bought a 16GB one that did work. Any defect was invisible as the file system was visible when it was mounted (inserted) into a port. I also did a quick format of it that did not fail--so if there was a defect, it was really buried. Also, the system did not even TRY to write to the stick as I never got the Next button to get to a future step that would have written to it. That is why i concluded that it was the size issue, along with the Office Depot tech saying 16 was needed (for whatever little that is worth) when I went to the store to get it.

And I just tested--I can write files to it.

No owner's manual--not even on the machine that I can find. Toshiba S55-A5176. I will have to look at the Toshiba site.
LATER: Found the manual at Toshiba site--it is F12 held down while power-on.

 

^^ Did not know that. So, don't lose your recovery flash drive, eh?

So, at this point, am I to conclude..

--you cannot make a repair boot disk within Windows 8.1? (Thanks Bill)

--One must "find one" out in the internet space, or make one using Rufus?

Wow, this is a good system Microsoft has set up.

 

I did not see any place that had a tick box referring to a repair disk. It was all about 'recovery.' I KNOW about the recovery making...I have made both the Windows 8.1 one (flash drive only method allowed) using the "inside w8 tool"and DVDs using the Toshiba utility--but so far, those are not bootable. This discussion is about how to make a "system repair (bootable) disk" --not a recovery disk. You say I was offered that chance; I did not see that. And now it is too late since previous says you can do this only once.

 

I can handle that, if I write those down and save them somewhere...

But wow....mom and pop user is supposed to know that is how you do a recovery?
Ohmigosh.
Windows has gotten so easy.

Oh, what it your computer is not bootable at the point in time you are trying to do the recovery? Houston, we have a problem here.

 

^^ Just tried that to set it to boot from DVD. It did not go into "BIOS" settings (what is the name we call this now that there is no BIOS by that name?). It booted normally into Windows.

LATER:
Found this on forums.toshiba site..

While on the Start screen type “BIOS” or "UEFI".
Under “Settings” select “Advanced Startup Options”
Under the “General” menu item, scroll to the bottom.
Under “Advanced Startup” click “Restart Now” button.
When the “Choose an Option” screen appears, select “Troubleshoot”.
In the Troubleshoot menu select “Advanced Options”.
In the Advanced Options menu select “UEFI Firmware Settings”.
Click the “Restart” button to boot into the “Setup Utility” (UEFI) screen.

Well now; isn't that easy?
It also brings to my mind how one enters UEFI settings screen IF YOU CAN'T BOOT TO WINDOWS? (rhetorical)

Also, just discovered that when you command "Shutdown" in a Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 system, billy decided that you don't know what you want; he decided that when you say shutdown, you really meant to say 'hibernate,' and that is what the machine does.

^^This is the reason F12 held down did not work; the machine was not shut down--it was in hibernate.

 

If you do NOT select that option to copy the recovery partition to the flash, then what IS on the created flash?