cannot move windows 8.1 from one hdd to another

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okppko

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Nov 6, 2009
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On a notebook windows 8.1 is installed right from buying the notebook.
Now I want to on the same computer to move the system from one
hdd to another hdd. Which has shown I am not able to.

The major problem is the notebook has no windows 8.1 iso on
a dvd. Instead on the computer's hdd is a one key
recovery partition.

I have done this.
Put the recovery partition on an usb stick.
Put a backup system image on another usb stick.

You are then supposed to boot the usb stick recovery partition on
the computer. Then install the backup system image. It does not
work. The computer finds the backup system image usb stick. But
it will not install it.

I also tried to do a computer reset using the usb stick recovery
partition. At a point it fails.

I know the recovery partition on the hdd is able to reinstall
windows 8.1 on that hdd. If I put the recovery partition on
an usb stick I cannot get the usb stick to install the
system on another hdd. On the usb stick recovery
partition consists of 3 folders. Named boot and efi and
sources. The big gb files appears to be in the sources folder.
There are further 3 files named bootmgr and bootmgr and
bootmgr.efi and reagent.xml.

Can I somehow make an usb stick which will be able to
be booted and install windows 8.1 on the other
hdd?

On the notebook I ran rweverything. You do not get the license
key from seller. Rweverything displayed a lincense key. I do
not know if it is the correct one. I then downloaded a dvd
system iso. The system would not accept the key.

Any suggestions?
Thank you.


 
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copying the recovery partition to a USB drive will not work. however you can go into windows settings and create an image to a USB drive that would be bootable but you may need a large USB drive to do this depending on how much hard drive space has been used on your laptop



but you can use this tool in the link below to download and put a bootable copy of the windows 8 install on a USB drive.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/software-download/windows8

with this you will be able to install a clean version of windows 8 but not any pre installed programs that came with the laptop will be gone

as for the windows 8 the product key it is embedded in the laptop so you do not have to worry about that.
 
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copying the recovery partition to a USB drive will not work.
Click to expand...
That was not what I did. I did controll panel -> file history -> recovery -> create a recovery
drive. Which does make an usb stick you can boot from. But I am not
able to install windows 8.1 on another hdd from the usb stick. And
do not know if the usb stick should be able to do it.

create an image to a USB drive that would be bootable
Click to expand...
I assume you are referring to control panel -> file history ->
system image backup-> create a system image.

I made one. And it does not create an usb stick which can
be booted from. Instead it is a folder. As I wrote you,
you boot from the aforementioned recovery usb stick.
In the menu you then select to install the system image backup
from the other usb stick. That part does not work.

Are you skilled about windows 8.1?

but you can use this tool in the link below to download and put a bootable copy of the windows 8 install on a USB drive.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/software-download/windo...
Click to expand...
The link is the iso I already have tried to use.
It asks for a key. The iso would not accept the key I extracted from
rweverything.
 
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Why not use your favorite cloning program and clone your boot drive to the other drive (anything on the second drive will be lost, so move it to the first drive before starting), after cloning unplug drive 1 and the system should boot to drive 2 and it sounds like you will have what you are after. If you remove drive 1 from the system, you will also have an instant in time backup of the whole system.

Larry
 
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Cloning stepes...adjust as needed for your laptop
Specific steps for a successful clone operation:
-----------------------------
Verify the actual used space on the current drive is significantly below the size of the new SSD
Download and install Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration, if a Samsung SSD)
Power off
Disconnect ALL drives except the current C and the new SSD
Power up
Run the Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration)
Select ALL the partitions on the existing C drive
Click the 'Clone' button
Wait until it is done
When it finishes, power off
Disconnect ALL drives except for the new SSD
This is to allow the system to try to boot from ONLY the SSD
Swap the SATA cables around so that the new drive is connected to the same SATA port as the old drive
Power up, and verify the BIOS boot order
If good, continue the power up

It should boot from the new drive, just like the old drive.
Maybe reboot a time or two, just to make sure.

If it works, and it should, all is good.

Later, reconnect the old drive and wipe as necessary.
Delete the 450MB Recovery Partition, here:
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/4f1b84ac-b193-40e3-943a-f45d52e23685/cant-delete-extra-healthy-recovery-partitions-and-healthy-efi-system-partition?forum=w8itproinstall
-----------------------------
 
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