Windows 8 Recovery (Laptop is Screwed)

[technogarrett]

I wanted to install ubuntu on my Asus netbook. I of course made a recovery USB. Fast forward 6 weeks later and I want to put Windows 8 back. I dig out the flash drive from the container where I stored it. I boot from USB and it says no valid partition found. No valid partition found? Did I not just create a recovery drive to fix this problem?
So I'm really mad right now because my awesome netbook is now an awesome paperweight.
Any advice?

UPDATE 1 1:02AM 1/31/2014
After googling for a few minutes another forum says I need my laptop's recovery discs. I JUST MADE A RECOVERY PARTITION WHY CAN I NOT USE IT?!?!?!?
Could I download a Windows 8.1 ISO and boot from it and use my serial? I do not have one stuck to the bottom of my laptop, but I did screenshot it from the control panel and I saved it on my Google Drive. I've owned 5 other computers in my life including a Mac and they all come with restore discs or an easy way to restore. Why do Windows 8 computers not come with discs? I don't even have a serial on the bottom of my laptop! It's like what I payed for isn't mine! The 4 other Windows computers all had stickers either on the side on the bottom. The Mac has it hidden in the MACBIOS. WHY NOT WINDOWS 8?!?!?!
If you made it here I commend you for listening to my rage.

 

[technogarrett]

You can try this: Commercial Spam link removed by Saga Lout

That sounds like it will work but i was wanting a more legit solution. Maybe something direct from Microsoft.

 

[Saga Lout]

Well done for ignoring any link posted to a site with a name that includes the word "hack"

The screenshot you took in Control Panel>System is the Product ID, generated by the system on installation from the Product Key which should be printed on the case. It won't work when you enter it on reinstallation and won't activate. The only way to retrieve the key would have been to use a key finder when the system was running but that doesn't always provide the right one.

Have you checked for a label inside the battery compartment?

If it'snot there, and if you can't find the ISO at the MS site (it is there), I think Ubuntu is going to be your future best friend on that laptop.

 

[technogarrett]

Well done for ignoring any link posted to a site with a name that includes the word "hack"

The screenshot you took in Control Panel>System is the Product ID, generated by the system on installation from the Product Key which should be printed on the case. It won't work when you enter it on reinstallation and won't activate. The only way to retrieve the key would have been to use a key finder when the system was running but that doesn't always provide the right one.

Have you checked for a label inside the battery compartment?

If its not there, and if you can't find the ISO at the MS site (it is there), I think Ubuntu is going to be your future best friend on that laptop.

I will look inside it tomorrow and see if the serial is somewhere. The serial is not on the bottom case.

 

[Saga Lout]

I hunted all over a notebook case for the CoA a week or so back and swore blind there wasn't one. When I put the memory hatch cover back which I'd removed to test the RAM, it was quite easy to find. It's an age thing - right!

 

[technogarrett]

I hunted all over a notebook case for the CoA a week or so back and swore blind there wasn't one. When I put the memory hatch cover back which I'd removed to test the RAM, it was quite easy to find. It's an age thing - right!

I just learned that they are imbedded in the BIOS. Not assessable to the user. I'll buy a restore disc from Asus for $60.

 

[Saga Lout]

My understanding is that the one that's embedded is the generic Asus key. Each individual machine has its own and that's why it should be printed on the CoA on the case. I can't see Asus writing a BIOS for every machine it produces. The netbook I'm posting this form is an Asus EeePC and that has a CoA, as does all the others I've worked on.

Shame about having to spend that much and I hope it activates. Will you come back and let us know? That disk might be a DVD so check you can borrow a USB DVD ROM before spending any money.

 

[technogarrett]

My understanding is that the one that's embedded is the generic Asus key. Each individual machine has its own and that's why it should be printed on the CoA on the case. I can't see Asus writing a BIOS for every machine it produces. The netbook I'm posting this form is an Asus EeePC and that has a CoA, as does all the others I've worked on.

Shame about having to spend that much and I hope it activates. Will you come back and let us know? That disk might be a DVD so check you can borrow a USB DVD ROM before spending any money.

It just so happens I already own one, I got one the day after I bought the laptop, I could not live without one. I looked all over the laptop and I looked under battery, under the ram, there was some random stickers around the computer, but none looked like a CoA. There was one that said serial, but it was about 15 digits. Maybe Microsoft shortened their windows 8 serials? Dunno

 

[technogarrett]

My understanding is that the one that's embedded is the generic Asus key. Each individual machine has its own and that's why it should be printed on the CoA on the case. I can't see Asus writing a BIOS for every machine it produces. The netbook I'm posting this form is an Asus EeePC and that has a CoA, as does all the others I've worked on.

Shame about having to spend that much and I hope it activates. Will you come back and let us know? That disk might be a DVD so check you can borrow a USB DVD ROM before spending any money.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsaM329uytY This video shows that Windows 8 does indeed hide the code in the BIOS. I am assuming probably a code that proves your are authenticated. Then it gives you a serial to install with. Any place to find the ISO of a restore disc so I can reinstall?

 

[technogarrett]

My understanding is that the one that's embedded is the generic Asus key. Each individual machine has its own and that's why it should be printed on the CoA on the case. I can't see Asus writing a BIOS for every machine it produces. The netbook I'm posting this form is an Asus EeePC and that has a CoA, as does all the others I've worked on.

Shame about having to spend that much and I hope it activates. Will you come back and let us know? That disk might be a DVD so check you can borrow a USB DVD ROM before spending any money.

I am not spending $60 until I assume it is impossible. Microsoft used to provide restore ISOs for XP and I think vista, any for 8?

 

[technogarrett]

You can try this: Commercial Spam link removed by Saga Lout

That sounds like it will work but i was wanting a more legit solution. Maybe something direct from Microsoft.

My understanding is that the one that's embedded is the generic Asus key. Each individual machine has its own and that's why it should be printed on the CoA on the case. I can't see Asus writing a BIOS for every machine it produces. The netbook I'm posting this form is an Asus EeePC and that has a CoA, as does all the others I've worked on.

Shame about having to spend that much and I hope it activates. Will you come back and let us know? That disk might be a DVD so check you can borrow a USB DVD ROM before spending any money.

I am not spending $60 until I assume it is impossible. Microsoft used to provide restore ISOs for XP and I think vista, any for 8?

FYI, that was what my prior post was for. But it was incorrectly removed. The download links for those ISOs were from Microsoft directly, however the instructions were obviously not. Search Google and you'll be able to find the links yourself.

Iknowhowtofixit,
No matter how authentic they may be, if it has the word "hack" in it, I'm not using it. I will just wait for someone with a correct non hack link to an ISO.

 

[technogarrett]

Iknowhowtofixit,
No matter how authentic they may be, if it has the word "hack" in it, I'm not using it. I will just wait for someone with a correct non hack link to an ISO.

Good to know that MS provides "hacked" ISOs for download directly from their website...

At this point, you are obviously looking for a unicorn. Just buy the recovery disc from ASUS. You aren't going to find any better answers here than that. Who knows, maybe those are hacked too.

Those link were not from Microsoft. Add your link again and maybe it will not be marked as spam. I will look at the origin of the file when I download. Thanks.

 

[technogarrett]

Really? Just trying to fix my laptop and you act like that.

 

[Saga Lout]

There does seem to be a genuine Microsoft site which shows up in a search halfway down the second page but I'm not 100% certain about it. The situation seems fairly confused but having many good reason to trust Paul Thurrot, I'm suggesting his site here:
http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/windows-81-tip-download-windows-81-iso-windows-8-product-key