Help, how to create factory image disk?


  1. Posts : 4
    Windows 10
       #1

    Help, how to create factory image disk?


    First of all, I upgraded to windows 10 from windows 7. My device is a ASUS K55vd notebook. When I was running on windows 7 I successfully created a factory image disk via ASUS ai recovery application (a five bootable disk). Then I decided to upgrade my hdd to ssd. My idea is to have a clean factory installation of windows 7 on ssd so I didn't clone my old hdd. What I did was mount the ssd and ran my recovery disk and successfully installed a fresh windows 7, it is then when I update my windows 7 and went to windows 10. Currently I'm running on windows 10 and there is the notification of creating a factory disk which I would like to do but as soon as I start burning the disk it says that the recovery partition does not exist even though I have my recovery drive ( R:\ ).

    Next, I tried creating system repair disc from Control Panel>System and security>Backup and restore (windows 7) then this prompt came. "The selected disc cannot be used. The selected disc does not contain a valid Windows installation."

    Lastly I tried creating system image also from Control Panel too. However it failed and says that the mounted backup volume is inaccessible.

    In my reagentc /info:
    Help, how to create factory image disk?-reagentc-info.png

    In my disk management:
    Help, how to create factory image disk?-disc-management.png



    I would like to ask for some solution regarding that and I'm wondering if the previous factory image disc that I have from before (win 7) is still usable if I decided to factory reset my pc? And can I make a bootable disc in which it reverts my windows to the point where I freshly upgraded to windows 10 so that I would relieve myself the hassle of upgrading again to windows 10 when the factory image disc work (in which it will surely reverts my windows to win 7).
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 18,432
    Windows 11 Pro
       #2

    The first issue is that you have nothing on the SSD. It's all on the HDD.

    How much factory software do you want/need to keep? What I would do is make a Windows 10 install DVD or USB, connect only the SSD to the first SATA port, leave the HDD disconnected and do a clean install of Windows 10 to the SSD.
    Windows 10

    Scroll down to download tool now to make a Windows 10 install USB or DVD.

    And yes, you can always load your factory Windows 7.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 4
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #3

    NavyLCDR said:
    The first issue is that you have nothing on the SSD. It's all on the HDD.

    How much factory software do you want/need to keep? What I would do is make a Windows 10 install DVD or USB, connect only the SSD to the first SATA port, leave the HDD disconnected and do a clean install of Windows 10 to the SSD.
    Windows 10

    Scroll down to download tool now to make a Windows 10 install USB or DVD.

    And yes, you can always load your factory Windows 7.
    If I make a clean install of windows 10, how can I activate it without going to windows 7? and would a clean install make it's own recovery drive on itself?
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 18,432
    Windows 11 Pro
       #4

    milinile said:
    If I make a clean install of windows 10, how can I activate it without going to windows 7? and would a clean install make it's own recovery drive on itself?
    When you upgrade and get the first activation, the Hardware ID of that computer is stored along with a digital entitlement to Windows 10 on Microsoft activation servers. When you do a clean install on the same computer, click "I don't have a product key", "skip", or "do this later" when asked for a product key. After installation when Windows 10 is connected to the internet it will send the Hardware ID to Microsoft activation servers which will return the matching Digital Entitlement and Windows 10 will activate itself.

    After the clean install you should be able to make a recovery disc.

    To ensure you have a valid activation now that will reactivate when you do a clean install, from an elevated command prompt type:

    slmgr /xpr you should get This machine is permanently activated in return then
    slmgr /dlv you should see retail channel activation somewhere in all the info returned. If you see something about KMS - then you have an invalid activation that will cause you problems when a clean install tries to activate itself.

    Before you do the clean install, which will wipe everything on where you select the install to go to, it is a good idea to save any hardware drivers not supplied by vanilla Windows 10. Create a folder on a storage device - I recommend 8 gb at least to ensure there is enough room - I call my DriversW10. Then from an elevated ("run as administrator") command prompt, type:

    DISM /Online /Export-Driver /Destination:E:\DriversW10

    Path in red will be where you want the drivers stored. Then after the clean install if you have any "unknown devices" or other hardware you need different drivers for, you can just point it to the folder you saved to reload the drivers.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 4
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #5

    NavyLCDR said:
    When you upgrade and get the first activation, the Hardware ID of that computer is stored along with a digital entitlement to Windows 10 on Microsoft activation servers. When you do a clean install on the same computer, click "I don't have a product key", "skip", or "do this later" when asked for a product key. After installation when Windows 10 is connected to the internet it will send the Hardware ID to Microsoft activation servers which will return the matching Digital Entitlement and Windows 10 will activate itself.

    After the clean install you should be able to make a recovery disc.

    To ensure you have a valid activation now that will reactivate when you do a clean install, from an elevated command prompt type:

    slmgr /xpr you should get This machine is permanently activated in return then
    slmgr /dlv you should see retail channel activation somewhere in all the info returned. If you see something about KMS - then you have an invalid activation that will cause you problems when a clean install tries to activate itself.

    Before you do the clean install, which will wipe everything on where you select the install to go to, it is a good idea to save any hardware drivers not supplied by vanilla Windows 10. Create a folder on a storage device - I recommend 8 gb at least to ensure there is enough room - I call my DriversW10. Then from an elevated ("run as administrator") command prompt, type:

    DISM /Online /Export-Driver /Destination:E:\DriversW10

    Path in red will be where you want the drivers stored. Then after the clean install if you have any "unknown devices" or other hardware you need different drivers for, you can just point it to the folder you saved to reload the drivers.
    I have my notebook a permanently activated and the retail channel activation is also good. I have also followed your instruction regarding the drivers and there is one question, what do you mean "point" to the folder to reload drivers? do you mean the target location or reinstall those drivers via any executable file in the backup?
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 18,432
    Windows 11 Pro
       #6

    milinile said:
    I have also followed your instruction regarding the drivers and there is one question, what do you mean "point" to the folder to reload drivers? do you mean the target location or reinstall those drivers via any executable file in the backup?
    After installing, if you have "unknown device" in device manager, right click on it, update driver software, browse my computer for driver software, browse to the folder where you saved all the drivers to, make sure Include Subfolders is checked, and click next. Windows will search through all the drivers you have saved and install the driver it finds for the "unknown device".
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 4
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #7

    NavyLCDR said:
    After installing, if you have "unknown device" in device manager, right click on it, update driver software, browse my computer for driver software, browse to the folder where you saved all the drivers to, make sure Include Subfolders is checked, and click next. Windows will search through all the drivers you have saved and install the driver it finds for the "unknown device".
    I just completed a clean install of win 10. windows activated, updates complete, drivers all update. however, when I try to create system repair disc it gave me this error:
    Help, how to create factory image disk?-capture2.png
    and sometimes when I tried it again this comes up:
    Help, how to create factory image disk?-capture.png

    any idea?
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 4,142
    Windows 3.1 to Windows 11
       #8

    Control Panel > Recovery > Create a Recovery Drive
      My Computer


 

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