Hi,

I have had lots of issues since I installed windows 8 CP, so I decided to go back to windows 7. I made a system image and repair disk right before i upgraded to widnows 8 consumer preview, but the restore keeps failing with an error.

I dont have a windows 7 disk, as it came installed in my laptop, so is there some way i can get my windows 7 back please? Can someone be helpful and assist me please?

Thanks.

You should always check your Image before trusting that it will work when needed.

You can download the Win 7 iso file from Digital River (http://techdows.com/2011/07/download-windows-7-integrated-with-sp1-iso-official-direct-download-links.html), then burn it to DVD and use this to install Win 7. You will have to do quite a few upgrades that have occurred since the iso file was created. Use your original key.

Hi Bucking, try to contact the OEM computer manufacturer and ask them to send you an install disk for your computer. When Windows comes installed with the computer, OEM computer manufacturers are required to provide at least one way for you to reinstall Windows - your computer should have included either a recovery partition on your hard drive, or Windows install/restore disks. 

Hi Ted & kerry, thanks for your answer. I have decided to install windows 8 RP when its released. Only two weeks. I can wait! Thank you all the same!

Well, that too, will be another BETA TEST version that will go dead in just a few more months. Then you'll be right back where you are now.

Fix windows 7 and leave 8 alone, since you don't seem to have another computer to run it on.

For backing up my computers, I use only Ghost 11.5, the last of the DOS versions. But every time I do a backup, I then run the "Check" option to make sure the backup is GOOD and then if it is, I do an immediate Restore, to prove it.
Then and only then, am I sure that the Image File I have in storage will work when I need it.
Besides, a restore beats a Defrag, any day, for re-ordering your hard drive.

Good Luck,
TechnoMage :cool:

I'm with TM here. Fix your Win 7 and stick with it for now. Testing a beta requires some experience in how to recover from disaster, as you are finding out. It also takes more than a novice experience in how to set things up and test properly. In many cases it is not for the faint of heart.

By the way, what app did you use to create your Image and repair disk? Was it the built in Win 7 Backup and Restore app? I have read some mixed reviews of this app. It is a rather basic app. I know TM uses Ghost 11.5 for his Imaging needs and I use Acronis True Image Home V2010 and 2011 (I have 1 version for my PC and 1 version for my wife's PC). Both these fine apps work effectively for us.

When you create an Image, it is imperative to do 2 things. First verify the Image, and second (this is the frightening part the first time) restore your OS with it. This is the only way to determine if it will work in an emergency. I realize TM also mentioned these 2 steps, but they are important enough they are worth mentioning again.

Good luck in getting your Win 7 reinstalled. If all else fails the iso file download should work.

As long as you have the registration key on the green label on the bottom or back of your PC, you can reload Win-7 from anyone's DVD, as long as it's the same version.
The only difference with the OEM disk, it will have all the hardware drivers on it too.

I have one DVD, that has every version of Windows 7 on it. Tech's all over the world have that same DVD and use it daily to restore peoples Win-7, after a hard drive crash, or Cockpit Error.
It may just be the most widely used DVD in the world. :)

Sorry, I won't install Win-7 for anyone, unless they have a legal Registration Key.
Likewise, any reputable Service Tech.

Cheers Mates!

TechnoMage :cool:

I also use Acronis TI 2010, and Todo 2.5.1 Workstation (that was a gift from Todo for doing a review) for my backup tasks. The really great thing about both is that a bootable disk can be created, allowing for a backup outside of the Windows environment, which speeds up the process, & also the AV/IS suite doesn't need to be disabled, along with the Internet connection, & this allows for a cleaner backup.

Plus ATI 2010 has a recovery environment feature that one can set, it'll show at startup to press the F11 key, this automatically takes the user to recovery w/o a CD.

Was going to purchase a 3 PC version of Acronis TI 2012 (on sale at Newegg for $24.99), but the reviews are not as good as those for the 2010/2011 versions, so I left it. My 2 year old backup programs will have to do.

Like TM & Ted has already stated, you need to re-install Windows 7 ASAP, and back it up. There are 2 excellent Free choices for backup software, Macrium Reflect & Todo 4.5. I've used both & recommend them. The difference between the two are, Macrium Free does full disk (or partitions of your choosing) images only, Todo 4.5 does both full (or partial) disk imaging, as well as file/folder (Data) backups. If I really had to pick one of the two, it would be Todo, there's an option to verify the image (the box has to be checked).

Here are the links for both.

Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download (http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx)

Free download EaseUS Todo Backup Freeware to complete backup & restore Windows system - EaseUS Todo Backup Free (http://www.todo-backup.com/products/home/download.htm)

Once you get Windows 7 re-installed & backed up (& test your backup), then you can try out Windows 8 RP. What you don't want to happen is, after the Windows 8 Beta versions are unsupported (mid-January), be w/o an OS to run. If you wish to test Windows 8 CP or RP, go ahead. Just make 100% sure that you can recover Windows 7, if you decide not to purchase Windows 8 in October (or before then, if a promo is offered like Windows 7 was).

Cat

De ja vu!! Or, here we go, again, yeeesh. Your laptop didn't come w/ recovery discs BUT, you were supposed to burn them on day 1 before you started using it.

now, get a Win7 disc (from a relative , friend) same flavour as originally in the laptop, use your original Key & put 7 back in the thing.

Then, wait 'til the Win8 BETA2 is released in June BUT, do not mess w/ that either until & unless you find out how to handle it properly 1st!!

Hint: It (a BETA OS) can only be used as a dual-boot, virtual machine or on a spare computer.

Cheers,
Drew

I've probably said this at least a thousand times, on this and many other forums, but many people insist on blowing money needlessly. "The best software in the world is FREE".
(that goes for Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware software as well as backup software)

I got Ghost for free, as a gift on a drivers disk that came with a new motherboard.
Acronis True Image, comes FREE with SeaTools from Seagate and MaxBlast from Maxtor.
(and maybe other sources as well)

Every few days another FREE backup program comes from "Giveaway of the Day".
Just open your eyes and look around or do a Google Search any you'll find FREE software all over the place.

For a backup program to be useful and not Destructive, it absolutely MUST create a Recovery Disk (CD or DVD) that can be used for doing backups and also Restores. (on multiple PC's)
Why? Because when your hard drive has gone up in fire and smoke, your backup program that was installed on that hard drive is GONE too. So it makes NO sense to even have a backup program on your hard drive, any longer than it takes to burn the Recovery CD. Make several copies and UN-Install the program from the HD, to save space.

So, you MUST have your Backup & Restore program on a bootable CD/DVD and your Backup Image File must be somewhere SAFE, off of your PC. I repeat: "Your backup Image File MUST NOT be on your PC." *

* I once had a power supply fail and put 10v on the 5v buss and ~24v on the 12v buss. It burned out every Integrated circuit in the PC, including all the drives.
The entire PC was toast, like it had gone through a furnace.

As an IT professional, I'm appalled by the cavalier attitude of most users concerning the safety of their OS, programs and data. Depending on what I'm involved in at the time, I may make two or three C: drive backups per week.
I've just totally rebuilt my C: drive and I'm making a C: drive backup every couple of days. *

* The only bad backup is the one you decided not to, or were too lazy to make. Eh?

Rant! Rant! Rant! (again)

Cheers Mates!
TechnoMage :cool:

Tell em like it is, TM!

I've been a member of computing forums since 2006, this is the same old song & dance. Probably one that will continue to be played for the rest of my life.

Most computer OEM's, if they don't provide a recovery disk (most doesn't), they provide a way to burn recovery DVD's. If I'm not mistaken, this is a MS requirement of the OEM's to provide a way to recover the system.

Why don't new computer users take the time to READ their owner's manual, this info is in there, plus on most computers, there's a "nag" screen to burn this recovery disk set. I have 3 sets for my 2 computers bought new, 1 set for my ThinkPad (had to buy those). Plus have the ISO images of these stored to one of my 3 backup drives.

Not to mention that I now do a FULL image of my computers 2 times a month, I have at least 1 image of every computer on 2 backup drives, the other is used for Data backups, which are taken as often as necessary. Even my Flash drives, all of them, are backed up.

It's a simple task that as TM has stated, can be done with Free software. Once it's going, it doesn't need babysitting. Five minutes to start the image, the rest takes care of itself.

Why does this simple task have to be ignored, is the million dollar question to me? Because it's not a matter of IF, but WHEN, these backups are needed. Hardware fails.

Cat

I know, I've told this little story before, a few times anyway, but maybe it's time for another go around.

Back in the good'ol DOS days, I was working in a bank trust department one day and at 3PM they shut down the department to do their daily backups. They were using the OLD MS-Backup program, in DOS. It was taking them two hours to back up their hard drive, which probably wasn't any more than 20 Megabytes anyway and not even full. ( to a whole stack of 5.25" floppy disks)

I introduced them to the HD Backup program from Central Point Software, called "P.C. Tools". They were elated because doing incremental backups instead of Whole Drive backups, they got their backup time down to about 20 minutes.

Besides my bi weekly Whole C: drive backups, I do almost daily data backups, using a DOS batch file and XCOPY.

It takes only a few seconds to add the new stuff to the archive on another drive. Seconds! Not minutes or hours. :)

Cheers Mates!
TechnoMage :cool: