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Make a recovery disc from a Toshiba Recovery Partition


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I would like to thank everyone for trying to help! I finally got this working using the help from you and parts of other links you posted especially the link jaclaz gave me! Thanks a lot. Really appreciate the help of everyone!

I will tell you the steps i followed in case anyone else had the exact same problem:

 

1st i will say again what happened. A friend of mine has the Toshiba L775-15T with windows 7 home premium x64. He wanted to format the laptop but didn't want to go again through the whole windows updates procedure etc because of his slow internet connection. Hi didn't think too much of it though. He downloaded a version of windows home premium x64 including all the latest updates from a torrent site. He formatted just the OS partition ,leaving the small 400mb partition and the 3rd "recovery" partition untouched. After seeing his laptop without all the drivers and the Toshiba applications he freaked out and brought his laptop to me to do a proper format - recovery as i helped him do some time ago. But he hadn't create the recovery disk as i warned him to do so many times before.. PS: the F8 - Repair - Toshiba recovery etc. wasn't available anymore

 

Solution:

1. Since the .swm files in the 3rd partition where too big for a dvd, i created a bootable Windows Installation USB 64Gb in size using Windows 7 USB DVD Download Tool (you can use YUMI or any other similar application)

2. In the USB i created a new folder and copied there all the .swm files from the Toshiba recovery partition, along with the imagex.exe. Note: when i used the specific imagex.exe i had an error that the subsystem wasn't present and after a little search i downloaded from microsoft the proper x64 version of it (weird though that the original one wouldn't work) from here: http://hotfixv4.microsoft.com/Windows%207/Windows%20Server2008%20R2%20SP1/sp2/Fix363073/7600/free/430546_intl_x64_zip.exe

  -- In case you need another version of imagex you can get it from this link from Microsoft: http://support.microsoft.com/hotfix/KBHotfix.aspx?kbnum=2525084&kbln=en-us

3. I booted the computer from the USB and when the windows installation started, i selected "Repair the computer"

4. Using the command prompt i navigated to the specific folder in the USB i had copied the .swm and imagex files

5. I run the following command imagex /ref 15541XSP*.swm /export 15541XSP.swm 2 boot.wim (This command merged all the swm files into a new boot.wim file, in the same directory. The file was close to 7GB)

6. Then i run the command format c: /fs:ntfs /q /V:Windows  (Take care here to make sure that your OS installation was in C:\  ). In case you are wondering, i 1st ignored this step and at the end the applied image that will follow, wouldn't load properly, so i added this step and all worked fine.

7. Then i run imagex /apply boot.wim 1 C:\ and restarted the computer. The Toshiba recovery procedure started and after a few restarts the laptop came to life in its original factory state.

 

 

PS: If you get any errors (didn't happen to me) about the boot record or something like that, boot from the windows repair console and hopefully it will repair it

 

 

My friend is now with me, thanking you guys all.. He WILL BE buying the drinks tonight! Cheers :thumbup

 

 

Thanks again for all your efforts!

Edited by Ntantor
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My friend is now with me, thanking you guys all.. He WILL BE buying the drinks tonight! Cheers  :thumbup

 

 

Thanks again for all your efforts!

You see the not-so-trifling advantage of helping a local friend (as opposed ot a remote one)?

 

Free Beer! ;)

 

cheers.gif

 

Happy everything went fine, thanks for reporting and "finalizing" the thread with the procedure that actually worked. :thumbup

 

jaclaz

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Hi again.. Just an update.. The method above worked fine to have the laptop's factory condition of the OS but still had some problems. 1. The F8 - Repair wouldn't show the Toshiba recovery option and 2. The Toshiba recovery application would fail to create Recovery disks.. But that is fine for me since i saved the "boot.wim" file to a USB and could restore the computer at any time, using the method above.

This time i asked my friend to lend me his laptop for another day to try something and i prefer this method

 

NOTE: You will need an image of another toshiba laptop to clone on your computer or it's set of recovery disks.. Doesn't have to be the same model or with the same drivers. I tried both methods to be sure. I had the L775-15T and borrowed the recovery disks of a C660-1P3 that i also cloned

 

1. Copied my friend's .swm files from the L775 on my USB (the .crc files too)

2. Used the image / recovery disks to do a recovery on the L775 using the C660 image / recovery disks

3. When finished, windows wasn't activated, drivers were not functioning correctly etc

4. Renamed my .swm files to match the C660 .swm files (15541xsp*  -  14419xsp*)

5. Booted into Linux using a live cd

6. Deleted the .swm files that were on the recovery partition and replaced them with my own that i had previously renamed to match them (Windows wouldn't let me delete the files, that's why i booted into Linux)

7. Restarted the laptop, used the F8 - Repair option. The Toshiba recovery now was there. I used it and voila.. It used the new .swm files of the L775 to restore the laptop to it's original state, with all the functions working this time perfectly and allowing me to create the L775's recovery Disks, the F8 functioning etc..

 

I hope this method will help many of you guys out there!

 

Cheers!

Edited by Ntantor
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6. Then i run the command format c: /fs:ntfs /q /V:Windows  (Take care here to make sure that your OS installation was in C:\  ). In case you are wondering, i 1st ignored this step and at the end the applied image that

:blushing: I should have remembered this. Imagex does NOT erase existing files, it only overwrite files that are also present in the image (most probably "sysprepped") that is applied so you probably ended up with files from two different (conflicting) Windows versions and it would not boot properly.

 

 

I created a bootable Windows Installation USB 64Gb in size using Windows 7 USB DVD Download Tool (you can use YUMI or any other similar application)

...

when i used the specific imagex.exe i had an error that the subsystem wasn't present and after a little search i downloaded from microsoft the proper x64 version of it (weird though that the original one wouldn't work)

Your USB was made with (and booted) a 64bit OS whether your original imagex was supposed to be ran under the Toshiba restore system which is probably a 32bit OS (RE).

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Yep, it is very possible that your friend, when he installed the "new" windows overwrote the MBR (or the PBR or both) with a "normal" one whilst the Toshiba may use a "special" one, and the same may have happened for the \boot\BCD on the partition that MS calls "system"(and that is actually the "boot" partition) or for other settings in the \boot\BCD.

 

JFYI, see these two thread (one about HP?s and one about Fujitsu Siemens, the former using a special MBR and the latter using the "Windows built-in F8 feature)

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/131620-hp-notebook-the-recovery-partition-could-not-be-found/

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/128727-cant-access-repair-my-pc-option-via-f8-startup/

 

The applying of the .wim obviously affected only the partition to which it was applied, whilst re-doing the recovery "from start" (or however re-running the similar recovery before) recreated the "right" "special" MBR (or whatever).

 

I strongly suspect that what the Toshiba uses is the "C:\Recovery\Windows RE\WinRE.wim you mentioned when the F8 is pressed.

 

jaclaz

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Yep, that's what I was saying. Please also note using merged/named "BOOT.WIM" from Index#2 to get "back" the second time

Methinks the XML inside the Combo (merged) WIM(s) needs pulled an inspected to see what is REALLY inside it.

 

Please note the First try

2. Booted the Windows installation as you said, from the USB, then “ repair your computer “, then “ Command Prompt “, went into the factoryreset folder and run "imagex /ref PREINST*.SWM /apply PREINST.SWM 1 C:\"

Now note the Second try

5. I run the following command imagex /ref 15541XSP*.swm /export 15541XSP.swm 2 boot.wim (This command merged all the swm files into a new boot.wim file, in the same directory. The file was close to 7GB)

Somewhat confusing, no? IOW, -one- of them is WinPE/WinRE(?), the -other- one is the actual Install (AFAICT).

 

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You got all the way to recovering your Toshiba laptop, manually with ImageX.

(After FINALLY figuring out the CORREcT syntax for imagex)

imagex /apply /ref myfunky*.swm myfunky.wim 1 e:\

 

Now you want to create recovery disks, but it FAILS because "No Recovery Area is Found!"

You know its there because you put it back! It is not FOUND because the utility does not look for it.

The names and locations are specified in D:\HDDRECOVERY\PLANDATA.INI

 

1. Make sure your recovery partition is named HDDRECOVERY.

You can't call it RECOVERY like other examples in imagex instructions. 

 

2.)The partition type has to be 27 (hidden) You probably unhid it so

you could copy your funky*.swm files to it.   

 

HIDE IT BACK with DISKPART

 

DISKPART.EXE

SEL DRI 0

SEL PAR 2 (MAKE SURE you have the right one, it won't ask you twice)

SETID=27 OVERRIDE

 

3.) Set the correct image recovery locations with REAGENTC.EXE

 

reagentc.exe /info  - (look dummy, Winre.wim directory is set to c:\windows\recovery, or not set at all)

 

reagentc.exe /disable  (to clear the default setup by your hackjob restoration with imagex.)

 

reagentc.exe /setreimage /path d:\sources  (d: is the drive you assigned to HDDRECOVERY)

 

reagentc.exe /setosimage /path d:\zzimages\zzimages  (location of your funky*.swm files)

(Someone at Toshiba in Japan likes ZZTOP, a lot)

 

Now go and make those recovery DVD's, and hope you remember where to find this tech note when your sister or Mom

drops their laptop and you have to replace the hard drive.  Guess what!  They didn't make the recovery DVD's either.

 

You've got to wonder how many hundreds of thousands of DVD sets Toshiba sells at $40 a pop, when they could place

the ISO's for download to authenticated users.  I got my TOSHIBA serial numbers, let me download the DVDs you

should have included with the laptop in the first place.
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  • 3 months later...

I would like to thank everyone for trying to help! I finally got this working using the help from you and parts of other links you posted especially the link jaclaz gave me! Thanks a lot. Really appreciate the help of everyone!

I will tell you the steps i followed in case anyone else had the exact same problem:

 

1st i will say again what happened. A friend of mine has the Toshiba L775-15T with windows 7 home premium x64. He wanted to format the laptop but didn't want to go again through the whole windows updates procedure etc because of his slow internet connection. Hi didn't think too much of it though. He downloaded a version of windows home premium x64 including all the latest updates from a torrent site. He formatted just the OS partition ,leaving the small 400mb partition and the 3rd "recovery" partition untouched. After seeing his laptop without all the drivers and the Toshiba applications he freaked out and brought his laptop to me to do a proper format - recovery as i helped him do some time ago. But he hadn't create the recovery disk as i warned him to do so many times before.. PS: the F8 - Repair - Toshiba recovery etc. wasn't available anymore

 

Solution:

1. Since the .swm files in the 3rd partition where too big for a dvd, i created a bootable Windows Installation USB 64Gb in size using Windows 7 USB DVD Download Tool (you can use YUMI or any other similar application)

2. In the USB i created a new folder and copied there all the .swm files from the Toshiba recovery partition, along with the imagex.exe. Note: when i used the specific imagex.exe i had an error that the subsystem wasn't present and after a little search i downloaded from microsoft the proper x64 version of it (weird though that the original one wouldn't work) from here: http://hotfixv4.microsoft.com/Windows%207/Windows%20Server2008%20R2%20SP1/sp2/Fix363073/7600/free/430546_intl_x64_zip.exe

  -- In case you need another version of imagex you can get it from this link from Microsoft: http://support.microsoft.com/hotfix/KBHotfix.aspx?kbnum=2525084&kbln=en-us

3. I booted the computer from the USB and when the windows installation started, i selected "Repair the computer"

4. Using the command prompt i navigated to the specific folder in the USB i had copied the .swm and imagex files

5. I run the following command imagex /ref 15541XSP*.swm /export 15541XSP.swm 2 boot.wim (This command merged all the swm files into a new boot.wim file, in the same directory. The file was close to 7GB)

6. Then i run the command format c: /fs:ntfs /q /V:Windows  (Take care here to make sure that your OS installation was in C:\  ). In case you are wondering, i 1st ignored this step and at the end the applied image that will follow, wouldn't load properly, so i added this step and all worked fine.

7. Then i run imagex /apply boot.wim 1 C:\ and restarted the computer. The Toshiba recovery procedure started and after a few restarts the laptop came to life in its original factory state.

 

 

PS: If you get any errors (didn't happen to me) about the boot record or something like that, boot from the windows repair console and hopefully it will repair it

 

 

My friend is now with me, thanking you guys all.. He WILL BE buying the drinks tonight! Cheers :thumbup

 

 

Thanks again for all your efforts!

 

Hello!! well i have the same issue with another Toshiba satellite without recovery disk, but in this case, the recovery partiton still alive.

 

So i read this post search info and a solution but in the step 5 i have the same error but i dont find the properly fix for try to execute the command, Can you help me to find the properly fix please?.

If need more infor about my laptop, please just respond this post.

Thanks for your time and Happy Xmas!!.

Edited by Tripredacus
moved closing quote tag
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Hi! Sorry, in the command prompt write the following command imagex /ref 15541XSP*.swm /export 15541XSP.swm 2 boot.wim, then hit enter and.... "The subsystem wasn´t present".

Ntantor say: "Note: when i used the specific imagex.exe i had an error that the subsystem wasn't present and after a little search i downloaded from microsoft the proper x64 version of it (weird though that the original one wouldn't work) from here: http://hotfixv4.micr...ntl_x64_zip.exe", but i dont know where is he put that file, in root? or inside of the new folder whith the imagex.exe?

 

Thanks and sorry for my poor english :(.

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I see. :)

That file is an update (actually an hotfix) for imagex.exe.

It is a self-extracting executable, so you should just download it and then run it, and it should replace your current imagex.exe.

If - for any reason - it doesn't work - you can open the 430546_intl_x64_zip.exe in 7-zip, then open inside it the Windows6.1-KB2525084-v2-x64.cab and from it extract the imagex.exe, replacing (overwriting) your current imagex.exe.

The full KB insttructions are here:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2525084/en-us

 

jaclaz

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but i dont know where is he put that file, in root? or inside of the new folder whith the imagex.exe?

I usually put imagex.exe in x:\windows\system32. It really doesn't matter where you put it, as long as you path to it properly.

For example, if you are putting a copy of a program into the PE (or any OS really) where a different version exists and you are not replacing it, when you want to run it you need fully qualified paths. This is especially true if the original file is located in any of the PATH variables (ie. System32). Since the imagex.exe that is in your WinPE now is the wrong architecture, you can just safely replace it.

However, you latched onto someone else's post. In point 5 he says he put imagex.exe and the .swm files in a specific folder but did not mention it. So there is no way we could know where you put your imagex.exe!

Without worrying about hotfixes, it may just be easier to get the new file versions using JFX's tool:

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/156869-get-waik-tools-wo-downloading-the-huge-isos/

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Without worrying about hotfixes, it may just be easier to get the new file versions using JFX's tool:

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/156869-get-waik-tools-wo-downloading-the-huge-isos/

 

Yes and no. :w00t:

Meaning that it may be easier, but not necessarily "new" means "better" and sometimes it doesn't even mean "working", if the given, specific version of imagex.exe - as it has been specifically reported - works as expected in the specific environment/setup/scope there is NO reason to NOT use the specific version linked to and instead attempt using a later version (that may work fine as well or completely fail to).

 

jaclaz

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Hi again, @jaclaz thanks for your reply, I replaced the imagex and worked properly.

I tried then to restore the image and seemed to work, but bootmgr failed when windows booted. So the solution Ntator suggested (booting from the repair console) is not possible to me ( my bootmgr does not work).

Does anybody know how to fix it?.

Thanks :).

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Hi again, @jaclaz thanks for your reply, I replaced the imagex and worked properly.

I tried then to restore the image and seemed to work, but bootmgr failed when windows booted. So the solution Ntator suggested (booting from the repair console) is not possible to me ( my bootmgr does not work).

Does anybody know how to fix it?.

Thanks :).

What do you mean by "bootmgr failed"?

Which error are you having?

 

You do have a bootable USB stick as in the 7-steps set of instructions  Ntator posted, right?

Let's take those 7 points as reference, what happens when you do each of them? (or where what happens appears different from what is expected to happen?)

 

jaclaz

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