I Want to reinstall Windows 8, Need Help!

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
H

HollowLord

Honorable
Dec 19, 2013
18
0
10,510
I have an ASUS N46VZ with Windows 8 pre-installed. After I upgraded it into Windows 8.1 for few months and used by few people, lots of junks and spam filled my drives and it is hard to remove them one by one.

I am planning to "Remove Everything and Reinstall Windows", but I don't know what to do before that. I have backuped my files, necessary program, and browser settings. Now I like to know what I need to do next, and what will happen. I have read some articles and there some things that I don't understand.

Q/A:
1. What will happen with my antivirus subscription (McAfee)?
2. What will happen with my Microsoft Office's ?
3. How about the drivers and updates ?
4. What is the possible error, and how to fix it ?
5. How about the Windows License, since I bough this with pre-installed windows 8.
6. If I "Remove Everything and Reinstall Windows", which version do I get?

Thank you for reading this, and if possible, please help.
(Sorry for the bad grammar)
 
Solution
S
Have you made the recovery disks?

1. You just need to reinstall McAfee and it should work fine. You have license details for it right? You might need to contact their support or use their management website if there are any issues.
2. If those came with the computer you will need the software and driver recovery disks that came with the package (or there should be a program to create those).
3. Check 2, alternatively you can go to Asus website (www.asus.com/support) to download the latest drivers for your computer and copy them for example to a usb stick.
4. It's very hard to predict what kind of problems there might occur, I would recommend using recovery media (or recovery partition if there is one for the clean install).
5. If you...
Sort by date Sort by votes
S

Samat

Distinguished
Aug 21, 2006
1,274
1
19,965
Have you made the recovery disks?

1. You just need to reinstall McAfee and it should work fine. You have license details for it right? You might need to contact their support or use their management website if there are any issues.
2. If those came with the computer you will need the software and driver recovery disks that came with the package (or there should be a program to create those).
3. Check 2, alternatively you can go to Asus website (www.asus.com/support) to download the latest drivers for your computer and copy them for example to a usb stick.
4. It's very hard to predict what kind of problems there might occur, I would recommend using recovery media (or recovery partition if there is one for the clean install).
5. If you use the recovery media/recovery partition to reinstall it should automatically read the license info from system bios/uefi.
6. Windows 8 license keys only work for the version you bought. Windows 8.1 can't be directly installed with Windows 8 key or vice versa.

Check this link to Asus support website on how they recommend to restore your system to factory defaults: http://www.asus.com/support/FAQ/1008649/. Might be the safest option.
 
Upvote 1 Downvote
Solution
S

Samat

Distinguished
Aug 21, 2006
1,274
1
19,965
Another link http://www.asus.com/support/FAQ/1008640/. You need to download that Asus Backtracker program and follow the instructions, also keep that USB stick intact for fuure incase of a hdd failure or whatnot.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
H

HollowLord

Honorable
Dec 19, 2013
18
0
10,510


5. Unfortunately I don't get any CD's or any paper regarding that.
6. I just like to know, whether I will get Windows 8 or Windows 8.1. Since I upgrade my OS from 8 to 8.1 through the free OS for Window 8 method.

 
Upvote 0 Downvote
S

Samat

Distinguished
Aug 21, 2006
1,274
1
19,965


If you use the Asus recovery method for which I posted a link it will automatically detect the oem license for you. Computers with Windows 8 installed don't seem to come with a license key sticker anymore so you are locked to using the recovery method provided by the manufacturer. It will install Windows 8, which you need to then upgrade to 8.1 after install.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
S

Samat

Distinguished
Aug 21, 2006
1,274
1
19,965
There is also another option for reinstall in Windows 8. If you open your charm bar (take your mouse to top right corner of screen), then select settings and from there pc settings. Go to update and recovery, from there you can refresh your install (keeps your personal files), do a fresh install that removes everything or change boot options to boot from usb etc.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
H

HollowLord

Honorable
Dec 19, 2013
18
0
10,510



2 and 3. I didn't get any paper or disks for the OS, I do get the drive for windows 8 (not 8.1). If I put the drive from ASUS support to my USB, how I can use it? Is it simply to stick it in the port?

4 and 5 My Partition recovery USB formated accidentally and now it's gone.

6. So what will happen if I "Remove Everything and Reinstall Windows"? Since I bough this with preinstalled Windows 8 and upgraded it into (free)Windows 8.1.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
S

Samat

Distinguished
Aug 21, 2006
1,274
1
19,965
2 and 3, if you create the recovery media on usb stick described on Asus support website you keep your usb stick plugged in to your computer, reboot your computer and press F8 during bootup and select to boot from usb. If that doesn't work you need to go to bios (usually by pressing F or del key during bios bootup) and change boot priority so that it boots from the usb stick. Then follow instructions.

4 and 5 you need to recreate the usb stick for recovey

6 You need to have the recovery media from your computer manufacturer, in this case Asus, which you need to create on the usb stick. Original recovery media should have the license key in it and you don't need to worry about that. It will restore your computer back to the state it was when the package was opened, so you need to install the upgrade to 8.1 again etc.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
H

HollowLord

Honorable
Dec 19, 2013
18
0
10,510


4 and 5. If I create the USB stick for recovery through Control Panel > All Control Panel Items > Recovery > Create Recovery Drive. Do I get the recovery drive for Win 8 or 8.1?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
S

Samat

Distinguished
Aug 21, 2006
1,274
1
19,965


If you use that feature you need to select to use the recovery partition (which has Windows 8 not 8.1 in it), if you don't use the recovery partition the recovery media will only restore your computer to the state it is in now (so it wouldn't really be a clean install).
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
H

HollowLord

Honorable
Dec 19, 2013
18
0
10,510


Thanks, now this guy will be good as new...
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom