Windows 10: Can I reinstall this OEM Windows 10 with rescue USB

Weird question: I've created a rescue USB that includes system files from my OEM instalation, the wizard mentioned that, including system files may help me in reinstalling the OS with this USB in case I cannot boot into Windows. The question is, in case I change my HDD for whatever reason, Can I reinstall this OEM Windows 10 with the USB in the new HDD and still get it activated and all the stuff from Acer restored as it would do a normal factory reset?

Thanks in advance *Wink

:)

 

windows 10 problems

Just boot the media and do a
Clean Install Windows 10 following the steps in the link. You would already be done and using the best install possible so I wouldn't waste any more time.

You can rescue any files needed from the same Command Prompt following
Rescue Files when Windows Won't Start

 

Stuck on Windows 10 Welcome Screen.

Paul -

Do you have files that need rescue and you cannot rescue them using the booted media following

Rescue Files when Windows Won't Start,

or slave the hard drive to another PC to copy them out? If so they you'd want to highlight the large partition you have shown highlighted in the screenshot, then click Next.

By not deleting or formatting the partition it should archive your files in a folder in C:\Windows.old under your User name, so you can copy them out into the new install. Later you can delete Windows.old using

Disk cleanup in Windows 10 - Windows Help -

If you don't need to rescue your files because you wisely have them backed up or already rescued them then follow the illustrated steps in

Clean Install Windows 10 to delete all partitions down to Unallocated Space first to get it cleanest.

Keep in mind that you will get and keep the best possible install to the exact extent you stick with the steps in

Clean Install Windows 10 which is the best install of Windows you can possibly have compiling everything that works best.

 

A hard drive change will not effect activation in Windows 10. A rescue media is dependent on an already installed OS (your original HDD). In order to move to a new or different drive, disk imaging tools such as Macrium Reflect need to be used.

 

I second Railtech's suggestion of making a image with Macrium Reflect. External drives are relatively cheap. Make sure you create the rescue media in case you ever have to use Macrium Reflect and your computer wont start.

 

All right. Thanks for the info guys. Is Macrium Reflect free or has any cost?

Thank you for this info *Biggrin

 

Free version is quite enough for what you want, payed has some more advanced functions like continual backup update etc.

 

Fantástic. One more question, Can I have the backup in an external drive that already has some data and document backups?

 

Yeah sure, it just makes one large file so if there's enough space you can put it wherever you want to,

 

Thank you so much for the answers.
One more thing, let's say I want to clone the original drive the OS came installed in, into the new one, connected via USB as an external drive, can I do this with Macrium, then connect the new drive cloned and get the system to boot?

Sorry if I'm being annoying XD.

Merry christmas *Biggrin

 

Yes, it has a cloning option too.

 

I am not sure you got an answer to your original question but a Recovery Drive created in Win 10 with the System Files box checked will reinstall Win 10 to a replacement Drive.

If you have an original Win 10 install and it is set up correctly, you can do a full factory reset which includes Win 10 and the OEM utilities.

No Reset option will replace your personal utilities and most apps, thus why a system image is a good option if you want to replace a drive.

 

Great! Thanks a bunch!!!

Ok, so, to get this straight, I install my new HDD, then I boot into this USB drive I did with system files included, then I can get the option to reinstall (refresh-reset) Windows 10 (which will include all the OEM stuff), it will activate and install fully, like if it was a complete retail clean instalation.

Am I right? O_O

 

You are correct if, your system had been set up correctly to work with the Recovery system. I have a system I got last December and one I got three weeks ago. Only the most recent works correctly.

You can check the recovery drive and see if there are references to the OEM stuff. There should be some additional images in addition to the 3.5 GB Win 10 image. May be identified as Apps.ppkg1 or something similar and 3 to 4 additional GBs.

If it won't do the OEM utilities, it will at least do Win 10. But as mentioned, an image replaces the system exactly or at least the critical partition depending on what you include in the image.

 

Well... that is something I'm kinda puzzled about, since I bought this laptop, I can only see three partitions: 1 - 100 MB EFI Partition, another 500 MB partition (WinRE I assume, it's the same as MBR partition), and the Acer (C) partition (which I later divided into two, the main C and the D for my dicuments and stuff)... so basically, I have 4 partitions... the funny think is that disk manager doesn't seem to find or see any other partition, and the only reference to OEM stuff is a hidden folder in C called OEM.

It's kinda funny... one would spect an OEM partition or something, but there isn't any, unless I need to check in another app if there is something hidden.