Windows 10: Dell pc, windows recovery image and restore issues

Install*.swm(s) and Boot.wim files are already in Sources folder. Am I missing something?

I will copy ResetPartitions.txt and will change ResetConfig.xml as you said.

btw this is what I tried How to repair the EFI bootloader on a GPT HDD for Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 on your Dell PC | Dell Deutschland with no success.

 

If that does not work - I have one more suggestion >
edit resetconfig

<Compact>True</Compact>
to
<Compact>False</Compact>

As compact is mostly used on 32gb drives or smaller

Now as it appears the resetconfig that is actually being used is the one in the OEM folder...
Usually the OEM folder is not there and everything is just in the Sources folder...

So Dell added the OEM Folder

 

I am left wondering if the Images are being applied...

Boot.wim = Recovery\WindowsRE\winRe.wim
Install*.swm = windows OSImage
Restpartitions - is a script use by diskpart to format and create the partitions
Resetconfig - tells winre - where the images are and where to appy them

 

I'm running restore. I guess we will see. Thank you again. I will let you know.

 

Didn't work. Got stuck again

 

On the most troublesome Windows 10 installs this is what I do. Copy the Windows 10 installation ISO file itself to an external storage location, such as USB flash drive formatted as NTFS, or an external hard drive. I create a second bootable USB flash drive by creating a FAT32 partition on it and making that partition active. Then I extract Kyhi's recovery tools ISO files to the new USB flash drive:
Windows 10 Recovery Tools - Bootable Rescue Disk

By extract I mean mount the ISO file and copy over all the files and folders from the mounted ISO file.

Then I boot the computer from Kyhi's recovery drive. I use AEOMI Partition assistant to erase the computer's HDD or SSD. Make sure the SSD/HDD is initialized as GPT (for UEFI) or MBR (for legacy BIOS). Create a 5 GB NTFS partition at the end of the disk. Copy the ISO file from the USB flash drive I stored it on to the 5GB NTFS partition I created on the HDD or SSD. Then I mount the ISO file from the HDD/SSD. Remove all USB flash drives. From the mounted ISO file I run setup.exe and let it go. I make sure and do NOT connect the computer to the internet until after Windows install is finished and I have created a local user account on the computer.

 

I will try it.

Can you explain the logic here?

 

Does AEOMI Partition assistant already included in Kyhi's ISO?

 

Windows 10 installation will sometimes stall as it tries to download drivers/updates from the internet. The goal is to get Windows 10 installed and a user logged in. Then you can look at device manager and see what hardware needs drivers and connect to the internet to get drivers/updates.

Yes. Be advised, this wipes out the recovery partition. You can delete all partitions except for the recovery partition and create the 5GB NTFS partition next to it. Then install Windows 10 to the remaining unallocated space.

When doing the install, you want to select the custom install option, highlight the unallocated space and click next to let Windows set up the partitions that it wants.

 

This would be installed on brand new drive. No recovery partition to worry about.

 

With the files you have already >> you can manually Apply them and Re-Install the OS...
Like stated above try the Bootable Rescue Disk...
After the failed install - you can see what has happened...

Use Diskpart and repartition the Disk using the ResetPartitions.Txt

Code: rem == Partition drive == diskpart /s [Path]\ResetPartitions.txt rem == Copy the image to the recovery partition == md R:\RecoveryImage copy Install*.swm(s) to R:\RecoveryImage\ rem == Apply the image to the Windows partition == Dism /apply-image /imagefile:R:\RecoveryImage\install.swm /swmfile:R:\RecoveryImage\install*.swm /index:1 /applydir:W:\ rem == Copy boot files to the System partition == W:\Windows\System32\bcdboot W:\Windows :rem == Copy the Windows RE image to the Windows RE Tools partition == md T:\Recovery\WindowsRE xcopy /h W:\Windows\System32\Recovery\Winre.wim T:\Recovery\WindowsRE\ :rem == Register the location of the recovery tools == W:\Windows\System32\Reagentc /Setreimage /Path T:\Recovery\WindowsRE /Target W:\Windows :rem == Register the location of the push-button reset recovery image. === W:\Windows\System32\Reagentc /Setosimage /Path R:\RecoveryImage /Target W:\Windows /Index 1[/quote] Edit:
Just went back a Page and found your ISSUE....
Your Resetpartition.txt does not have a Recovery Image Partition...
And your ResetConfig.xml does not point to the Image File Location....
Thus the Install*.swm is not being applied to the Disk via the USB Recovery Media....

Thus you have to Manually Apply the Image

You will need to edit the location of the Install*.swm in the > Dism /appy-image < command to point to the proper location..

Like I said before Windows 10 Recovery Rebuilds itself from the installed OS - That is why the recovery usb works on old drive.... (OS present)

You have the OS Image File - that needs to be applied to W: - but the Recovery Media does not Know it is on the USB..

Although I would also create a recovery image partition (Since you have the OEM OS Image file)

Code: rem == ResetPartitions.txt == convert gpt rem == 1. System partition ========================= create partition efi size=100 format quick fs=fat32 label="System" assign letter="S" rem == 2. Microsoft Reserved (MSR) partition ======= create partition msr size=16 rem == 3. Windows partition ======================== rem == a. Create the Windows partition ========== create partition primary shrink minimum=8450 format quick fs=ntfs assign letter="W" rem == 4. Windows RE tools partition =============== create partition primary size=450 format quick fs=ntfs label="Windows RE tools" assign letter="T" set id="de94bba4-06d1-4d40-a16a-bfd50179d6ac" gpt attributes=0x8000000000000001 rem === 4. Recovery Image Partition ====================== create partition primary format quick fs=ntfs label="OEM Image" assign letter="R" set id="de94bba4-06d1-4d40-a16a-bfd50179d6ac" gpt attributes=0x8000000000000001 list volume exit[/quote]

 

Although, so far nothing explains why you can not Clean Install the OS from Windows 10 Setup Media to a Clean Drive

 

So I'm wondering from reading your last 2 posts. Original ssd did not have recovery partition and USB created from dell's windows recovery iso worked for recovering the original ssd, but not on new ssd. So why do you think I should have recovery partition on new ssd.

Am I moving in the right direction in this new plan. Here is new plan.
1. Create Bootable Rescue Disk from your Windows 10 Recovery Tools - Bootable PE Rescue Disk
2. Use this new ResetPartitions.txt to recreate partitions.
Code: rem == ResetPartitions.txt ==convert gptrem == 1. System partition =========================create partition efi size=100format quick fs=fat32 label="System"assign letter="S"rem == 2. Microsoft Reserved (MSR) partition =======create partition msr size=16rem == 3. Windows partition ========================rem == a. Create the Windows partition ==========create partition primaryshrink minimum=8450format quick fs=ntfsassign letter="W"rem == 4. Windows RE tools partition ===============create partition primary size=450format quick fs=ntfs label="Windows RE tools"assign letter="T"set id="de94bba4-06d1-4d40-a16a-bfd50179d6ac"gpt attributes=0x8000000000000001rem === 4. Recovery Image Partition ======================create partition primaryformat quick fs=ntfs label="OEM Image"assign letter="R"set id="de94bba4-06d1-4d40-a16a-bfd50179d6ac"gpt attributes=0x8000000000000001list volumeexit [/quote] Do I need to add code below to beginning of ResetPartitions.txt before execution?
Code: select disk 0 clean [/quote] 3. Run following commands. Can I create a batch(.bat) from commands bellow? Replacing [Path] to usb drive used to boot up.
Code: rem == Partition drive ==diskpart /s [Path]\ResetPartitions.txtrem == Copy the image to the recovery partition ==md R:\RecoveryImagecopy Install*.swm(s) to R:\RecoveryImage\rem == Apply the image to the Windows partition ==Dism /apply-image /imagefile:R:\RecoveryImage\install.swm /swmfile:R:\RecoveryImage\install*.swm /index:1 /applydir:W:\rem == Copy boot files to the System partition ==W:\Windows\System32\bcdboot W:\Windows:rem == Copy the Windows RE image to the Windows RE Tools partition ==md T:\Recovery\WindowsRExcopy /h W:\Windows\System32\Recovery\Winre.wim T:\Recovery\WindowsRE\:rem == Register the location of the recovery tools ==W:\Windows\System32\Reagentc /Setreimage /Path T:\Recovery\WindowsRE /Target W:\Windows:rem == Register the location of the push-button reset recovery image. ===W:\Windows\System32\Reagentc /Setosimage /Path R:\RecoveryImage /Target W:\Windows /Index 1[/quote] Anything else I'm missing?

 

So I'm wondering from reading your last 2 posts. Original ssd did not have recovery partition and USB created from dell's windows recovery iso worked for recovering the original ssd, but not on new ssd. So why do you think I should have recovery partition on new ssd.

Am I moving in the right direction in this new plan. Here is new plan.
1. Create Bootable Rescue Disk from your Windows 10 Recovery Tools - Bootable PE Rescue Disk
2. Use this new ResetPartitions.txt to recreate partitions.
Code: rem == ResetPartitions.txt == convert gpt rem == 1. System partition ========================= create partition efi size=100 format quick fs=fat32 label="System" assign letter="S" rem == 2. Microsoft Reserved (MSR) partition ======= create partition msr size=16 rem == 3. Windows partition ======================== rem == a. Create the Windows partition ========== create partition primary shrink minimum=8450 format quick fs=ntfs assign letter="W" rem == 4. Windows RE tools partition =============== create partition primary size=450 format quick fs=ntfs label="Windows RE tools" assign letter="T" set id="de94bba4-06d1-4d40-a16a-bfd50179d6ac" gpt attributes=0x8000000000000001 rem === 4. Recovery Image Partition ====================== create partition primary format quick fs=ntfs label="OEM Image" assign letter="R" set id="de94bba4-06d1-4d40-a16a-bfd50179d6ac" gpt attributes=0x8000000000000001 list volume exit[/quote] Do I need to add code below to beginning of ResetPartitions.txt before execution?
Code: select disk 0 clean [/quote] 3. Run following commands. Can I create a batch(.bat) from commands bellow? Replacing [Path] to usb drive used to boot up.
Code: rem == Partition drive == diskpart /s [Path]\ResetPartitions.txt rem == Copy the image to the recovery partition == md R:\RecoveryImage copy Install*.swm(s) to R:\RecoveryImage\ rem == Apply the image to the Windows partition == Dism /apply-image /imagefile:R:\RecoveryImage\install.swm /swmfile:R:\RecoveryImage\install*.swm /index:1 /applydir:W:\ rem == Copy boot files to the System partition == W:\Windows\System32\bcdboot W:\Windows :rem == Copy the Windows RE image to the Windows RE Tools partition == md T:\Recovery\WindowsRE xcopy /h W:\Windows\System32\Recovery\Winre.wim T:\Recovery\WindowsRE\ :rem == Register the location of the recovery tools == W:\Windows\System32\Reagentc /Setreimage /Path T:\Recovery\WindowsRE /Target W:\Windows :rem == Register the location of the push-button reset recovery image. === W:\Windows\System32\Reagentc /Setosimage /Path R:\RecoveryImage /Target W:\Windows /Index 1[/quote] Anything else I'm missing?

 

You are clearly making this harder then it is......

Boot My Rescue Disk, insert Dell Recovery USB and open Command Prompt and follow the 6 command lines below

diskpart /s [USB]:\ResetPartitions.txt

exit

Dism /apply-image /imagefile:[USB]:\install.swm /swmfile:[USB]:\install*.swm /index:1 /applydir:W:\

W:\Windows\System32\bcdboot W:\Windows

echo F | xcopy /h W:\Windows\System32\Recovery\Winre.wim T:\Recovery\WindowsRE\

W:\Windows\System32\Reagentc /Setreimage /Path T:\Recovery\WindowsRE /Target W:\Windows

DONE!!!

[USB] = Drive letter assigned to Dell recovery USB Drive