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Thread ID: 125387 2012-06-25 01:45:00 Hidden Recovery Partition bk T (215) Press F1
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1283712 2012-06-25 01:45:00 I've got this Toshiba Satellite L300 laptop to be restored. Unfortunately, the COA Product Key sticker at the bottom cannot be read due to wear and tear. :(

Short-cut keys - Holding down '0' while starting; F8 - Advance option, etc., all won't start up the recovery utility.

Checked the HDD and that the Recovery Partition is still there but no files can be seen, probably it's hidden.

Question:

Is there a way to access the data in the Recovery Partition and re-install the factory default OS from there? As buying a fresh copy of Windows for this 5 year-old machine doesn't make much sense - and my mate who is a pensioner is not prepared to spend this money which is understandable. Another option would be using Linux but it's not going to be easy for him which is also understandable.

Cheers
bk T (215)
1283713 2012-06-25 01:51:00 How shot is the current windows? If bootable, a keyfinder should retrieve it. Renegade (16270)
1283714 2012-06-25 01:55:00 The current OS is badly corrupted, not bootable, not even in safe mode. bk T (215)
1283715 2012-06-25 02:05:00 Bugger. Still possible with this method www.dagondesign.com

May be able to do it for ya if you can get the ntuser.dat file off the drive. Depends if that file is shot though.
Renegade (16270)
1283716 2012-06-25 02:07:00 I'm think it is '0' and F10. While off, press and hold '0' key, turn on (while still holding down '0' key) and then press F10 (several times) until the advanced options come up. There is also F8, but you just press (several times) that on its own as soon as the bios screen appears. But I dont think '0' and F8 is right. But I may well be wrong, try those anyway. Iantech (16386)
1283717 2012-06-25 02:21:00 0 to access recovery partion, could they make it any more bizzare ??

But looks like thats correct, Vista,win7 may be different
www.howtogeek.com

en.kioskea.net

BTW, a factory OEM key recovered from an OEM install cant be used with normal install OEM CD's , you'll get
issues later (non genuine errors etc)
been there, tried that, failed :-)
1101 (13337)
1283718 2012-06-25 02:24:00 Thanks, Regegade, took out the HDD and connected to another PC but sadly, could not locate the 'ntuser.dat' file. bk T (215)
1283719 2012-06-25 02:30:00 Is there a way to make the Recovery partition data visible again? bk T (215)
1283720 2012-06-25 03:20:00 Having access to the toshiba Recovery partition wont be of much cop anyway, there is not a single ISO file like older recovery options, its full of folders and .wim files, which you need to use ImageX to install Via command prompt.


Heres the contents of the Toshiba L300 recovery partition;

3940

I have a Toshiba L300 here right now having to do a reinstall as well, its bootable, but very unstable. I may be able to make a recovery CD that will allow the recovery partition to be set going -- give us a couple of hours to check as I'm currently imaging the drive to save their data.
wainuitech (129)
1283721 2012-06-25 05:32:00 Had a look, but the only thing I can make is a set of full recovery Disc's, which would be ok if the bloody Optical drive didn't sound like a concrete mixer lol.

May have a solution though - PM coming.
wainuitech (129)
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