Win 8 Refresh and Reset Both Fail

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I have been unable to get the Win8.1 update to work on my Win8/64 Pro system. It downloads, tries to install, downloads again, tries again – forever. I figured something got corrupted and tried to run the “Refresh” option to correct that. The refresh option fails with a message that my system volume is “Locked” and telling me to unlock it. Of course, the volume is not locked and has been accepting normal Windows updates since first install.

I then ran the “Reset” program – figuring I would go back to a base system (I have my data backed up). That fails too – with a message that it can’t install to a GPT partition. (My Dell XPS system uses UEFI by default, and it is booting from UEFI. UEFI systems use GPT partitions – so that is consistent. I have done some research on this, and what I read is only Win/64 systems can install to a GPT partition, but of course, I have a 64 bit version of Windows that I am trying to install (I am using the official MS Windows 8/64 reinstall disk that I purchased from MS when 8 Pro was installed). I have a image backup, but that won’t work either (the restore program – Farstone – won’t initialize).

Any suggestions on how to proceed? Anyone seen this situation before?

David

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Have you rebooted since your refresh attempt? I would try that and then try refresh again.

If that fails, I would suggest trying to create a repair disk, shutdown and reboot from the repair disk and see if you can then refresh or reset after booting from the repair disk. I am not sure this will work. If booting from the repair disk, you need to get to the Advanced recovery options screen and access the refresh or reset options from there.

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I have tried rebooting multiple times to no effect. I have a repair disk, and it will not refresh or reset just like the standard MS disk.

I am going to download and build a WinPE disk, and try that to repartition and reformat the disk. I tried to create it on the target PC, but that now will only boot in safe mode, and when you try to create the WinPE disk, it fails. Luckily, I have an old Win7 PC that I can use – I was going to give it away, but had not gotten around to it. Now I am happy I still have it.

What a mess. I updated three Macs to 10.9 yesterday, and all updates went smoothly without problem. This is the first time I have had this kind of problem with Widows – it sure seems like Windows is getting more fragile with each release. (And this problem – whatever it is – had no effect on my day-to-day work – only when I tried to update.)

David

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Well I hadn’t done it yet, but I have just tried it here. I created a Windows 8.1 USB recovery disk (my ultrabook laptop has no optical drive) and changed Windows to boot from it. Once booting completed I was asked to choose my keyboard and then I was offered several options, one of which was Troubleshoot. Chose this one and then you are offered some other options, including Advanced Recovery Options. If you choose this one, you will be given the option to refresh or reset your Windows 8 installation.

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If the Win 8.1 OS is so corrupted that it will not Refresh or Reset, perhaps the downloaded file was very corrupt. It might be advisable to restore your Win 8 OS and try again.

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I created the WinPE software on a USB disk and booted the system from it. I then re-partitioned Drive 0 and set it to GPT partition. Then, the Win8 disk I got from Microsoft was able to create the system (though it didn’t like the order of the partitions I created). The only problems: I got Win8 (not Win 8 Pro which I had purchased – it rejects the license key MS sent me); and Win8.1 update is not offered in the store.

I have the Win8.1 image on a DVD and may try that.

David

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Update:

I decided to just live with the Standard Windows and started the 8.1 update. It completed successfully, though there was a very long pause when the screen went blank (the video signal actually stopped and the display went into power saving mode). I could see disk activity so didn’t disturb it. Eventually, the disk activity stopped, but the system just sat there with the display still dark. I was about to turn it off when it came to life and completed the install. Win 8.1 is running now, though I do have the message that “SecureBoot isn’t configured correctly – Build 9600” on the lower right of the screen. This is a known issue, and I found instructions for updating Bios settings for my Dell systems, but the setting in the bios is locked and can’t be changed. Apparently MS is working on a fix. This has been a crazy complicated process – my worst experience ever with an update of Windows.

David

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Joe posted a fix for that issue here: http://windowssecrets.com/forums/showthread//157574-Patch-fixes-quot-windows-8-1-secure-boot-isn-t-configured-correctly-quot

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Doesn’t work. I downloaded and ran it, and it says it is not compatible with my computer.

David

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Did you download the correct version for your system?

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Oops – downloaded the 32-bit version by mistake. Got the correct download and the message has gone away. Do you know if this just removes the message or if it turns on the secure boot option?

Thanks for pointing this out.

David

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This just removes the message :).

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