I'm such a neurotic idiot! I can't freaking believe I did this! As you all know by now, I have a laptop which is running Windows 8.1. The problem is, back when I initially bought this machine, I went through the control panel and made a set of recovery discs. Once they were burned, I electic, and here is my r'really! stupid move! To erase the recovery partition off my drive, to reclame a few gigs of space. I figured, what the heck. I have the DVD's now that I burned, so big freaking deal. If the system ever crashes, I simply just need to boot to the first DVD, and go.
Well, this would be great, except for one problem. During my last move, I've seemed to have misplaced those DVD's. I've turned the house totally upside down, and rightside up! They're gone! I dono what happened, but they have totally vannished, and believe you me, I looked. The issue is, with Windows 7 and 8/8.1, once you make these discs, that's it. It only gives you that one chance apparently. After that, the option is no longer available. So, now, I have two issues. Firstly, I've wiped the recovery partition, so that's not an option anymore, plus I've lost my DVD's. Secondly, I've put the make and model of the laptop, which I don't recall off the top of my head into Google, it's an Asus, but don't recall the model. I went to see if there was an updated bios as apparently, I need to update it to get access to the option needed to be able to get the thing to boot to the DVD optycal or the USB ports. So, it's not like I now can boot to either. I looked and it doesn't appear that there is a key to get to the boot menu. F12 isn't doing anything, and neither is F8. Apparently, a friend of mine told me it has to do with in Windows 8, they no longer have a bios, but now, most systems have what's called a UEFI which you have to go into and disable things like secure boot, and a few other settings which off hand I'm failing to recall, before you can even think of selecting to boot to DVD. So, the thing is, right now, my system is working perfectly, but, if God forbid, it ever crashes, I don't have a way of installing an OS back on to it. I spoke to Geeksquad, and even they! won't help me. Not even for pay. The lady who was the magnolia specialist was like, Sir, it's honestly not my problem that you pulled a stupid is, as stupid duzz. So, does this mean, if the system ever crashes, I'm just S O L until I can get a new laptop? You'd think as incredibly advanced of a techy I am, I'd know not to a done this, and you know, in retrospect, looking back on it, I gotta say, this was one a the stupidest! moves I've ever made! I literally just wanna crawl in a hole and freaking die! I'm usually darn good at this type thing, but in this case, I'm really frightened to use the system, honestly. I don't wanna do anything that could risk it later crashing down the line from wear and tear/use. I can't pay right this second, and when I can, it couldn't be probably more than $50 max at most, but if someone could help with this or could at least on or off list offer me some suggestions, I'd be willing come this Wednesday on the 3rd to PayPal you $50 for your time in researching things, and for your effort to help me. If we could get the unit booting to DVD, I'd be 100% satisfied. Also as for recoverring, I do have a copy of Terrabyte Unlimited's Image for Windows, but it doesn't seem to be working with Win 8.1. The story of my life! Apparently the version is way too old, seeing I bought it back in 2004, I think, and haven't updated it since. I just haven't really been able to afford it, with other bills, and such. Anyway, this mail has gotten way longer than I intended, and to save you all's sanity therefore, I'm gonna close. Please help, though, if you can. Chris. _______________________________________________ Any views or opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Ai Squared. For membership options, visit http://lists.window-eyes.com/options.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com/archive%40mail-archive.com. For subscription options, visit http://lists.window-eyes.com/listinfo.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com List archives can be found at http://lists.window-eyes.com/private.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com
