Windows 8 reformatting help? Losing my mind here (ASUS G750JW)

[RagingShadow07]

My friend picked up a G750JW from Best Buy after deciding a laptop would better suit him. He came to me saying the stock 5400RPM was slow, so we swapped it out for a combination of SSD + 750GB WD Scorpio Black. I ended up cloning the 5400RPM to the SSD to do that, because I couldn't figure out how to do it using Windows built-in tools. Now I've got another problem.

Windows is giving an error at boot-up every time now saying winload.efi is corrupt or missing, and that the system can't boot. He said he's fine with me just formatting the drive and re-installing Windows 8, but I don't know how to make a recovery disc if I can't get into Windows 8 at all. The laptop didn't come with any discs that I can see. I've spent the past three days figuring out how to just clone the drive because Windows wouldn't give me any simpler options. Now I'm stuck and don't know what to do.

I've tried using Microsoft's Upgrade Tool and entered the key I found using Belarc Advisor, but it said I couldn't use that key to install a full version of Windows 8. I'm officially out of ideas, and any help would save what little sanity I have left. Thanks!

 

[Fourstaff]

Go to Asus website, download all the drivers and such items. Stick a Win8 disc in and do a fresh install. Don't bother with making a recovery disc. If you have a spare external drive you can use that instead of a disc. After you have installed your fresh Win8, install all the drivers back in.

I think this guide will help:
http://pcsupport.about.com/od/windows-8/a/install-windows-8-usb.htm

 

[RagingShadow07]

That's the issue: I don't have a Windows 8 disc. The laptop didn't come with one. The only option it gave me was to make a recovery disc/USB when Windows 8 was working, and that didn't have a full image on it unfortunately. I can't think of any way to legally get an ISO of Windows 8 to reformat.

I did forget to mention that in the OP though. Fixed that. Thanks!

 

[Fourstaff]

That's the issue: I don't have a Windows 8 disc. The laptop didn't come with one. The only option it gave me was to make a recovery disc/USB when Windows 8 was working, and that didn't have a full image on it unfortunately. I can't think of any way to legally get an ISO of Windows 8 to reformat.

I did forget to mention that in the OP though. Fixed that. Thanks!

http://www.redmondpie.com/download-windows-8-iso-x86-x64-file-directly-from-microsoft/

Never used, but it looks like you should be able to do it this way

 

[RagingShadow07]

I tried that as well, but apparently with pre-installed OEM keys like you get on Win8 laptops it won't let you use the tool to make a disc. It gives me an error something to the effect of "Windows can not be downloaded using a key of this type."

I still appreciate the idea, though! I'm convinced there's some way I can legally get an ISO of Windows 8.

 

[Fourstaff]

Have you tried doing an ISO with windows 7 and then upgrading?

 

[EiSFX]

I have always heard you never ever use a clone on to a SSD from a HDD. With an SSD its always best to do a clean install. Well thats what i have always heard anyways.

 

[Hood]

Re-install the original drive, access the recovery partition, there should be an option in Asus recovery software to make a copy of the installation image onto a DVD. The recovery partition doesn't copy to the new disc during cloning, so this method is provided for those who upgrade or replace their boot drive. The only other option is to order the DVD from Asus.

 

[RagingShadow07]

Forgot about the original hard drive. I never formatted it, so I think there's still a chance I can salvage everything. I'll give that a try. Thanks!

 

[kn00tcn]

there might be a hacky way to boot from the original drive & working OS, get your legit key from there, get ISO from digitalriver (MS), add key either during install or after