Unable to perform recovery - Required partition is missing

[Codex]

Have an i7 ASUS Ultrabook (HDD is 2xssd in raid0, UEFI, GPT partitions.) which is great but have an issue where wifi profiles don't retain and i'm not too concerned about retaining the data on the ultrabook so after attempting to fix the wifi profiles not saving (Have been through the driver scenario, folder permissions, sfc, etc and no joy) i'm just going to do a clean install from the recovery partition.

Now

I started by trying the recovery methods 8 has built in, refresh the files, but fails without an error and makes no changes. Attempted to do a full restore via 8 recovery also but fails with no error also and then I realized I was actually missing the OEM options (F9 during boot doesn't allow for EMS boot to begin recovery from recovery partition like expected, just boots into normal recovery)


After installing windows 8.1 it no longer allows me to do an OEM recovery via Windows 8.1's built in recovery methods so I created a recovery USB from the recovery partition using the windows 8 tool since the AI Recovery Burner doesn't recognize the partition, the USB recovery creation did recognize the partition and allow me to create the USB recovery drive from this successfully.

When running the USB recovery, the recovery fails with "Required drive partition is missing"

I think this is because the recovery partition is actually a windows 8 partition, not 8.1, and will not work.

Seems like a lot of effort but I want to retain the OEM key and software set (because it's surprisingly not a piece of trash) so was thinking if I install windows 8 (I have an ISO and another key) over the existing 8.1 partition it may actually allow me to then do the normal recovery.

Since the recovery drive did not work I decided to clone the recovery partition and have the WIM file now, although since cloning the partition when running recovery I no longer have the option to create a recovery drive using the recovery partition, the partitions no longer show as recovery partitions in disk management but instead as OEM partitions (Not sure why this changed.)

The recovery xml configuration for REAGENTC does have the correct GUID's and offsets for the partitions although when running this in elevated cmd it results in error 3 unable to run.

Does anyone have any ideas of what I can do next? Am I able to create a base recovery drive from another windows 8.1 pc and use the WIM file?

Any help is appreciated -____-


EDIT: As an after thought, is there any way to tell what partition table my created recovery drive is expecting so I can adjust the current partitions to match and perform the recovery? When I try to refresh the files from this recovery I get the error "Windows system is locked" which is why I went for the full recovery

[Xenolightning]

TLDR; Have you tried fire as a solution?

[Lias]

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd744280(v=ws.10).aspx

May be of some use.

[Codex]

Yeah have been through that KB

No joy -____-

[Codex]

Believe i've worked out the cause although not sure how to resolve

I noticed that reagentc would not start, resulting in error 3, I assigned the two hidden recovery partitions, one with winre, and one with the recoveryimage, drive letters and then the service would start. Although when the system is restarted or shut down the drives lose their letters.

When the drives have letters recovery does attempt to begin, but once restarted into RE, since the drive letters go again it falls over and starts RE as if it has been user invoked

I suppose at this stage I need to know how to make these letter assignments permanent until I can complete the recovery

I still cannot recover from recovery media due to the partition missing (suspect reason is above) and the windows is locked error (even with secure boot disabled and bcdedit rebuilt etc)

[Xenolightning]

Do you have the OEM key? On the bottom of the laptop?

Surely it's easier just to kill all partitions, and reinstall from scratch? You can ring Microsoft to get the OEM key reactivated on the new installation. I've done this a few times.

Also, Fire.

[Codex]

Mmmm don't think it is but it may be, will check when I get home, although would have to install from an OEM version of W8 which i'd have to acquire -___-

Whyyy recovery partitions whyyyyy

Actually when I tried to boot off of a w8 usb retail I have it refused :/

[SmiLinSniPeR]

OEM keys are usually hidden in the battery compartment now and i agree with Xeno nuke all partitions and do a fresh install use a windows 7 install DVD if you have to but  make sure you delete every partition otherwise it will have issues installing.

[Xenolightning]

...i agree with Xeno...

[swindle]

Nuke it yo. You would have had windows (shudder*) back on that thing in the time it took you to write your op

[Codex]

OEM keys are usually hidden in the battery compartment now and i agree with Xeno nuke all partitions and do a fresh install use a windows 7 install DVD if you have to but  make sure you delete every partition otherwise it will have issues installing.

Battery is not 'hot-swappable', although not difficult to get into the laptop, just some torx screws.

I'd probably nuke the partitions using gpart anyway before installing anything. Wouldn't go back to windows 7.

Nuke it yo. You would have had windows (shudder*) back on that thing in the time it took you to write your op

I know this and am aware, however this doesn't fix the issue, and i'd rather learn about what caused it, how to fix it, and create a solution instead of the bandaid solution of just blowing it away and learning nothing.

I've left the current installation as is now anyway seeing as it is working fine since fixing the wifi issue I was having.