Should I delete partitions before installing W10? (Asus E402MA)

Kernel_Sanders

My Asus E402MA apparently has an oversized recovery partition, making the upgrade from 8.1 rather difficult. Should I follow these suggestions from reviewers who have also bought the machine? (I've bought a new 64GB SD card).
'John' says:
It comes with Windows 8.1 operating system pre-installed on it, but due to the very small (32 gb) solid state hard drive and which is partitioned into the operating system (almost 17 gb) and the recovery partition (12 gb) there is no room to upgrade to Windows 10. Unlike the Windows 8 version the recovery drive can’t be deleted to make room for Windows 10. The way round it that I found was to actually delete the Windows 8.1 operating system partition thus freeing up nearly 17 gb of hard drive space and then a clean install (new installation) to Windows 10 from USB drive downloaded from Microsoft website, and it does recognise your Windows 8.1 product key and keeps Windows 10 activated, so there are no problems trying to re-register your Windows 10 operating system. However this leaves very little hard drive space for installing further apps/programs. The way round this is to fit a 32 gb (or bigger) SD or SDHC card into the SD slot and use that for extra storage and which is actually quite handy as it’s a portable means of storing data.
'Andrew' says:
There's not a lot of hard disk space free with the default set-up. Solution is to install windows 10 from a USB stick (easy to create from the windows 10 website), and make sure to delete all partitions on the drive before installing. Then use the compactOS option (Google how to do this) in windows 10, and you end up with about 19 or so GB of free space and a very nicely running windows 10 installation. In my experience this worked without having to install any additional drivers, so is easy.

Is there a way of reverting to 8.1 if I don't like W10, or will deleting the recovery partition prevent a restore to factory state?

Fightsback

If it were mine then I'd have chosen plan B, wipe the entire drive and have the full 32gb available to w10 and not bother with w8.1.

I wouldn't have bought such a hamstrung notebook in the first place but what's done is done.

GunJack

Kernel_Sanders wrote: »

Is there a way of reverting to 8.1 if I don't like W10, or will deleting the recovery partition prevent a restore to factory state?

you should be ok to do this within 30 days, providing you don't delete the current os install before installing w10, and don't delete the windows.old folder created during w10 installation. The recovery partiton isn't needed for doing it this way. If it's over 30 days, you can't do it like this..

Why don't you just take a disk image of the current w8 install (use Macrium reflect, for e.g.) before you start messing, then you can just reinstate it if you don't like 10??

NiftyDigits

You need an Integral 120GB P Series 4 SATA III 2.5" SSD Drive £24.99

For now you can preserve activation for Windows 10 until you get your SSD.

I'm sure you'll do nothing

Kernel_Sanders

NiftyDigits wrote: »

I'm sure you'll do nothing

For those who are wondering, this comment refers to what ND views as procrastination in my efforts to achieve things in 2012 and since. Although there is an element of truth in this, most of the delays were the result of problem after problem when following advice, eventually leading me to give up on things.
By 'preserve activation for Windows 10' do you mean I can download it onto a USB stick today (I have a 8GB one) and install it a̶t̶ ̶m̶y̶ ̶l̶e̶i̶s̶u̶r̶e̶ as soon as practically possible?:)

Fightsback

Kernel_Sanders wrote: »

By 'preserve activation for Windows 10' do you mean I can download it onto a USB stick today (I have a 8GB one) and install it a̶t̶ ̶m̶y̶ ̶l̶e̶i̶s̶u̶r̶e̶ as soon as practically possible?:)

Yep, get it installed and activated by midnight tonight.

Procrastination is the thief of time.

NiftyDigits

Kernel_Sanders wrote: »

For those who are wondering, this comment refers to what ND views as procrastination in my efforts to achieve things in 2012 and since. Although there is an element of truth in this, most of the delays were the result of problem after problem when following advice, eventually leading me to give up on things.
By 'preserve activation for Windows 10' do you mean I can download it onto a USB stick today (I have a 8GB one) and install it a̶t̶ ̶m̶y̶ ̶l̶e̶i̶s̶u̶r̶e̶ as soon as practically possible?:)

If you are referring to the time when I tried to help you and that you were more than rude, no that isn't the reason.
But since I've put you on 'ignore' there must have been reasons subsequent. Usually reserved for people who either waste my time or are simply intolerable.

But ignore doesn't work until your are signed in, so I decided to help you on this occasion. But I'm sure to no avail, as you will always attempt a short cut rather than to follow instruction.

So rather than waste my time writing out a detailed guide, my simple advice would be to buy the SSD and slot it into place. In the meantime download the correct image and use the gatherosstate method to preserve activation. It might work or it might not.
Why you would leave it until the day before, I don't know.

NiftyDigits

Fightsback wrote: »

Yep, get it installed and activated by midnight tonight.

Procrastination is the thief of time.

Not enough space for the upgrade. He should have organised the SSD at least a week ago.
If he deletes the hidden partition and then for any reason is unable to clean install the OS, the machine goes into the bin.

Jivesinger

GunJack wrote: »

Why don't you just take a disk image of the current w8 install (use Macrium reflect, for e.g.) before you start messing, then you can just reinstate it if you don't like 10??

This would be what I'd do too.

Just to add that I had a windows tablet which wouldn't upgrade to Windows 10 when there was an SD card still in the machine. It may be that later versions of the Windows 10 installer have fixed this now, but I'd suggest removing the SD card during the installation process.

Kernel_Sanders

NiftyDigits wrote: »

In the meantime download the correct image and use the gatherosstate method to preserve activation. It might work or it might not.

Presuming that the goal of what I have to do this evening is to save GenuineTicket.xml onto an external drive, how do I validate W8.1? I intend following these instructions at https://malwaretips.com/threads/how-to-upgrade-from-w7-8-1-without-to-go-through-the-updrade-process-itself-with-ease.50264/

1. Validate your w7 SP1 (W8.1) online, best using IE.

2. Generate a genuine ticket of your installation by:

2.1 Copy gatherosstate.exe from your downloaded Windows 10 10240 ISO to your installation which should be upgraded.

2.2 Run it on your activated and validated Windows. It'll output GenuineTicket.xml. Save this on a USB thumb drive or something.

unforeseen

NiftyDigits wrote: »

You need an Integral 120GB P Series 4 SATA III 2.5" SSD Drive £24.99

Is it a model that you can actually fit an SSD in? Not all E402 models are capable of taking a HDD/SSD.
The E402MA can take HDD/SSD but I don't think a basic E402a can