# Solved: Could not find recovery environment



## Amlung (Oct 5, 2014)

So I'm having the exact same issue as this guy here: http://www.eightforums.com/general-support/53334-could-not-find-recovery-environment.html

Summary: 


Tomhc said:


> Last week, I purchased an Acer Aspire Windows 8.1 pre-installed laptop. The first thing I did is to partitioning the hard drive with EaseUS Partition Master. After that, I want to create a USB recovery drive but I found out that I was unable to do so.
> 
> When I launch the recovery drive program build in in Windows, I found out that the "Copy the recovery partition from the PC to the recovery drive" option has been grey out. If I continue the program, it would shows "We can't create a recovery drive on this PC. Some required files are missing".


This worked fine for him:


> 1. diskpart
> 2. select disk 0
> 3. select partition 1
> 4. assign letter=R
> ...


I get to step "3. select partition 1" fine but at step "4. assign letter=R", I get: "There is is no volume selected". Which volume do I need to select?

So i just checked which volume C: is and selected it but got this message:


> Virtual Disk Service error:
> Assigning or removing drive letters on the current boot or pagefile volume is not allowed.


Which makes sense....

*Disks:* HDD and my SD card.
*Partitions: *Partition 1 is the Recovery partition
*Volumes:* Dvd drive, C:, ESP volume and SD card


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

Welcome to Tech Support Guy

You say - you are having the same issue as - and then reference another topic on another site
What you do not tell us and what we need to know is - is your computer also an Acer

If it is use this procedure
You can create a backup on a USB flash drive to reinstall Windows 8 on your system. You can use this drive to reinstall Windows or diagnose problems if Windows fails to start. You will need a 16 GB or larger USB drive.
*PRECAUTION*


These steps will remove all content from your USB flash drive.
You will need to disable power management settings before creating your backup drive.
*SOLUTION*
Use the following steps to create your backup drive:


Press the *Windows (







) key* + *Q*.
Type Recovery, and click *Acer Recovery Management*.
Click *Create Factory Default Backup*.
Select *Copy content from the recovery partition to the recovery drive*, and click *Next*.
Select your USB Flash Drive, and click *Next*.
Click *Create*. When asked to delete the recovery partition from your computer, click *No*.


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## Amlung (Oct 5, 2014)

Yes, Acer V3-772G, Windows 8.1.

I'm sorry I got a bit ahead of myself. That is the reason I made the thread.
Using Acer Recovery Management "Create Factory Default Backup" I get this message:


> Hard drive configuration is not set to the factory default. Backup aborted.


After that I ran this command which didn't work:


> Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth


Then I found this guy with the exact same issue and how he solved it.

*Summary:*

1. Trying to create a recovery drive: "We can't create a recovery drive on this PC. Some required files are missing."
2. Acer Recovery Management: "Hard drive configuration is not set to the factory default. Backup aborted"

*Likely reason:*
Partitioned hard drive into 3 parts. Reverted that to see if it helps. It didn't.

As I mentioned in my previous post. This resolved the issue for him:



> 1. diskpart
> 2. select disk 0
> 3. select partition 1 (Which is the recovery partition)
> 4. assign letter=R
> ...


*However:* I get to step "3. select partition 1" fine but at step "4. assign letter=R", I get: "There is is no volume selected".
With C: chosen as the volume I get:


> Virtual Disk Service error:
> Assigning or removing drive letters on the current boot or pagefile volume is not allowed.


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

The DISM - Deployment Imaging and servicing command - restore health is nothing whatsoever to do with, the task you are trying to complete
Run as you did it is ONLINE as you can see and uses windows update files and Microsoft servers to ensure all system files are in the correct place and in order

Presumably you have also changed the partitioning of the hard drive - is that correct please.

If so send a screenshot of disk management
http://forums.techguy.org/windows-8/1134561-take-screenshot-save-file.html?highlight=screenshot


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## Amlung (Oct 5, 2014)

Yes I did change the partitions and reverted them back in the hope that it might resolve the problem. So C: was split in 3 and now it's just one big partition as in the beginning.
At the bottom of the screen I attached the part of EaseUS which didn't show in Windows Disk Management.


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

go diskpart
list disk
select disk 0
list partition


please post what is shown


ALSO please go back to the link you posted to the other site
The reason the cmd did not work for you on assigning drive letter to the partition is because YOUR partition table is different to that on the link
Look at your Easeus = ESP FAT32 is the GPT partition from which the computer boots - GPT must boot from a FAT file system it then hands control to the Windows Boot Manager on your partition lettered C
You are trying to allocate a letter to the ESP FAT partition



NOW look at the link - partition 1 on the link is NOT that FAT partition - that on the link is 3
The mistake you have made and it is EASY to make - is that you have copied details from another system solution without examining CLOSELY how it does or indeed does NOT apply to yours


The other way round this is to make a complete image of the system as it exists now and/or as you wanted it having changed the partitions, and use that for recovery purposes rather than the OEM recovery partition.
Go Control Panel File History and on bottom left hand corner - system image backup
For that you will require an external hard drive -


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## Amlung (Oct 5, 2014)

So this is the solution to the problem, for later reference:
(Credit goes to genet from eightforums)



> You must change the OEM partition to the Recovery partition.
> 
> diskpart
> select disk 0
> ...












Thanks for the help ^^


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

YES that is correct and ON YOURS as I said the first OEM partition is Recovery 400MB and the second OEM is Push Button reset 19GB

 *and all of that still *- most clearly means that you had followed the wrong advice, by attempting to deal with partition 1 - as on Easeus shown on your screenshot that was the EFI FAT boot partition

Good Luck with it

It does appear that you have now realised your error - as I POINTED out to you - as of course the IMPORTANT point is to identify the OEM partition.

WHICH is WHY I asked for the diskpart 
list partition
on my last post - so that I may properly advise you



> go diskpart
> list disk
> select disk 0
> list partition


which of course as you have shown from your screenshot of this OTHER site, on your post 7 - then identifies WHICH we need to work with AND of course is NOT of your computer diskpart cmd


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