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NeoSmart Knowledgebase
Knowledgebase / Guides / Our Recovery Disks for Windows

Refresh or Reset Windows 8 Without

Installation Media
/ Guides / Refresh or Reset Windows 8 Without Installation Media

March 19, 2015

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This guide details how you can refresh or reset your Windows 8system
without using the installation media (the DVD or the USB drive).

You need to have the installation media or the original ISO file (from
your Microsoft account) to configure your system. Afterwards, you can
refresh or reset Windows 8/8.1 without the installation media.

Following these steps will remove the Insert media screen thats being
displayed when you are trying to perform Refresh or Reset:
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Windows 8 Insert Media Screen

Insert media

Some files are missing. Your Windows installation or recovery media will prov
ide these files.

Contents [hide]

1 Refresh vs. Reset

2 Refresh without installation media

2.1 Method #1

2.2 Method #2

3 Reset without installation media

4 More Information
4.1 Support Links

4.2 Applicable Systems

Refresh vs. Reset

A Refresh operation will not affect personal files, but a Reset operation will
remove any personal files (if they arent backed-up).

Before you perform a Refresh, note that:

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If your original Windows version was 8.0 and you upgraded to 8.1, the
Refresh procedure will restore the Windows 8.0 back. Youll need to
upgrade to 8.1 afterwards.

Applications youve installed since installing Windows 8/8.1 will be

removed and moved to a back-up folder.

Before you perform a Reset, note that:

A Reset procedure will remove all data from your Windows 8/8.1
system.

If your original installed Windows version was 8.0 and youve upgraded
to 8.1, the Reset procedure will restore your Windows to the 8.0
version.

You can back-up your personal files using the Browse/Backup Files feature of
Easy Recovery Essentials:

1. Download Easy Recovery Essentials. Make sure to select your Windows

version XP, Vista, 7 or 8 before you download EasyRE.

2. Burn the ISO image. Our guides will help you do this: how to burn
EasyRE on a CD/DVD, how to create a bootable EasyRE recovery USB
drive.

3. Boot up your PC from the Easy Recovery Essentials CD or USB you

created.

4. Choose the Browse/Backup Files option and click Continue .

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Browse/Backup Files from EasyRE

5. You now have access to your files. You can backup the files on an
external USB drive.

Browse files from EasyRE directly

Download Easy Recovery Essentials by clicking this link.

Refresh without installation media

Follow these steps to prepare your Windows 8/8.1 to not ask for the
installation media each time you want to perform a Refresh:

Method #1

Using Method #1 explained below allows you to perform a Reset and Refresh
without Windows asking for the installation media.
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1. Boot into the system and go to Computer > C:, where C: is the drive
where your Windows is installed on.

2. Create a new folder. Name it Win8

3. Insert the Windows 8/8.1 installation media and go to the Source

folder.
If you dont have the installation media, download your official copy of
Windows 8/8.1 ISO image from your Microsoft account:

Download the ISO file

Right-click on the ISO file

Click Mount

4. Copy the install.wim file

5. Paste the install.wim file to the Win8 folder

6. Open Command Prompt as an Administrator

7. Type:

reagentc.exe /setosimage /path C:\Win8 /target c:\Windows /Index 1

Replace C:\ with the letter of the drive where Windows 8/8.1 is installed
on.
Replace Win8 with the name of the folder youve just created to copy-
paste the install.wim file.

8. The process is successful when the confirmation message is:

REAGENTC.EXE: Operation Successful.

Method #2

Method #2 allows you to configure your Windows 8/8.1 to perform Refresh

without having the installation media to create this configuration.
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Method #1, for example, allows you to perform a Reset as well. Using Method
#2 will not work for the Reset procedure.

Follow these steps:

1. Boot into your system

2. Go to Computer

3. Go to the main drive where Windows 8/8.1 is installed on, e.g. C:

4. Create a new folder: Win8Image

5. Open Command Prompt as an Administrator

6. Type:

recimg CreateImage C:\Win8Image

7. Press Enter

Reset without installation media

Follow these steps in order to run the Reset procedure without Windows 8/8.1
asking for the installation media each time:

1. Boot into your Windows 8/8.1

2. Go to Computer

3. Go to the main drive, e.g. C: This is the drive where your Windows 8/8.1
is installed on.

4. Create a new folder, called Win8

5. Insert the Windows 8/8.1 installation media and go to the Source folder.
If you dont have the installation media, use the Windows 8/8.1s ISO
image thats available for download from your Microsoft account:

Download the ISO file

Right-click on the ISO file

Click Mount
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6. Copy the install.wim file from the Source folder

7. Paste the install.wim file to the recently created Win8 folder

8. Open Command Prompt. You can type cmd at the Start screen to open
it. Make sure you run Command Prompt as an Administrator.

9. Type this command:

reagentc.exe /setosimage /path C:\Win8 /target c:\Windows /Index 1

Make sure to replace the following variables: C: and Win8

10. When the output confirmation message is Operation Successful, you

can exit Command Prompt:

REAGENTC.EXE: Operation Successful.

After following these steps, you can reset the Windows 8/8.1 system without
the installation media:

1. Go to PC Settings

The Windows 8 Advanced startup screen in PC settings

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2. Click Get started at the Reset your PC section

More Information

Support Links

Easy Recovery Essentials for Windows our repair and recovery disk.

Its an easy-to-use and automated diagnostics disk. Its available for

Windows 8, Windows 7 and Windows Vista. Its also available for
Windows XP and Windows Server.

Read more at Windows Recovery Disks.

The NeoSmart Support Forums, member-to-member technical support

and troubleshooting.

Get a discounted price on replacement setup and installation discs:

Windows 8.

Applicable Systems

This Windows-related knowledgebase article applies to the following

operating systems:

Windows 8 (all editions)

Windows 8.1 (all editions)

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