Making USB drive with Restore Partition - Lost USB

[dkp23]

If i make a restore partition on a USB to increase storage, what happens if i lose the USB and want to factory reset, Am I screwed?

 

[petersun21]

I want to know the answer too.

 

[johnbash612]

I feel like you would have to get it from someone else or visit the Microsoft store, maybe they have usb backups waiting... I'm thinking that would be smart on their part.

 

[RTGent]

I feel like you would have to get it from someone else or visit the Microsoft store, maybe they have usb backups waiting... I'm thinking that would be smart on their part.

This is my strategy. I'm not worrying about backing up or restoring anything on the RT -there isn't anything that isn't easily recoverable from an MS store and SkyDrive.

 

[anon(5562316)]

Just make 2 or 3 copies. Usb drives aren't exactly expensive.

 

[dkp23]

Just make 2 or 3 copies. Usb drives aren't exactly expensive.

so what, why would i go and buy multiple usbs when i shouldn't have to.

 

[aldovelco]

so what, why would i go and buy multiple usbs when i shouldn't have to.

Then just don't delete the recovery partition. In my opinion you shouldn't delete it but it's up to you

 

[sinime]

Couldn't you back up the USB stick to your PC to have 2 copies?

And/or if it's a full copy of windows, you might be able to download from MS, just make sure to have the product code.

 

[anon(5562316)]

so what, why would i go and buy multiple usbs when i shouldn't have to.

Oh dear. OEMs have charged customers for lost disks for years. Then they started making you burn your own! If you forgot and needed them they would charge.

Delete the partition then loose the usb your problem when you need it don't blame Microsoft.

 

[dkp23]

Oh dear. OEMs have charged customers for lost disks for years. Then they started making you burn your own! If you forgot and needed them they would charge.

Delete the partition then loose the usb your problem when you need it don't blame Microsoft.

So losing things never happen, things never break, dogs never get to things and chew them up....

ok got it.

 

[stephen_az]

If i make a restore partition on a USB to increase storage, what happens if i lose the USB and want to factory reset, Am I screwed?

Given Microsoft tells you in the instructions that you do this at your own risk, it is a pretty safe assumption you would be temporarily screwed. I expect you would probably have to take it into a Microsoft store or ship it back to be reimaged. You should, of course, contact Microsoft but my bet it they will not just send you thumb drive, or at least not without making it rather onerous first.

 

[erasure25]

so what, why would i go and buy multiple usbs when i shouldn't have to.

Seriously? They are like $10. Or make a copy and store it on your desktop, skydrive, dropbox, etc. Its not rocket science...

 

[TeknoBlast]

Then just don't delete the recovery partition. In my opinion you shouldn't delete it but it's up to you

Totally agree. People these days want to shift the responsibility and blame to someone else.

"Well if you would have just given me an extra 8GBs of space, I wouldn't have to place the recovery partition on a USB. At the same time, I don't want to spend $10 on a USB drive because that's not my responsibility. Wait, I think MS should just give me the partition at the store in case I lose the USB drive. What if I lose it and I need to reset my Surface to factory settings? Yes yes MS should reimage my Surface for free, that's right because it's their fault that I removed the recovery partition.."

The above is what a whiny, blame-shifting, irresponsible person sounds like.

 

[johninsj]

so what, why would i go and buy multiple usbs when i shouldn't have to.

You don't have to do it, that's why MS put it on the device, in its own partition. If, however YOU want to CHOOSE to move it to a USB key, then you have to deal with your choice.

Honestly, I don't think it would be impossible to walk into a Microsoft store with a USB key in hand and get one made, if you find yourself unable to find the one you made.

 

[TeknoBlast]

However, removing the recovery partition shouldnt have been done in the first place. Just leave it intact because you never know what might happen. That's why there's a SD slot. If you want more memory, then there's your option.

This is what I do. Of course, apps that are downloaded from the MS Store are installed on the local drive. So that stays the same. Any media or work files I place them on the SD card only. Problem solved.

 

[dkp23]

However, removing the recovery partition shouldnt have been done in the first place. Just leave it intact because you never know what might happen. That's why there's a SD slot. If you want more memory, then there's your option.

This is what I do. Of course, apps that are downloaded from the MS Store are installed on the local drive. So that stays the same. Any media or work files I place them on the SD card only. Problem solved.

It is not as simple as you and most people make it seem. It isn't so simple to "just put it on the SDcard". I understand what you are saying, if I am need more room, then I can stick my media on my SDcard so that my local drive has more room, ok, I get it. The issue is simply that the experience with the surface is not the same if you put your music/video/pictures on the local drive vs on the sdcard. If i put my media in the sdcard, the apps do not read, you can't make playlists, you have to use the file explorer to find the files. Ok, now people will reference the work around posted by Thurott and other sites, but they do not work properly for the most part. The app does not update with new files, music stop when the surface goes on idle, pictures dont show up. Some of the other techy processes are harder to understand for the average consumer such as myself and dont work properly anyway even though people keep saying it does.

Here is my experience which I assume can be similar to most, within two days of having the surface and configuring, I had all the 1st party MS apps, i downloaded probably 15-10 or so 3rd party apps whether it is a photo editor, facebook, twitter app, new apps, reader apps. Then probably downloaded about 10 games. I put in about 3 gigs of my music and two videos which totaled about 1.5 gbs. That is all, my storage was down to 3.5 GB left out of the 32 gb model. Is your serious? To even get to 10 gb, i struggled finding apps to uninstall so I did, i uninstalled a bunch of games and a bunch of apps, no would i need those apps every day? I think most people like myself want to be able to use a device and not have to micromanage the storage out of the box. It is one thing to run out of storage over time, it is another to run out of storage out of the box. This includes all the disk management cleaning.

I get it, there is a recovery partition, there is office, but if an sdcard is a solution, then the sdcard files need to read like if it was a local file. I shouldn't have to waste my time transferring back and forth because the 32gb is tapped out by just downloading apps.

 

[TeknoBlast]

It is not as simple as you and most people make it seem. It isn't so simple to "just put it on the SDcard". I understand what you are saying, if I am need more room, then I can stick my media on my SDcard so that my local drive has more room, ok, I get it. The issue is simply that the experience with the surface is not the same if you put your music/video/pictures on the local drive vs on the sdcard. If i put my media in the sdcard, the apps do not read, you can't make playlists, you have to use the file explorer to find the files. Ok, now people will reference the work around posted by Thurott and other sites, but they do not work properly for the most part. The app does not update with new files, music stop when the surface goes on idle, pictures dont show up. Some of the other techy processes are harder to understand for the average consumer such as myself and dont work properly anyway even though people keep saying it does.

Here is my experience which I assume can be similar to most, within two days of having the surface and configuring, I had all the 1st party MS apps, i downloaded probably 15-10 or so 3rd party apps whether it is a photo editor, facebook, twitter app, new apps, reader apps. Then probably downloaded about 10 games. I put in about 3 gigs of my music and two videos which totaled about 1.5 gbs. That is all, my storage was down to 3.5 GB left out of the 32 gb model. Is your serious? To even get to 10 gb, i struggled finding apps to uninstall so I did, i uninstalled a bunch of games and a bunch of apps, no would i need those apps every day? I think most people like myself want to be able to use a device and not have to micromanage the storage out of the box. It is one thing to run out of storage over time, it is another to run out of storage out of the box. This includes all the disk management cleaning.

I get it, there is a recovery partition, there is office, but if an sdcard is a solution, then the sdcard files need to read like if it was a local file. I shouldn't have to waste my time transferring back and forth because the 32gb is tapped out by just downloading apps.

You know, I was that guy that tried several methods to get my apps to recognize the media files I added. I finally found one that worked and it's been working for several days. So instead of taking up most of my space on the local drive, it's all on the SD card. It took a little extra work, but it's a one time process and it's been great.


But even if you only use the local drive and load up tons of video files, one should delete them once they are viewed. Why keep a movie or show long term on the Surface since it's going to be a one-time viewed file. Once you delete them, Im sure you have a copy from that file on another computer.


After the process I used, theres no management to keep up with.

I get that many people are not that techy, but anyone that can follow directions can do it.

Here's a link that has the instructions.

Microsoft Surface

It's a longer process to get the apps to read off the SD card correctly but it works.

 

[dkp23]

You know, I was that guy that tried several methods to get my apps to recognize the media files I added. I finally found one that worked and it's been working for several days. So instead of taking up most of my space on the local drive, it's all on the SD card. It took a little extra work, but it's a one time process and it's been great.


But even if you only use the local drive and load up tons of video files, one should delete them once they are viewed. Why keep a movie or show long term on the Surface since it's going to be a one-time viewed file. Once you delete them, Im sure you have a copy from that file on another computer.


After the process I used, theres no management to keep up with.

I get that many people are not that techy, but anyone that can follow directions can do it.

Here's a link that has the instructions.

Microsoft Surface

It's a longer process to get the apps to read off the SD card correctly but it works.

I agree no need to put movies on the surface, i put it on there because i didnt have an sdcard at that time. So now i have one, no issues. More concerned with music killing up space, i can't have my full catalog because the surface doesn't recognize sdcard as a drive. Perhaps i can try at some point, but instead of doing the vhd, i just had my apps download to the SD card, at least that saved up a ton of space, so now im at 14 gb.

Maybe ill go back and do the vhd thing, but just seems too complicated, the storage space saved by installing apps on the sdcards is sufficient for now.

 

[TeknoBlast]

I agree no need to put movies on the surface, i put it on there because i didnt have an sdcard at that time. So now i have one, no issues. More concerned with music killing up space, i can't have my full catalog because the surface doesn't recognize sdcard as a drive. Perhaps i can try at some point, but instead of doing the vhd, i just had my apps download to the SD card, at least that saved up a ton of space, so now im at 14 gb.

Maybe ill go back and do the vhd thing, but just seems too complicated, the storage space saved by installing apps on the sdcards is sufficient for now.

The complication of those instructions was not that hard. Honestly, it took me three tries to get it to work and the issue was user error. I placed a period where I wasnt suppose to and it kept the process from working. After I took me time on it, it finally worked and saw what I did wrong.

 

[anon(5562316)]

I'm using the vhd option and it works great. I feel my data is safer stored separately from the os drive anyway so this is perfect.