HP Recovery tool won't run. Keeps asking for admin permission. Program already set to run as admin

[LuniLadi]

I messed up a system transfer (using PCMover software) going from my old laptop (HP Envy) to my new HP Spectre and now my HP Spectre can't boot up. I've downloaded HP Recovery tool from MS store. Checks for updates and says it's the latest version. After checking for updates there's an "open" button and when I click on it a box pops up saying "administrator privileges needed" and closes.  I cannot right click this "open" button.

I've tried right clicking on the installer exe file. Same result.

I've gone into properties and set the file to run as administrator. Same result

Can someone please help me? I'd  love to restore the Spectre to factory settings before trying to wipe the drive for a clean Windows 10 install. (Both machines need to run the same Windows version for a transfer and the Envy does NOT support 11)

Thanks so much

[zoey7886]

@LuniLadi, Welcome to the HP Support Community!  

Thanks for reaching out about your query regarding Boot-Up Issue! 

We're thrilled to have the opportunity to assist you and provide a solution.  

Restart Your HP Spectre:

• Completely power off your HP Spectre x360 and then turn it back on. On startup, try accessing the BIOS settings by pressing F2 or Esc repeatedly during the boot process. This will not solve the software issue, but can sometimes resolve minor startup glitches.

Safe Mode:

• Try booting Windows in Safe Mode. You can do this by:
  • Restarting the device and pressing F8 as it boots.
  • Selecting 'Safe Mode' from the options.
• This mode uses minimal drivers and can help you troubleshoot further without additional software interference.

Run HP Recovery Tool as Administrator:

• Locate the Tool: Navigate to where HP Recovery is installed (typically in the Start menu or Programs folder).
• Run as Administrator: Right-click on the application and select "Run as administrator." This option should bypass the issue of needing administrative privileges.

Check for User Account Control (UAC) Settings:

• Sometimes, UAC can prevent programs from running with the needed permissions. Go to the Control Panel > User Accounts > Change User Account Control settings. Temporarily lower the setting, try running the tool again, and ensure to set it back higher afterward for security.

Use HP Support Assistant:

• If the system booted successfully in Safe Mode, you could try using the HP Support Assistant tool, which might help identify and resolve issues.

Return to Original State:

• If System Restore points are available, revert the system back to a time before the PC Mover software was used. This can undo changes caused during the migration.

Perform a Hard Reset:

• Disconnect any external devices and hold the power button for 15 seconds. This won’t delete data but can resolve basic issues.  

Hope this helps! 

Take care, and have an amazing day!  

Did we resolve the issue? If yes, Please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going!  

Regards, 

[LuniLadi]

Hi Zoey,

I managed to get the HP Recovery tool to work and have restored my laptop to factory settings.YAAAAY

BUT....

Since my new HP laptop was "destroyed" while attempting a transfer of my old HP laptop, I thought it would be a good idea to create a disk image of the new machine before attempting the transfer again. (which I guess I should have done in the FIRST place!)

The disk image fails with the following error message: "Failure in preparing the backup image of one of the volumes in the set (0x807800C5) Mounted backup volume is inaccessible. Retry (0x8078004F)

Disk 0 is a SSD with 1T with these partitions:

System   FAT 32 EFI system partition MB

Windows C: NTFS 953 GB (bitlocker)

Windows RE tools NTFS 529 MB recovery partition

Image selection is:

ERI system partition 260 MB   89.26MB used

Windows (C:) (system) 953.07 GB 67.17 GB used

Windows RE tools (system) 529 MB 467.56MB used

Is this a bitlocker issue? Or?

I'm SO close to getting this done. I hope you can help me solve this.

Thanks for your time,effort and help

Luni

PS You have the exact same name as my 2 yo granddaughter! I'm hoping it's a sign from the Universe.

[zoey7886]

@LuniLadi, 

Thanks so much for your kind words — that’s so sweet! I’ll take it as a good sign too — what a lovely coincidence that your granddaughter and I share the same name! 😊

I’m really glad to hear you got the HP Recovery Tool to work and restored your Spectre — well done on sticking through that! Now let’s tackle the disk image issue.

Yes, based on the error message (0x807800C5 and 0x8078004F), BitLocker is very likely the cause. Windows Backup sometimes struggles with BitLocker-encrypted volumes if they’re not properly unlocked or if permissions aren’t handled right during the backup process.

Here’s what you can try:

Suspend BitLocker Temporarily

Go to Control Panel > BitLocker Drive Encryption

Select Suspend protection for the C: drive

Confirm and try the disk image creation again

Run Backup as Administrator

Right-click the backup software you’re using and select “Run as administrator”

Use an External Destination

Ensure the backup is being saved to an external drive that’s formatted as NTFS and has sufficient space.

Check Volume Shadow Copy Service

Press Win + R, type services.msc

Scroll to Volume Shadow Copy, make sure it’s set to Manual and Running

If not, right-click > Start

If you continue facing trouble, we can explore using Macrium Reflect Free or EaseUS Todo Backup for imaging — they tend to work well with BitLocker.

You’re almost there, Luni — and I’m here to help you cross that finish line!

Did we resolve the issue? If yes, Please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going!  

Regards,