Unable to reset HP Stream 11 Missing Recovery Partition

[Dudefoxlive]

Hi, i am working on a friends laptop and they want to reset it because SUPRISE the laptop only has 32 GB of storage and with Windows 10 Home taking at least half of that theres not alot of storage left.  Well while trying to reset it i am getting a message about "Could not find the recovery environment" "Insert your Windows installation or recovery media, and restart your PC with the media."  after looking i have found that there is no recovery partition.  I am not sure if the owner has deleted this by accident or if it never had one but i think it did at one point as she said she was about to reset it before.  Now im at a stopping point.  Sense the recovery partition usually holds the factory image and that is gone and the built in recovery is not working either i am left with manual reinstallation of Windows 10 or purchasing a recovery media from HP.  Any help would be nice.

[IT_WinSec · Accepted solution]

Hi @Dudefoxlive

Thank you for posting.

Recovery drive can be purchased online from this website (for Win 8.1 )>> http://www.computersurgeons.com/p-27635-windows-81-recovery-kit-798686-002-for-hp-stream-notebook-mo...

It costs ~27 USD.

If you want to reinstall Windows 10 - the fastest, cheapest (free) and easiest solution is manual Windows 10 reinstallation - not difficult - here are instructions >> https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Operating-System-and-Recovery/Impossible-to-update-operating-...

Hope this helps you !

[Dudefoxlive]

A reinstallation of Windows 10 is not hard as i can plug the machine into my network and PXE boot into my MDT Server and image a clean copy of Windows 10 Fall Creators Update onto the machine.  The only problem is that there will be no OEM customizations on it which kinda I don't know how to say but does not make it feel complete.  Either way this is most likely going to be my option.

[Huffer]

There's another option. Download Windows 10 install media from Microsoft Media Creation Tool site. You can reinstall and it will activate without any kind of Key Code.

First back up and save the C:\swsetup folder which contains drivers and utility apps from HP and use that once you have Windows 10 installed. On the 32 gig models you want to do a compressed or compact installation.

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-reduce-windows-10-footprint-your-pc

Install a SD card in the slot and mount that as D:\ and at first opportunity relocate the Library files to D:\

Turn off hibernation and set the swap (virtual memory) as small as possible. As you install apps see if you can install them on D:\. Windows 10 generally does not like you to do that but in some cases it works. 

Post back with any other questions. Remind your friends they likely paid $200 or so for this laptop and if it seems too good to be true it is and you get what you pay for. These 32 gig machines are called cloudbooks and the theory is you will store all your stuff in the cloud. They are a constant source of issues here in the Forum. 

[Dudefoxlive]

I did notice that this computer has Windows 10 Home X64 installed on it and i am not sure if X64 is meant to be installed.  I do know that with 2GB of Ram it is not very fast so i am asking.  Did this machine come with Windows 8.1 X64?

[Huffer]

Yes with Bing which is a really small footprint. There is no corresponding tiny Windows 10 install.That is why you need to do the compressed install. I would not install Windows 8.1 on my friend's computer. 

[IT_WinSec]

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@Dudefoxlivewrote:

A reinstallation of Windows 10 is not hard as i can plug the machine into my network and PXE boot into my MDT Server and image a clean copy of Windows 10 Fall Creators Update onto the machine.  The only problem is that there will be no OEM customizations on it which kinda I don't know how to say but does not make it feel complete.  Either way this is most likely going to be my option.

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Not sure if you will be able to network boot this device. Haven't tested it this way but they don't have a LAN port (Ethernet) to plug them in 🙂  With regards to the OEM customizations, it's personal preference but most apps can be reinstalled either from the website of HP (support.hp.com) or via the software folder mentioned by Huffer.

If you want OEM customizations, you can purchase the recovery drive from ComputerSurgeons and use Windows 8.1 on this device.

[Dudefoxlive]

RIP there is no LAN port.  Im suprised that i never noticed that.  Eitherway I can manually reinstall Windows and i think i can backup some of the OEM customizations from the Registry and by coping files. 

[IT_WinSec]

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@Dudefoxlivewrote:

RIP there is no LAN port.  Im suprised that i never noticed that. 

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Cloudbook - netbook @Dudefoxlive

small portable PC + long lasting battery + Windows license + additional software = all just for 199 $

It's really worth the money but it can't have all the perks of a PC which costs 1999 USD

[Dudefoxlive]

True i can completely agree on that.  I have talked with the owner and she had decided to have me manually reinstall Windows.  I will be doing that later on today.