74 replies to this topic

[DAVE46KENT]

mwright, on Apr 28 2009, 18:41, said:

Its OK - I managed to download it

God i could do with the download of that to,  can you help,

[pd.ryder]

Here's one source from the MSI Wind forum complete with discussion and directions on how to compile a bootable usb drive.

And here's some very good, straightforward advice regarding what to do with the files... (again Kudos to MSI Wind forum):

"Davidjj" said:

I just thought I would add this for total novices like me.

Firstly Pello's recovery files work and I have just recovered my son's Advent 4211C even though he hadn't bothered to back up the recovery files.

Novices might find these comments helpful:

There are 2 places where you can find the recovery files:

http://forums.msiwin...edia-t5390.html

Read Pello's instructions caerefully.  Please note the site does not always allow downloads but re-visit and you will get them all eventually.  Alternatively get them from here:

http://www.megaupload.com/?f=UXH5SG8J

Again this site isn't perfect but with persistence you will get all the files.

Once you have downloaded all 35 of the 50MB files plus the winzip file and put them all in the same directory unzip the winzip file (I downloaded the free winzip application from http://www.cnet.com) and it magically creates the recovery file with an extension of ODN.  If you get this far you are on your way to recovery - make a note of where this file is located.

Next I had to make my USB memory stick bootable.  I did this by following instructions off this web-site (If I can do it ... so can you):

http://www.bay-wolf....usbmemstick.htm

Having followed the instructions I checked my memory stick would boot.  Plug it into Advent 4211C switch on and hold down F11.  After a few seconds boot screen comes up and low and behold memory stick is in the list of bootable devices.  Select memory stick and soon if it is bootable it will bring up a DOS prompt screen starting C:\ ..... this is good news but dont go further  - switch off.

Unplug memory stick and go back to Pello's instructions.

You now need the ODIN application.  I couldn't get it from Pello's location so I went to the ODIN website and downloaded it from:
http://sourceforge.n...jects/odin-win/


Once extracted you will find an ODIN application.

Insert memory stick into your working PC

Run ODIN

This bit is a bit tricky:

Check Recovery at the top - not back up

Select your memory stick from the list of drives

Half way down dialogue box click on the browse button (square with 3 dots)

Where it says files of type Select all files

Find the ODN file that you created earlier and select it.

Press start and wait.  Once completed you should have your ODN recovery key on a bootable USB drive.

Back to the Advent.  Insert memory stick.  Switch on. Hold down F11.  Select USB memory key and BINGO stand back as your Advent goes into recovery mode.

Store all files and applications used in a location you can find them for next time 15 year old son screws up.

Good Luck.

I hope that helps folks out of a sticky hole

[WizardTizzle]

pd.ryder, on Jul 18 2009, 10:58, said:

Here's one source from the MSI Wind forum complete with discussion and directions on how to compile a bootable usb drive.

And here's some very good, straightforward advice regarding what to do with the files... (again Kudos to MSI Wind forum):



I hope that helps folks out of a sticky hole

Hey there! Didn't realise this thread was still active (as of this year!) - started my own..eep. To explain my problem, see here: http://netbooks.moda...11-help-needed/


But regardless...I can't seem to get anywhere near the MSI Wind forums - and I REALLY need to find a way to get the recovery partition back...I've got someone else relying on me (if it was me, I wouldn't care and would just install something else...somehow. (Lack of USB Optical drive...tsk). I need access to a working pen drive image...a way to make my kingston pen drive reliably bootable (god knows I've spent 3 days trying different methods (inc. wolfbay method)) The other issue - the XP license code has worn off the sticker, I assume (judging by taking a look in the files from my pen drive) that there is a license file in the recovery backup thingy. If I get a working recovery image onto my pen drive, I could paste in the license file...and onwards I go!

Anyhow, gonna stop gabbling and hopefully wait for some help!

Regards.

[pd.ryder]

I've had problems getting onto the MSI site too over the last few days. It must be down for some reason.

I've got the image but no ftp to let others d/l from. I don't know how to help because its too large to upload here.

Any suggestions?

[pd.ryder]

The megaupload link in post #42 is still live and contains the files.

[WizardTizzle]

ooh! ok - wasn't sure exactly what was contained within them - will download now...here's hoping...! I could also do with a link to a definitive guide to making the pen drive bootable (I'm running XP x64, the laptop is of course running XP...if that matters). Thankyou SO very MUCH! if I can sort this laptop, my nuts are saved!

[WizardTizzle]

Never mind - idiot question! Got a lotta clicking to do... file by single flipping file ^^. Nearly done now.

Edited by WizardTizzle, 28 October 2009 - 03:09 AM.

[pd.ryder]

The image is 1.6GB in total. The info I (fortunately it seems cuz the Wind forum is down now) posted in #42 above shows there's 35 of them and a winzip file. They're unzipped to give one 1.6GB file. You'll need the directions which follow (in #42) to get the Advent to boot from that into recovery mode.

Stand back, light the touch paper... fingers crossed

[WizardTizzle]

WOOOOOO!!

I finally got it to boot off my USB STICK!! WOOO!!

I could KISS the people who helped me with this...the people with the files...the dude who spoke to me. Or buy them beer. Either way! THANKYOU! the person who owns this laptop ISN'T gonna kill me no more WOOOOOOT!!

THANKYOU!

EDIT: When I'm next employed (and in the black) I WILL find a way of sending you a crate of beer...after all, you're only in Gloucestershire...hardly the other side of the world

Edited by WizardTizzle, 28 October 2009 - 05:10 AM.

[pd.ryder]

Good to hear it all went well

Congrats.

[pd.ryder]

Addit:- Did you upgrade the BIOS to the MSI version whilst you were at it? Anything over v1.9 gives up to 25% overclocking. Mine runs very stable when o/c meaning I've got a tiny netbook running at 2.1GHz

[jackb71]

hiya. newbie here. been scouring this site since last night. my wife has recently been given an advent 4211c to keep if she can fix it. (or rather if i can fix it). when i log on i get a blank screen saying "windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware config prob. could not read from the selected boot disk......"
well i have went into bios and tried all variants to boot from but to no avail so i now wish to try and set up a bootable usb with recovery on it. i noticed pd,ryders post earlier and i am trying to use that as a guide. i have made my usb bootable and am in process of downloading the files needed from megaupload.
i have noticed people talking about pellos recovery guide. could someone pls point me to this guide. i cannot seem to find it.
pls excuse me if i am in wrong place or my post is daft. i'm not that tech minded.
thank you in advance

[ampws]

For all you people needing the USB Backup:

http://rapidshare.co..._Key.part01.rar

http://rapidshare.co..._Key.part02.rar

http://rapidshare.co..._Key.part03.rar

http://rapidshare.co..._Key.part04.rar

http://rapidshare.co..._Key.part05.rar

http://rapidshare.co..._Key.part06.rar

http://rapidshare.co..._Key.part07.rar

http://rapidshare.co..._Key.part07.rar

http://rapidshare.co..._Key.part08.rar

http://rapidshare.co..._Key.part09.rar

http://rapidshare.co..._Key.part10.rar

http://rapidshare.co..._Key.part11.rar

http://rapidshare.co..._Key.part12.rar

http://rapidshare.co..._Key.part13.rar

http://rapidshare.co..._Key.part14.rar

http://rapidshare.co..._Key.part15.rar

http://rapidshare.co..._Key.part16.rar

http://rapidshare.co..._Key.part17.rar

http://rapidshare.co..._Key.part18.rar

http://rapidshare.co..._Key.part19.rar

http://rapidshare.co..._Key.part20.rar

http://rapidshare.co..._Key.part21.rar

Enjoy  

[ampws]

Also found this from Heterodox on MSIWIND.net.Archive (MSIWIND)

Quote

Hi
It seems a bit wrong to me that anybody should have to pay for a recovery dvd. I bought an advent 4211
last summer, and was extremely frustrated that the techguys recovery backup program wouldn't make a
backup dvd, only an SD card or USB stick. However i managed to copy files from the hidden recovery
partition to the C partition (the C drive is mounted as V or R in the recovery environment, however is not
browseable through the command prompt, use the open file dialogue in notepad), and using the MS Windows
Automatic Install Kit create a bootable restore DVD. I have used the DVD a few times now, and using it
restores the laptop to factory settings, if you deleted the recovery partition, it will be back again after using
this DVD to restore.

I made some instructions to make your own DVD, obviously you will need a usb dvd writer, and either a copy
of the Windows Automatic Install Kit (1GB+, free from MS), or just the oscdimg.exe (~75Kb, the only part
actually needed, which can be found on its own through google).


1. Reboot into the techguys recovery

2. Choose Advanced options and open a command prompt.

Assuming the main partition (C:) is mounted as V:, and the recovery partition is mounted as R:

You can check the drive letters by opening the notepad, then goto file > open, now you can open 'Computer'
and see which letters are assigned to which partition

3. Make a directory on the main partition with the recovery files we need:

mkdir V:\ISO

cd R:

xcopy /S HDD V:\ISO\

4. Copy over the etfsboot.com file needed to make the DVD bootable

cd Windows\Boot\DVD\PCAT

copy etfsboot.com C:

5. All done in the recovery partition, reboot into xp

6. Check the ISO folder and ensure the directory structure is as follows:

<ISO>
   <BOOT>
      BCD
      BOOT.SDI
      <FONTS>
         etc etc...
   <SOURCES>
      BOOT.WIM
   <WIMFILES>
      XP.WIM

7. IMPORTANT: Make sure to remove any files not listed above. (First DVD I made had a folder labelled EFI,
and not removing it caused an error, and forced restart once inside the recovery environment.)

8. Copy oscdimg.exe to C:\Windows\system32 folder (if you've not installed WAIK).

9. Open a command prompt and enter the following:

   oscdimg -bc:\etfsboot.com -h -u2 -m -lADVENT4211 c:\ISO\ C:\recovery.iso



If anyone wants a copy (if you no longer have your recovery partition, or can't follow the instructions for whatever
reason), send me a pm and I'll give you a direct link to the .iso file (~1.6gb on 10Mb uplink) which your then more
than welcome to redistribute in any way you please, as I myself am unwilling to use bittorrent etc to distribute this.

Cheers

Hope this helps.

AMPWS

Edited by ampws, 14 February 2010 - 03:45 PM.

[pd.ryder]

Good find AMPWS I was going to get around to replying to your PM today as well

The link in post 54 above is dud - whizzes off to nowhere in particular on this board rather than msiwind forum. I've had problems getting on to the msiwind forum lately so it's nice to see there's still some info coming off that site.

[ampws]

Just edited the post to correct the problem. I didn't think to test the link when I previewed the post. Ooops  

[busterdan]

Hi all,
I'd really appreciate your help please...

Both my kids have 4211c's that they purchased with their own money that they saved up.  Both are now over a year old and one has now decided to die... I thought it wouldn't be a problem as I could recover from the second 4211 but the recovery programme fails.

I have followed the instructions in this thread and have a USB memory stick that will run the 98 startup files to a command prompt.  I also have the recovery files that I downloaded over many days.  The problem is that when I combine the two onto a 2GB memory card all that happens is that a flashing "_" is displayed.

I'm pulling my hair out with this now and get tired of my kids fighting for access to the one 4211

I'd appreciate any further advice... thanks.

[busterdan]

Hi all,
I'd really appreciate your help please...

Both my kids have 4211c's that they purchased with their own money that they saved up.  Both are now over a year old and one has now decided to die... I thought it wouldn't be a problem as I could recover from the second 4211 but the recovery programme fails.

I have followed the instructions in this thread and have a USB memory stick that will run the 98 startup files to a command prompt.  I also have the recovery files that I downloaded over many days.  The problem is that when I combine the two onto a 2GB memory card all that happens is that a flashing "_" is displayed.

I'm pulling my hair out with this now and get tired of my kids fighting for access to the one 4211

I'd appreciate any further advice... thanks.

[busterdan]

Hi all,
I'd really appreciate your help please...

Both my kids have 4211c's that they purchased with their own money that they saved up.  Both are now over a year old and one has now decided to die... I thought it wouldn't be a problem as I could recover from the second 4211 but the recovery programme fails.

I have followed the instructions in this thread and have a USB memory stick that will run the 98 startup files to a command prompt.  I also have the recovery files that I downloaded over many days.  The problem is that when I combine the two onto a 2GB memory card all that happens is that a flashing "_" is displayed.

I'm pulling my hair out with this now and get tired of my kids fighting for access to the one 4211

I'd appreciate any further advice... thanks.

[busterdan]

Hi all,
I'd really appreciate your help please...

Both my kids have 4211c's that they purchased with their own money that they saved up.  Both are now over a year old and one has now decided to die... I thought it wouldn't be a problem as I could recover from the second 4211 but the recovery programme fails.

I have followed the instructions in this thread and have a USB memory stick that will run the 98 startup files to a command prompt.  I also have the recovery files that I downloaded over many days.  The problem is that when I combine the two onto a 2GB memory card all that happens is that a flashing "_" is displayed.

I'm pulling my hair out with this now and get tired of my kids fighting for access to the one 4211

I'd appreciate any further advice... thanks.