There is a previous post that posted unexpectedly (think because my session timed out).
It is incomplete and unedited.
Please disregard.
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Aura,
In your last post (#81) you gave the following link for the Windows 8.1 ISO that you said you were able to download successfully.
Create installation media for Windows 8.1 - Windows Help
From that link I was also able to download the Media Creation Tool successfully.
When the Media Creation Tool app is executed the tool proceeds to download the appropriately selected Windows 8.1 ISO which also completed successfully.
Following Rufus instructions I successfully created a bootable USB drive for installing Windows 8.1 on my system which currently has a corrupt Windows 8.1 installation.
From the bootable USB drive I execute its 'setup.exe' file and installation of Windows 8.1 is initiated on my system.
Early into the installation I'm prompted to allow removal of a user installed app, specifically Brother Utilities a printer utility.
I exit the install at this point as I didn't want to permit this app being removed, especially since I wasn't expecting such a request.
This Windows 8.1 install I'm expecting is a repair install to fix a compromised operating system installation.
Which I take to mean will NOT disturb user installed data and apps when doing the repair of the corrupted operating system.
I don't want to commit to the repair install until I know exactly what's going to happen.
In my post (#78) I reference a third party Dell Windows Reinstallation Guide titled 'Download Windows 8.1 Retail and OEM .iso '.
Link to this guide is
Download Windows 8.1 Retail and OEM .iso | The Unofficial Windows 10 Reinstallation Guide.
At the end of Part 2 of this guide are two links.
The first one an 'iso' for an OEM edition and the second for the Retail edition.
In reality the links given for the two editions are one and the same.
That link being Downloading a Windows 8.1 with Update 1 .iso.
According to an accompanying video to the webpage guide the 'iso' is specifically for a 'Windows 8.1 Update 1' REFRESH, RESTORE, or REINSTALL installation.
It is located just above Part 1 of the guide.
The link to the video tutorial is
Download Windows 8.1 Retail and OEM .iso – Video Tutorial | The Unofficial Windows 10 Reinstallation Guide.
The one 'iso' is designed to allow install of any 5 of 8 editions of Windows 8.1.
The 'iso' will accept generic registration keys (included in the guide) only for installing Windows 8.1 but NOT for activating it.
The 'iso' will also accept OEM and Retail registrations that permit installation and activation.
The 'iso' will work with UEFI BIOS and MBR BIOS installs.
In Part 4 of the guide is a link to download the Windows 8.1 Media Creation Tool.
That link is
Create installation media for Windows 8.1 - Windows Help.
Your link Create installation media for Windows 8.1 - Windows Help given in your post (#81) is a redirection link.
Your link is redirected to link
Create installation media for Windows 8.1 - Windows Help.
Note that it is the same link given in Part 4 of the third party guide.
This link leads to a download of Microsoft's Media Creation Tool.
Once downloaded it permits creation of a bootable USB drive from which a 'Windows 8.1 Update 1' install can be performed onto a system.
BELOW HERE IS OUTLINED THE CRUX OF MY PROBLEM.
When the successfully downloaded Media Creation Tool is executed, at a point in following the instructions, the user is asked to input (enter) the desired 'iso' that was previously downloaded.
The Media Creation Tool has a not so appropriately named title 'Create installation media for Windows 8.1' which can be taken to imply that it contains already the 'iso' for creating a bootable USB drive which can be used for installing 'Windows 8.1'.
But this is NOT so, the user is required to supply the appropriate 'iso' for Windows edition he is desiring to install on a system.
The third party guide just above Part 7 states "If you had no problems determining your Edition, making the .iso and are ready to clean install see Windows 8.1 Installation.".
Note the mention CLEAN install in the quote above made by the author of the guide.
In the author's accompanying video tutorial to the webpage guide he specifically states that the 'iso' is to be used to REFRESH, RESET, or REINSTALL 'Windows 8.1 Update 1' (listen to video audio at time beginning at 6:00 minutes).
No mention is made of a REPAIR install in either the written guide or video tutorial.
My three (3) options available under Recovery in my current install are
1. Refresh your PC without affecting your files (this wipes out user installed data and apps)
2. Remove everything and reinstall Windows (this obviously does the same)
3. Advanced startup
Option 1 is ineffective since my current install is corrupted and I'm unable to complete a Refresh.
Option 2 is a wipeout and not an option of choice since I want to retain user installed data and apps.
Option 3 has been only partially explored at this point in my trying to get my system restored with your help.
Since the third party guide makes no mention of a REPAIR reinstall, I'm not sure this option is available.
Does a full RETAIL edition have available a specific selectable REPAIR (non-destructive to user installed data and apps) option, that my Dell recovery option doesn't have?
What am I missing?
