create functional recovery partition

Hello I lost my recovery partition in Win 8 a while back. Is the following a way to create a new recovery partition that will be as functional as the original I lost? 1-open disc management 2-right click C: and select "shrink volume". 3-allow for 3000 which is 3 GB 4-click shrink 5-right click the drive and click on new simple volume. 6-label it recovery I hope no data is lost although I am imaged. Any caveats or suggestions would be appreciated. I also do not know if I should adjust the other unallocated 100 MB space you can see in the attachment. I looked into volume on this drive and it said master boot record so best to leave it as is? Should it be labeled as such? Thank you

Nope, won't do you any good. You will have a empty partition with nothing in it that can be used to restore the computer to it's factory new state. The only way I know of to do this is to order the recovery discs from the manufacturer. But if you have that you don't need the recovery partition.

When I saw that on a tutorial in YouTube, I thought there was something wrong, like an empty shell. I have the discs I made when I got the pcs and also the installation cd I made from the iso for Win 8.. I also have the images of external drives for both 7 + 8 on both drives in case one fails. If I reinstall 8 can't I create the recovery partition by hiliting drive 0 unallocated space 800 GB, select custom, then drive, opts(adv), new, apply, ok? This is instead of clicking next after the 0 unallocated space 800 GB which would install 8 without the reserve partition.

I have the discs I made when I got the pcs and also the installation cd I made from the iso for Win 8..

if you made the full restore backup image disks (usually about 5 dvd's worth i believe.) when you first got the pc, then they should restore the pc back to an as new/factory condition including the restore partition that got deleted for you.
of course you will lose any/all data and programs you've installed since.

Yes, I made the dvds for Win 7 and I have the installation disc for Win 8 I made from the iso file. I was looking for a verification of the process to create a recovery partition as I saw a moderator's tutorial on a Win 8 forum. If you see my disc management you will see my partitions as they are now. I know the small one contains the MBR so I would not touch that one. I do think the steps outlined would create the recovery partition but I think I am well armed with images and the discs.

I also have the images of external drives for both 7 + 8 on both drives in case one fails.

Then I see no need for a "recovery partition". The problem with recovery partitions is they require the disk to be usable. But typically - not always but typically if a disk fails, the whole disk is hosed, not just one partition. That's why even when makers provide a recovery partition, they (and Windows too) urge new computer owners to create recovery disks in the event of a HD failure.

To be truthful, you are the first person I have seen who wanted to create a recovery partition. That is not a criticism because it tells us you are concerned about having a backup. Sadly, most users want to get rid of the recovery partition - only they fail to backup their data by other means - then whine and cry when their drive fails and they don't have a backup.

After all's said and done, would you prefer to have, or not have the recovery partition? I learn a lot by asking some of these seemingly naïve questions and most times I have the information I need in one of my learning folders which aides me when I am on the spot. There is not a worse feeling than having a mess with the pc and no image to or recovery to draw upon. It happened once but no more. I have an external drive for each of my pcs. I am thinking of getting a new external drive but they are all usb 3.0. Well, not all. Some are usb 2.0/3.0. I think I can use a 3.0 with my usb 2.0 drives but to backup or image but am not sure I can recover from the 3.0 to the 2.0 Thanks for the help. Peter.

but am not sure I can recover from the 3.0 to the 2.0

This is the second time in the last hour or so I saw something like this. USB is forwards and backwards compatible. The only issue is speed of data transfer. Data through a USB connection will only be as fast as the slowest link, but it will still transfer. If you have read something to the contrary, please provide a link.

After all's said and done, would you prefer to have, or not have the recovery partition?

Not. IMO, the recovery partition is only good for the first week or so of ownership. After that, I have already installed and setup my security, all my favorite programs (Office, media player, etc.), set up my networking, printers, added hardware drivers, and moved/copied all my data files and email over - not to mention installed all the Windows Updates that were released since the computer came off the assembly line.

The image from the recovery partition is likely to put me months or years behind. Why would I want to do that? So I would much rather create a current image/backup of my drive(s) and store them in safe location - like the bank's safe deposit box, or at a trusted neighbor's - that is, somewhere "offsite".

Remember, if your computer (with its recovery partition) is stolen, destroyed by flood, fire or lightning, how are you going to recover without some other "reliable" backup solution?

I am guilty of cross posting and offer up an apology. It really was not intentional as there was mixed content in one post.. I do understand about the recovery partition and will take the advice seriously. I have ample recovery with Macrium, and the discs I made, not to mention the iso file I created for Win 8. When I buy the external drive I will have a lot more information now than before. I currently have a 1TB drive for the laptop and a 2 TB for the desktop. They each have images of Win 7 and 8. I am going to put my current drive(hopefully 8.1) on the third along with an image of 8 before I update to Win 8.1. I hear it will be an update mid Oct. Sorry about the blunders and thank you for the help.

I was reading a thread on GeeksToGo where a persons if trying to do a restore from a backup made to an external HD, but the restore program does not see it. He says it's USB 2 but I think he means the port and I suspect the HD is USB 3.0 and XP does not have native drivers for USB 3.0 as far as I know. Win 7 and Win 8 are fine though.

Not too much time has passed while technology is zipping by. I think we may read some things that we did nit expect. as they materialize. Of course that is a generalized statement with no proof. A lot of consumers are wondering why their new device does not work with their OS. I am glad you conveyed that article's contents to me. It pays to do research. My pcs came with Win 7 installed and I have lost Bluetooth in the laptop. The advisor told me I would, though so no surprise. I run Win 8 now and hope to update to Win 8.1. Let's hope my pc will work with usb 3.0 I did see some that list 2.0/3.0 in the specs. I think you are better off with the 3.0 in case you have a motherboard upgrade. My printer(AIO) and camera are relatively new and I hope the manufacturers do something about 8.1 I have no problem with 8 so it may be ok as they are.