Recovery Drive - Create with USB Flash Drive in Windows 8

How to Create a USB Recovery Drive in Windows 8 and 8.1​

   Information

If you run into problems with your PC, a USB recovery drive can help you troubleshoot and fix those problems, even if your PC won't start.

This will show you how to create a bootable recovery (system repair) USB flash drive in Windows 8 to use to boot to the system recovery options that can be used to help recover Windows 8, Windows RT, Windows 8.1, or Windows RT 8.1.

This is basically the same thing as a system repair disc, but is on a bootable USB flash drive instead.

You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to create a recovery drive.

   Note

A recovery USB flash drive cannot be used to install Windows 8 unless this is an OEM PC that came with Windows 8 preinstalled, and you checked the Copy contents from the recovery partition to the recovery drive box at step 5 below.

If your PC came with Windows 8 and you upgraded it to Windows 8.1, your recovery drive will include Windows 8, and you’ll need to upgrade to Windows 8.1 after you refresh or reset your PC.

A created 32-bit recovery USB flash drive can only be created in a 32-bit Windows 8, and used to repair a 32-bit Windows 8.

A created 64-bit recovery USB flash drive can only be created in a 64-bit Windows 8, and used to repair a 64-bit Windows 8.

EXAMPLE: System Recovery Options
NOTE: After you boot from the recovery USB flash drive, you will need to select your language and keyboard layout (if displayed) for Windows 8, then select Troubleshoot to see the system recovery options.

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(On some newer OEM PC's with Windows 8 preinstalled, you may have the option to reinstall in the OEM manufacturer's tools like below if the Recovery Partition is still in place.)​

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Here's How:

1. Connect a USB flash drive that is at least 256 MB (8 GB if copying the recovery partition) in size, then do either step 2 or 3 below.


2. Press the :winkey: + R keys, type RecoveryDrive.exe, press Enter, and go to step 4 below.

3. Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the Recovery icon.

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A) Click/tap on the Create a recovery drive link, and go to step 4 below. (see screenshot below)​

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4. If prompted by UAC, then click/tap on Yes.

5. Click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)

   Note

If you have a store bought OEM computer that came with Windows 8 preinstalled, then you could also check the Copy contents from the recovery partition to the recovery drive box to be able to use the recovery USB flash drive to do a factory restore/recovery of Windows 8.

If you do not have an OEM recovery partition, then the Copy contents from the recovery partition to the recovery drive option will be grayed out.

   Warning

If you checked the Copy contents from the recovery partition to the recovery drive box, then once the Recovery Media creation has completed, you will have an option to delete the recovery partition at step 10 below. On most systems, this partition is about 10G in size.

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6. Select a USB flash drive at least 256 MB in size that you would like to make a bootable recovery drive with, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)
WARNING: Everything on the selected USB flash drive will be deleted, so be sure to backup anything on it that you do not want to lose first.

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7. Click/tap on Create. (see screenshot below)
WARNING: This is your last chance to backup anything on the USB flash drive that you do not want to lose before doing this.

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8. The USB recovery drive will now be created. (see screenshot below)

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9. Do step 10 or step 11 below for what you would like to do.

10. If you wanted to Delete the Recovery Partition

   Warning

It is recommended to NOT DELETE the recovery partition. It has been reported by many that they were unable to restore Windows 8 to the hard drive using the recovery USB drive without the OEM factory recovery partition still intact.

You can free up some drive space by deleting the recovery partition, but you won't be able to refresh or reset your PC again without the recovery drive.

A) If you checked the Copy contents from the recovery partition to the recovery drive box at step 5 above, click/tap on the Delete the recovery partition link. (see screenshot below)​

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B) Click/tap on Delete to confirm. (see screenshot below)​

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C) Click/tap on Finish. (see screenshots below)​

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11. Click/tap on Finish. (see screenshot below)

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That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

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• How to Create a "System Repair Disc" in Windows 8
• How to Create a Bootable USB or DVD with the Windows 8 ISO
• How to Create a "Startup Options Menu" Shortcut in Windows 8
• How to Boot to the "System Recovery Options" in Windows 8
• How to Boot to the Advanced Windows "Startup Settings" in Windows 8
• How to Create a Bootable UEFI USB Flash Drive for Installing Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1
• How to Boot from a USB Drive within Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Boot from a USB Drive on Surface

 

[Retexan599]

Hello Retexan,

That would be a 4 GB limit with FAT32 for a single file instead.

So I am guessing that there are many files within the Recovery drive, none of which individually exceeds the 4GB limit?

 

[Brink]

Correct.

 

[Steveyg777]

if i create a small partition on another hdd and select this drive when it asks where to create the recovery drive to, could i create it and then boot to that internal drive if i need to instead? would there need to be anything to do to make it a bootable drive or certain format, etc for the drive to work?

 

[Brink]

Hello Steve,

Sorry, but no. This is to create a recovery USB flash drive instead. A hard drive will not be made available to select.

 

[Steveyg777]

No way around this or another tutorial that solves this?

 

[Brink]

Not that I'm aware of.

 

[AJS]

I made a USB recovery stick from my old laptop, i inserted the usb recovery stick into my new laptop and i am unsure how to save it so that i can recover this new laptop with it. I have added pictures to show what i am talking about, lol,

once i take the recovery usb stick out of the new laptop, the recovery disappears...sorry, not very computer saavy...

Any suggestions?
RE: ASUS X501A NOTEBOOK, WINDOWS 8

 

[Brink]

Hello AJS, and welcome to Eight Forums.

The recovery drive you create would be unique to the computer it was created on for the copied recovery partition on it.

If you like, you could create a new recovery drive for the new laptop using the steps in the tutorial on the first page with either a new USB flash drive or on the old one.

 

[AJS]

That is the problem, i installed a fresh hard drive (i purchased this new laptop minus a hard drive)
However, my windows 8 is activated on it. Any suggestions? Thank you

 

[Brink]

The problem is that since this was for an OEM PC with Windows preinstalled, the product key can only be activated on the original computer, and not on any other computer.

You would need to purchase a new copy of Windows 8 for the new laptop.

Only a retail copy of Windows 8 can be transferred to another computer.


http://www.eightforums.com/general-support/10837-windows-8-eula.html#post129482

Can I transfer the software to another user?

You may transfer the software directly to another user, only with the licensed computer. The transfer must include the software, proof of purchase, and, if provided with the computer, an authentic Windows label such as the certificate of authenticity label including the product key. You may not keep any copies of the software or any earlier version. Before any permitted transfer, the other party must agree that this agreement applies to the transfer and use of the software.

 

[Vuneu]

To recover a Windows 8.1 bootloader, do I need to create the recovery drive in a Windows 8.1 as well?

 

[Brink]

Hello Vuneu, and welcome to Eight Forums.

Yes. They need to be the same to be fully compatible.

 

[Vuneu]

Is there no way for me to download a recovery drive file? Just like I can download an .ISO file.

 

[Brink]

There's no need to since running the RecoveryDrive.exe file from step 2 will create it for you in Windows.

 

[Vuneu]

The problem is that I want to create a recovery drive to be able to recover my Windows bootloader. (meaning that I have no access to Windows) And since this other computer only runs Windows 8, there's no way for me to make a compatible one.

 

[Brink]

If you have retail Windows installation media, then it has the recovery options included that you could boot from and use.

 

[Vuneu]

Uhm I don't know if this is the right place to ask this, but I'll try to explain my case:
I tried to install Fedora on my PC, but it always failed when I was going through the installation phase. So, I ended up not installing anything at all. Later, when I tried booting on Windows 8.1, this message appeared 'Boot Device Not Found Please install an operating system on your device' which was weird since I haven't installed/deleted anything, I booted from the Fedora .ISO and all my files where still there, so having deleted Windows by accident wasn't an option.
I did some research and I found this to be a problem that sometimes comes up. And the solution to it, is using a Windows Recovery drive, to recover Windows booting capabilities. Here's the link if you'd like some.. context: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RestoreUbuntu/XP/Vista/7Bootloader

Now, since I can't boot Windows on my other computer, my only choice is to create a Windows recovery drive on this PC, but, since it only has Windows 8, it won't be compatible. That's why I asked if I could download a Windows Recovery file or something of the like. Is there another workaround for this that you could suggest? (About the recovery drive)

Thanks!

 

[Brink]

Depending on what key (8 or 8.1) you have, you could use an option in the tutorial below to download a Windows 8 or 8.1 ISO file to use to create a bootable installation USB/DVD with. You can then use that to reinstall Windows.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/18309-windows-8-windows-8-1-iso-download-create.html

 

[Vuneu]

hmm, I have an OEM Windows copy, it seems that won't work either. Thanks anyway for all your help!

 

[Brink]

That's ok. Use a generic key below for now at the link below to download the ISO with.

http://www.eightforums.com/installa...retail-windows-8-1-windows-8-product-key.html