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

 

[theog]

Hi,

I didn't even started, it asks me for a 32 GB device... whats wrong? thanksView attachment 16181 ps I'm sorry for the italian in the screenshot but is the default setting... however is should be quite clear

You are using the OEM manufacturer's version of this tutorial.

What Make & Model do you have?

 

[bcwinch]

Does not work. Message reads We can't create a recovery drive on this PC
Some required files are missing,
Then says use your Windows installation disk. My PC came without one Dell - not available Any way round this please ?

 

[Brink]

Hello bcwinch, and welcome to Eight Forums.

That error means that you do not have a retail copy Windows 8 installation DVD/USB connected to be able to do the tutorial.

Since you have a Dell (OEM) computer, you could create a factory recovery USB using the instructions from Dell below instead. That's not the same as what this tutorial is for.

Re: How to restore vostro 470 to factory settings? - Desktop General Hardware Forum - Desktop - Dell Community

 

[floepie]

Huh, glad I read through this thread. What exactly is the purpose the option "copy contents from the recovery partition to the recovery drive"? I would have thought I could restore Windows with such a drive if the recovery partition is copied to it.

 

[Brink]

Hello Floepie,

Yes, using that option should create a factory recovery USB flash drive that can restore Windows 8.

I just didn't include it in the tutorial since each OEM has their own method to creating a set of factory recovery discs or a USB, and wasn't sure if all would include that as well since I do not have an OEM PC to test with.

It's been added to the tutorial now to help.

 

[floepie]

Thanks for the guide update. Just one quick question further.

Can one take the recovery contents on the USB recovery drive (after they were copied to it) and copy those contents elsewhere so that the USB key can be re-used for other tasks? Then, when needed, create the USB recovery drive once again on the same machine (without copy contents of recovery partition option) and copy back the recovery contents that were backed up elsewhere onto the USB recovery drive?

Or, does the boot on the USB recovery drive need to know at the time of creation the size of the contents on its own drive so that the recovery contents (WIMs) are visible by the WinRE when booted from it?

So, essentially:
1. Create recovery drive using copy contents option.
2. Backup visible contents on that USB key drive elsewhere.
3. Re-use the key / delete its contents.
4. When needed, create recovery drive on the USB
5. Copy back the recovery contents.
6. Use the recovery USB with contents to restore W8.

Think that would work?

 

[Brink]

Hello floepie,

Just copying and pasting the contents back wouldn't make the USB bootable.

Personally, I would recommend to get a cheap 4GB or whatever is needed USB flash drive to use for your backup recovery drive, and use another USB flash drive for everyday use.

This will prevent accidentally making your recovery drive unusable to restore Windows 8 with if needed.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Narayan]

Very Very Nice Tutorial Shawn......

I have one question for you, Are you using anything like classic shell ,etc to customize your Windows 8 theme? because your theme looks more realistic than the original Win8 Theme.

If you are using please tell me the name of the software, I also want to use it......

Thanks...........

 

[Brink]

Thank you Narayan. I'm glad you like it.

Nope, just using a "Windows Default Theme" with these color settings below.

(top second from left color)

 

[floepie]

Hello floepie,

Just copying and pasting the contents back wouldn't make the USB bootable.

Personally, I would recommend to get a cheap 4GB or whatever is needed USB flash drive to use for your backup recovery drive, and use another USB flash drive for everyday use.

This will prevent accidentally making your recovery drive unusable to restore Windows 8 with if needed.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Thanks Shawn. I realize that you need to make the stick bootable. I meant rather, is it possible to first create the recovery drive with the 'copy recovery' option, then delete the recovery partition on the PC, then backup those recovery contents from the USB stick elsewhere for future use, then when needed, create the recovery drive stick once again (without the 'copy recovery' option), then transfer the backed up recovery contents (WIMs, etc.) back to the bootable stick, and then use THAT to recover using the recovery contents copied to the stick.

That way, I could save 20GB (the size of the recovery partition) or so on my PC's hard drive. I'm just unsure as to whether I can copy 7GB or so worth of recovery contents to the bootable USB stick and have those contents be accessible to its own recovery environment.

 

[Brink]

For that, you might consider creating a system image and save it to another hard drive (internal or external) instead. This way, if something should happen to Windows or your hard drives, you could just easily restore the system image from your backup drive to restore your entire system to how it was when the image was created.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/8956-system-image-create-windows-8-a.html

and

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorial...overy-restore-image-computer-windows-8-a.html​

For your specific question, I suppose that you could use a free program like ImgBurn to create an ISO file from the USB flash drive, then save the ISO where you like. You would then be able to use the ISO file whenever you like to create a bootable USB with. Personally, shuffling your recovery partition and drive around like this introduces a high risk of it getting corrupted and possible not being able to use it when needed.

 

[Mickeylittle]

Hi, new guy to the conversation here... I just ran a muck with a Samsung Ativ tablet and I wasn't prepared so I ended up returning it. However I'd like to try this again and I'm thinking about getting the Acer W510 Windows 8 tablet but I want to make sure that I can do the same thing that this thread is talking about so that when/if the following error pops up again... "Insert Media" "Some files are missing. Your Windows Installation or recovery media will provide these files," I'll be prepared this time with a USB stick to correct it?

Does this work for tablets as well?

 

[Brink]

Hello Mickey,

According to Acer, the Acer Iconia W510 tablet comes with restore discs that you could use.

How to Recover W510 (Hint: It's the System DVD, no... - Acer Support Community​

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Mickeylittle]

Hello Mickey,

According to Acer, the Acer Iconia W510 tablet comes with restore discs that you could use.

How to Recover W510 (Hint: It's the System DVD, no... - Acer Support Community​

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Shawn,

I believe this W510 is probably a laptop since it has a CD/DVD slot with it. I am talking about purchasing a tablet and it will not have a CD/DVD drive. Yes I could maybe plug one into a USB port but since it is a tablet I'm not thinking that Acer is going to send a DVD with it.

 

[Brink]

You will still be able to use the tutorial on the first page to create an Acer Recovery USB flash drive like in the link below from Acer. I would recommend to not delete the recovery partition to still be able to use either one.

Create a Acer Factory Default Backup in Windows 8

 

[Mickeylittle]

Great... Thanks, that's the first thing I'll do when it arrives Thursday!

 

[Brink]

You're welcome, and enjoy the tablet.

 

[sygnus21]

OK, I'm a little slow on these so here it goes...

I have an Asus Zenbook Prime laptop which came with Windows 8 installed (non-pro). I didn't get a recovery DVD, nor, incidentally, do I have anything telling about the OS PID. Anyway I've since upgraded the OS to Windows 8 Pro with Media Center.

So, I just now created the USB flash drive using these instruction and all went well; it did however take about 30-35 minutes to create the flash drive though (10gig).

My question though: Should I have to use it (the flash drive), which OS will it use? The factory, or the upgrade I installed?

Not used to dealing with laptops or pre-built systems so I'm a bit confused.

Thanks.

 

[Brink]

Hello Drew,

It created a factory recovery USB for the Windows 8 you originally had with the laptop. If you ever need to do a factory recovery of Windows 8, you'll have to add WMC again the same way afterwards.

Hope this helps.

 

[sygnus21]

OK, got it.

Thanks.