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

 

[Brink]

Hi Shawn, brand spanking new HP pavilion. Trying to create a recovery USB using the "copy contents from the partition drive to the recovery drive" option and i seem to be having the same issue has Jason T (jan 2013 post). I can't seem to reach the finished stage. Green progress bar reaches the last half inch and won't complete copy.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Becky

Hello Becky, and welcome to Eight Forums.

Does it give you an error message?

What type of USB flash drive are you using? (ex: USB 1, 2.0, 3.0)

 

[bis4becky]

It's a 2.0 USB - no error msg. It's currently been running for 5 (five) hrs.
... and thank you for quick response shawn!

 

[Brink]

Yeah, that's to long for it to be running. Do you still have HDD activity, and is the activity light on the USB flash drive still flashing or on?

If you have another USB flash drive, you might try creating one on it to see if it may be an issue with the first USB flash drive.

If that fails, then you might try creating a HP recovery disc instead.

Creating Recovery Discs or Saving a Recovery Image to a USB Flash Drive (Windows 8) | HP® Support

 

[bis4becky]

Shawn, i'm not sure what you mean by disk drive activity? ... the USB has no activity, flashing or otherwise - for the last few hours.
I don't have a disk drive either, so that's not an option. And this is my second USB already. the only thing i can even guess is, even though it tells me i need a 32 gb USB, that maybe a larger one would work. I can't imagine what would come factory installed above 32G.

I can tell you that Hewlett and/or Packard are gonna be receiving a less than pleasant phone call tmrw.

 

[Speeddragon]

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.

Well I have a OEM PC with windows 8 preinstalled, and I copy't the contents from the recovery drive, but what i was asking myself is:
Am I also able to reinstall windows when I put in an new empty hardrive, or only if it sees an old install?

And will it be a full installation or a reset of the pc?

 

[Brink]

Hello Speeddragon,

An "OEM" Recovery Drive with the contents of the recovery partition copied to it, is essentially factory recovery media that can be used to restore Windows 8 back to factory conditions on any hard drive on the same PC.

 

[Brink]

Shawn, i'm not sure what you mean by disk drive activity? ... the USB has no activity, flashing or otherwise - for the last few hours.
I don't have a disk drive either, so that's not an option. And this is my second USB already. the only thing i can even guess is, even though it tells me i need a 32 gb USB, that maybe a larger one would work. I can't imagine what would come factory installed above 32G.

I can tell you that Hewlett and/or Packard are gonna be receiving a less than pleasant phone call tmrw.

Hopefully they will be able to send you factory recovery media in the mail. If lucky, for free or low price.

 

[DavidY]

I can tell you that Hewlett and/or Packard are gonna be receiving a less than pleasant phone call tmrw.

I believe that Mr Hewlett and Mr Packard are both sadly no longer with us.

 

[Speeddragon]

Thanks Brink! Asus didn't provide any AI recovery tool anymore. So need to find an other way to keep my recovery disk.

The last notebook has had 3 harddisk over 5 years, so I need the recovery media haha.

Will it look like an normal install or do I need to click: Reste my pc or something when I put in a new hd.

 

[Brink]

Thanks Brink! Asus didn't provide any AI recovery tool anymore. So need to find an other way to keep my recovery disk.

The last notebook has had 3 harddisk over 5 years, so I need the recovery media haha.

Will it look like an normal install or do I need to click: Reste my pc or something when I put in a new hd.

It should go pretty much be like a normal reset using it.


http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2302-reset-windows-8-a.html

 

[theog]

On newer OEM PC's with Pre-install Windows 8 you may have the option to Reinstall in the OEM manufacturer's tools.
If the Recovery Partition is still in place.

 

[Brink]

Thank you Ray. I wonder if it'll still work the same way it did through "Reset your PC" for the factory recovery.

 

[theog]

Thank you Ray. I wonder if it'll still work the same way it did through "Reset your PC" for the factory recovery.

Just setup one of my Grand Kids new SONY Nootbook, but she has to wait for 8.1.

1) Windows Recovery USB drive will not Reset without Recovery Partition or do a Reinstall Factory Recovery to a clean HDD.
You will receive a ERROR when the Recovery Partition is DELETED.


or

or


2) SONY Recovery USB drive will Reset with Recovery Partition, & Reinstall Factory Recovery to a clean HDD.

3) SONY Recovery DVD (set of four) will Reset with Recovery Partition, & Reinstall Factory Recovery to a clean HDD.

 

[SIW2]

Windows Recovery USB drive will not Reset without Recovery Partition or do a Reinstall Factory Recovery to a clean HDD.

Not much use. I would like to get hold of one of those and see what they are up to. I don't anyone who has an 8 pc now.




I assume the Sony recov usb will reset and reinstall without the recovery partition?

 

[theog]

Windows Recovery USB drive will not Reset without Recovery Partition or do a Reinstall Factory Recovery to a clean HDD.

Not much use. I would like to get hold of one of those and see what they are up to. I don't anyone who has an 8 pc now.




I assume the Sony recov usb will reset and reinstall without the recovery partition?

Only tested the SONY Recovery USB drive on a wiped HDD, Restores OK. & DVD's are OK.

 

[theog]

Windows Recovery USB drive will not Reset without Recovery Partition or do a Reinstall Factory Recovery to a clean HDD.

Not much use. I would like to get hold of one of those and see what they are up to. I don't anyone who has an 8 pc now.




I assume the Sony recov usb will reset and reinstall without the recovery partition?

Only tested the SONY Recovery USB drive on a wiped HDD, Restores OK. & DVD's are OK.

The SONY Recovery USB drive & SONY Recovery DVD's, will not REFRESH or RESET without the Recovery Partition.

 

[sygnus21]

Hey Shawn could you look at these two posts and provide some clarification?

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorial...usb-flash-drive-windows-8-a-4.html#post227675

I created the flash drive image a while back and still have it; about two week ago however I did a clean install of 8.1, and now when I tried to test what alphanumeric said, I get no option to recover the factory image from the hidden partition. If I tried using the flash drive, would that allow me to recover the drive?

Would like to know because if I can't recover the partition I might as well delete it and recover the space.


Thanks.

 

[Brink]

Hello Drew,

Yeah, if you wiped the recovery partition when you did the clean install, you wouldn't have the option to copy the contents of the recovery partition anymore since it's no longer there.

It has been reported by many that they were unable to restore Windows 8 to the hard drive using the recover USB drive without the OEM factory recovery partition still in tact, so I'm not sure if you will be able to recovery Windows 8 with the recovery USB drive.

You could give it a try and see, but be sure to back up anything that you do not want to lose first.

EDIT:

Another option would be to create a system image to have to be able do a system image recovery as needed though.

You could also create a custom recovery image to refresh Windows with as needed.

 

[theog]

Hi Shawn & Drew

ASUS now have a recovery app .



http://www.eightforums.com/installation-setup/32122-create-factory-restore-disc.html#post286310

Update: I e-mailed ASUS support and they gave me a Windows program to do it. Thanks!

 

[sygnus21]

Hi Shawn, to clarify I didn't delete the recovery partition as I remember, I just copied the contents to the OS drive, leaving the other drives intact. However alphanumeric is saying that being that I did a clean install I wiped the boot info pointing to the partition for the recovery, and so now the recovery doesn't know where to find the files. If that makes sense.

I tried using the USB flash files, but got a missing drive message, so this to me is clearly saying it can't find the partition. BTW I should have chosen to copy the contents of the drive when I had the chance but didn't, so I don't even have the partition contents on the flash drive

As you say, I'll just have to create a custom image.

Thanks.