System Repair Disc - Create in Windows 8

How to Create a "System Repair Disc" (CD/DVD) in Windows 8​

   Information

This will show you how to create a system repair disc (CD/DVD) in Windows 8 to use to boot to the system recovery options that can be used to help recover Windows 8.

   Note

A system repair disc is not the same as OEM factory recovery/restore/repair disc.

A system repair disc cannot be used to install Windows 8.

A created 32-bit system repair disc can only be created in a 32-bit Windows 8, and used to repair a 32-bit Windows 8.

A created 64-bit system repair disc can only be created in a 64-bit Windows 8, and used to repair a 64-bit Windows 8.

   Warning

Windows 8.1 no longer supports being able to create a system repair disc CD/DVD using the method in this tutorial.

If you like, you can also boot from your Windows 8.1 installation media or from a created recovery drive (USB) for the system recovery options.

EXAMPLE: System Recovery Options
NOTE: After you boot from the system repair disc, 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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Here's How:

1. Insert a blank unformatted CD or DVD into your CD/DVD drive, then do either step 2 or 3 below.


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


3. Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the Recovery icon.
NOTE: You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to do this step.

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A) Unplug all USB flash drives.​

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B) Click/tap on the Create a recovery drive link. (see screenshot below)​

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C) If prompted by UAC, then click/tap on Yes.​

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D) Click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)​

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E) Click/tap on the Create a system repair disc with a CD or DVD instead link, and go to step 4 below. (see screenshot below)​

NOTE: You will not see this link if you have a USB flash drive connected. You'll need to either use step 2 or disconnect all USB drives and start over with step 3.​

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4. Click/tap on Create disc. (see screenshot below)

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5. The system repair disc will now start to be created. (see screenshot below)

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6. When finished, remove your CD/DVD, label it properly for your 32-bit or 64-bit Windows 8 Repair Disc, and click/tap on Close. (see screenshot below)

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7. Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

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8. If you used step 3, then you can now close any remaining opened windows from it.


That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

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• How to Boot to the "System Recovery Options" in Windows 8
• How to Create a Recovery USB Flash Drive in Windows 8
• How to Boot to the Advanced Windows "Startup Settings" in Windows 8

 

[karlsnooks]

Another approach:
WIN + R | type RECDISC | ENTER

 

[Kodi]

Will only give the English (US) language, does not give you an option to change language I wanted English (Australia).

 

[Brink]

Hello Brian,

It only uses the language that you had set when you installed Windows 8 by default.

 

[Kodi]

I always set the language as English Australian, when I install.

 

[Brink]

Eh, may be one of those pre-release issues that may get sorted in the next release. ??

 

[Avalon]

I certainly hope so... I'm in the same boat as Kodi.

 

[whs]

. Insert a blank unformatted CD or DVD

Are CDs really a good idea ? If I remember right, those disks have to hold about 4GBs of data.

 

[Brink]

Hello Wolfgang,

I prefer a DVD instead of CD as well. Since a system repair disc does not install Windows and only boots to the system recovery options screen, it's not very large. It will only be 183 MB in size for a 64-bit Windows 8, so either a CD or DVD can easily be used to create one with.

 

[whs]

Hmm, it is that small. I must have confused it with the recovery disc. Thank you Shawn for clearing this up.

 

[Brink]

Anytime mate.

 

[redactor]

"System repair disc could not be created"

Hi -- Brand new here, as I am with Win8 (x64), . . . tho I've been using Windows since the early days of Win 3.0 in the last century. As creating a system repair disc in Win8 is not exactly intuitive, I searched help and landed here yesterday. After reading and following instructions meticulously, at the critical pre-CD-burning moment, I received the error message in this post's title. Can anyone interpret the meaning -- What is the "file specified" and what is error 0x80070002? And how can I fix this?

 

[Brink]

Hello Redactor, and welcome to Eight Forums.

After some more testing, this no longer works with the recdisc.exe file version that comes in Windows 8 Release Preview. I have updated the tutorial for how to download and replace this now non-working recdisc.exe file with a clean working one from the Windows 8 Consumer Preview. It works perfect in Windows 8 Release Preview.

If you wanted, you could also create a bootable Recovery USB flash drive instead instead of on a DVD.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[redactor]

Hello Redactor, and welcome to Eight Forums. If you wanted, you could also create a bootable Recovery USB flash drive instead instead of on a DVD.

Thanks very much for the links and info. Again, followed your instructions and -- voila! -- I have a new Windows 8 repair CD. I actually did make a bootable repair USB stick yesterday. But I want a CD because I have only a few USB sticks but a virtually unlimited supply of blank CDs and DVDs. Parenthetically I noted that at the end of the burning process, the success notification instructed to label the new CD "Repair Disk for Windows 7 (sic) Home Premium." Thanks Again!!

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome.

Odd, it said Windows 8 64-bit for me. Did you do this while booted in Windows 8?

If you don't mind, boot from the DVD to see if it actually is for the Windows 8 System Recovery Options.

If you didn't already know, you will still be able to use your USB drive as normal. Just don't delete the files added for the recovery part.

 

[redactor]

Windows 8 Repair Disk

You're most welcome. Odd, it said Windows 8 64-bit for me. Did you do this while booted in Windows 8? If you don't mind, boot from the DVD to see if it actually is for the Windows 8 System Recovery Options. If you didn't already know, you will still be able to use your USB drive as normal. Just don't delete the files added for the recovery part.

Brink -- Sorry for the looong delay in responding -- a plumbing contractor at a neighbor's house cut my cable, so I was without internet access, and it took Comast TWO WEEKS to fix it. So now I'm back. I was logged into Win8 when I burned the repair CD. In the next day or so (after I work my way through two full weeks' email & other backlog) I'll boot from the CD to check out the logo. I'll let you know.

 

[HippsieGypsie]

Hello Shawn. I'm in need of help. 8 RP - 32 bit - Dual boot with 7 Ultimate - 32 bit. Acer t690 - Pentium D - Dual core - 2 GB Ram - 230 GB HDD. 7 and 8 run extremely well on this machine.

I'm quite sure I followed your directions to the "T" in this tutorial and your "Take Ownership Of" and "Set Permissions" tutorials, although I'm not totally sure of the account I chose for ownership and permissions. It is my default .Live account that I sign in with. The only thing I did different was performed a Ctrl/c of your downloaded recdisc.exe file from within a "Program Setup Files" folder I created on my C drive and then Ctrl/p into my System 32 folder instead of through the desktop. That went well.

When I try to create a recovery disc via Recovery in the Control Panel, using a blank 702MB DVD/RW, I keep getting this dialog:

System repair disc could not be created.
The parameter is incorrect. (0x8007057)

It didn't work, so I did a sfc /scannow and performed tutorials over again and tried to create the disc to no avail. Here are some screenshots of the recdisc.exe file properties that let's me know I have ownership and permissions. The .Live account, administrators, and the trusted installer have all permissions, except the special permissions.

View attachment 7068

View attachment 7069

Is that a task sequence error? Is this do to the fact that I picked my .Live account? There is another related local account in advanced system settings. The partition condition stated in the blog below? I did create a partition using 7 disc management for 8 installation. All went well.

I did some research online and the only trusted information I could find is a M$ System Center Forum.

Failed to Run Task Sequence (Error 0x80070032)

I tried there solution to no avail. F8 didn't bring anything up. Would you have any suggestions?

 

[SIW2]

If I get the time I might be able to knock up a little app. or even a batch to do the job.

Is there a hidden folder on your win8 drive called Recovery?

(You need to show hidden files in folder options to see it).

 

[HippsieGypsie]

Thanks for answering SIW2. There is no such folder. In system recovery via Control Panel I see it busy copying files for awhile. I thought it made a folder too. Thanks for pointing that out. I'm old and forget. Show hidden file option is the first thing I change in an OS.

 

[Brink]

HippsieGypsie,

Technically, you really do not need a System Repair Disc since the Windows 8 installation disc can also be used to boot to System Recovery Options.

Is that a blank unformatted DVD/RW? How does it work with a DVD+R or DVD-R disc, if you have one handy?