Can't create recovery drive on this PC

On a working Windows 8.1 machine, see  Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Recovery\Create a Recovery Drive.

Create a Recovery Drive and use that to boot from in a faulty machine and try accessing the advanced startup options/safe mode.

When you create a Recovery Drive you are given the option (via a check box) to copy across the hidden recovery partition from your machine.  If you choose that option then the size of USB required will be many times larger than if you don't choose the option.

Create installation media for Windows 8.1

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media?ocid=tp_css_createmedia

Try contacting your OEM for the Windows 8 Recovery Media.  For a small charge they should be able to supply you with a copy on DVD or USB.  This will allow you to reinstall Windows 8 to factory settings as of day one.

How to create a system image to refresh your Windows 8 PC

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2748351

How to create a custom refresh image in Windows 8

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/create-custom-refresh-image-in-windows-8/

Who's instructions are you looking at? try reffering to the MS help and support sites above OEM manuals - they put a bit more effort in.

Sounds like a bad translation in the manual. possibly some confusion around the word 'minimum' to 'less than. 4Gb would not be enough. 32Gb sounds a lot to me, but if thats including OEM software etc, then probably not excessive.

Hello - I do not have a reply but a question.  I have a HP Envy TouchSmart SE and am trying to create a recovery disc on a USB.  Following destructions (not a typo), "Need USB less than 32gb (and not for Windows 8.1), but larger than the size of source files".  I tried using a clean 4gb, then was prompted that I needed a 32gb.  This is a contradiction (ergo "destructions).  My USB did appear in Removable Storage Section", so that doesn't appear to be the problem.  Any answers or suggestions?  Thank you.

hi sandeep

i'm also having the same problem 

when we follow your procedure we reach upto all steps but finally we are not able do that 

thanks for info.

Hello Guys

I Have this issue and after these steps the problem is solved::

Open command prompt in elevated mode and type:

reagentc /disable

reagentc /setreimage /path \?\GLOBALROOT\device\harddisk0\partition1\Recovery\WindowsRE

reagentc /enable

Try to use Recovery Disk Creator again.

Hope if this help

Thanks

Sorry but I don't have WindowsRE. Would this work in WindowsPro 8.1?   Also I don't have recovery partition but I also didn't have one in Windows 7/8 and it worked fine. It only started to fail in Windows 8.1

This works in 8.1 (RE = Recovery Environment), but you need to select the right partition in case Windows isn't installed to the first drive (number 0). Usually it is, though.

I had the same problem as the topic starter with recovery drive creator, for some reason WinRE directory was set to point at wrong partition. You can check it with reagentc /info .