Can't create recovery drive on this PC

Anonymous
2012-11-10T16:19:44+00:00

Hi guys,

Just tried to create a recovery USB drive. But I find that "We can't create a recovery drive on this PC. Some required files are missing. To troubleshoot problems when your PC can't start, use your Windows installation disc or media."

Uh?

Is a fresh Windows 8 x64 (RTM) installation. Only thing that I can think of is it has UEFI and Secure Boot enabled.

Ideas?

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Performance and system failures

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  1. Anonymous
    2015-01-07T02:53:31+00:00

    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/

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-01-08T04:44:23+00:00

    Sandeep;

    I realize that this would work amazingly EXCEPT for the face that I can not access any of administration function... What do I do?

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-01-09T03:47:23+00:00

    Can you open up an Elevated Command Prompt?

    Windows 8 – Elevated Command Prompt

    http://www.tweakhound.com/2012/11/12/windows-8-elevated-command-prompt/

    If you can, type the word "Control" into it and see if you can locate Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Recovery and from that create a Recovery Drive.

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  5. Anonymous
    2015-03-03T17:06:15+00:00

    I'm having this problem not being able to create a USB Recovery Stick and I think I know the reason why.  But I don't know how to fix it!

    I removed the original 500GB HDD and replaced it with two SSD's.  The original data was cloned across to one of the SSD's.  When I look in the Computer Management-Disk Management I can see the Recovery Partition is in Disk1 in the first partition instead of Disk0.  My guess Win8.1 doesn't know where to find it.

    How do I fix this?  I tried

     reagentc /setreimage /path \?\GLOBALROOT\device\harddisk1\partition1\Recovery\WindowsRE

    and it doesn't work

    Reagent /info shows

    Windows RE status:  Disabled

    Windows RE Location:

    Boot Configuration Data <BCD> identifier: 02524150-9375-11e2-ab93-993146b3d831

    Recovery image location:

    Recovery image index:  2

    Custom image location:

    Custom image index:  0

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