usb flash drive not a valid backup location for system image

Anonymous
2013-08-14T13:07:06+00:00

OK, Microsoft continuing to confuse me and others it would seem.

Tried to make system image to USB flash drive in Windows 8 and Yes it would not work. It States " the drive is not a valid backup location ".

Yes its formatted to NTFS. and I have read various sites where it gives instructions how and ive read sites and Microsoft who seem to have conflicting statements.

Please can someone HELP all I want to do is go to windows 7 file recovery in windows 8 - press make system image - select usb drive and sit back.

Windows for home | Other | Recovery and backup

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  1. Anonymous
    2016-02-24T23:42:23+00:00

    Hello Ron451:

    Again, we are talking about a System Image, not a bootable Recovery Drive which as I noted above, I was able to set up on a 128 GB USB Flash Drive. Note that you can create a recovery set which includes an image, but I don't think that it can be created on flash media either. Using flash media for a Recovery Drive is still easier than burning it onto DVD media plus it will load faster.

    The Recovery Drive contains system files needed to boot Windows and once it loads up, it provides access to recovery tools that are normally in Windows. Once you boot into the recovery console, one of the options is to restore an image saved on a hard drive or on DVD media.

    But if you want to save a System Image onto flash media, it's still a problem using Windows or even third party software.

    dr bug

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-02-24T14:53:06+00:00

    A little tidbit that Microsoft fails to tell you is that this bootable Recovery backup can take 47 Gb of space.  So, even a rather large flash drive might well not be big enough.  This may be one reason for that "location not suitable" message.

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-12-20T22:59:25+00:00

    Yes, I have used a USB Hard drive for my system image  and it Windows recognizes the file as a system image.  I have not had to use for my Windows 10 computer but have used the system image for my Windows 7 computer sucessfully about three times.

    But, getting the system image on a USB stick seems to be impossible.

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  4. Anonymous
    2015-12-20T05:25:22+00:00

    I have a 128 GB USB 3.0  Reformatted to NTFS.  Windows states that "USB is not a valid location".  

    If I purchase on line and want a backup, a USB is provided.  Why is it that we can't use a USB as a backup?  Am I missing something?

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  5. Anonymous
    2015-11-24T14:49:26+00:00

    THANKS! 

    Are you Santa Claus or what?

    This solution worked for me.

    I use Win7 pro 64 bit.

    It may be written somewhere that "not-pro" does not have network backup functions available.... just sayin in case this solution does not work for other users.

    I was rackin my brain before this.  Windows Backup recognized and worked perfectly using a Western Digital External Hard Drive via USB.  But that clunkly & heavy 1TB drive is not convenient to haul around while traveling with my Notebook pc.    I am going out to purchase a tiny 65GB USB stick now to carry in case of emergency on the road.

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