Cannot Create Recovery USB


  1. caxtin
    Posts : 196
    Windows 10 x64 (Version 20H2) Updated
       New #1

    Cannot Create Recovery USB


    I have a handful of questions and issues with "Create Recovery Drive"

    1. How dose Windows 10 Recovery disk work? When I first tried to create a recovery drive, it specifies the drive size I would need. One said I would need a USB that would take up to 8GB, the other specifies 16Gb. Since USB drives come in it's denominations of 4,8,16,32,64,...., I got 16GB and 32GB respectively.

    The annoying thing is the PC that asks for up to 16GB and I put in 32GB only did an 8+GB of recovery data on the USB. Then, I should have put in a 16GB USB. Would have been cheaper.

    2. Does Recovery USB Drives need to be recreated once in a while as an update since system files are added to the USB?

    I have three Windows 10 PCs I need to create Recovery Drives on each of them with system files inclusive.

    3. New Del Desktop, arrived with Windows 10 (64Bit). It asks for a USB that would take 16GB, I inserted 32GB but it created a recovery drive that is 8+GB only. Why? I wish it would have asked for 16Gb so I don't have to spend to get the 32Gb USB. By the way, when I inserted a 16GB USB, it would not continue.

    4. Dell notebook XPS, upgraded from Windows 7 (32Bit) to Windows 10 (32Bit). When I tried to create a Recovery USB drive, it asks for 16Gb USB. When I continued, it stalled at a windows that would not highlight the "NEXT" button. This button is grayed, so I cannot create a Recovery USB. Why?
    Cannot Create Recovery USB-dellxps.jpg

    5. Third PC is a HP desktop I upgraded from Window 7 (64Bit) to Windows 10 (64Bit). The Create Recovery USB with system files did not work. When I started the recovery, it just kept chunning and chunning for a very long time and will not stop. Why?
    Cannot Create Recovery USB-hpdesktop.jpg

    So, it looks like the upgraded PCs would not create a Recovery USB (quite ironic).
    Thanks in advance.
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  3. cereberus
    Posts : 15,480
    Windows10
       New #2

    1) They always estimate on the safe side for recovery drive usb sizes.

    2) That is a good idea but with new way Windows 10 has major build upgrades , you really to recreate the recovery disk after each major build update, and as a result there are not that many interim updates anyway, and it will update on line. Still doesn't take one ng to recreate recovery usb sticks.

    3) Cannot explain unless it needs space for temporary files which get deleted.

    4) and 5) - yeah lots of odd issues arise with upgrades that do not arise for clean installs.

    Actually, unlike Windows 7, recovery usb sticks are not that critical, as they are not really any different to a usb installation stick, especially as MS are keeping the download iso pretty much up to date.

    So you only really need one 8GB drive for all your devices (install files are compressed).

    Actually, the best recovery option for each device is to create a full system image backup (recommend Macrium Reflec Free). This needs an external usb hard disk.
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  4. caxtin
    Posts : 196
    Windows 10 x64 (Version 20H2) Updated
    Thread Starter
       New #3

    cereberus said:
    1) 4) and 5) - yeah lots of odd issues arise with upgrades that do not arise for clean installs.
    Actually, I did not mention that the Dell Notebook XPS (32Bit) is a clean installation. I had upgraded, but decided to do a clean installation.

    So you only really need one 8GB drive for all your devices (install files are compressed).
    Could you please elaborate? The much I know is I can create one USB drive for all my Windows 10 PCs if I created the USB drive without the system files. I called Microsoft tech support (they have not been very knowledgeable on Windows 10) and he confirmed about the USB Recovery drive (without the system files) for all the PCs.

    Actually, the best recovery option for each device is to create a full system image backup (recommend Macrium Reflec Free). This needs an external usb hard disk.
    Actually, I use Restore Points (which I create once in a while) which can be used in Windows 10 PC Reset/Trouble Shooting page. Also, I create images of my PCs with Acronis True Image and Easeus ToDo backup softwares. So, you are assuring me I don't really need the USP Recovery drive if I have the images created? Or you mean I only need the created images and the simple USB recovery drive for all PCs? I keep the images in a larger external USB drives and I also create boot CDs for each of the backup app.
    I sure appreciate your quick respond to my issues.
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  6. caxtin
    Posts : 196
    Windows 10 x64 (Version 20H2) Updated
    Thread Starter
       New #4

    cereberus said:
    1)Actually, the best recovery option for each device is to create a full system image backup (recommend Macrium Reflec Free). This needs an external usb hard disk.
    Something just happened. I typed "Create Image" and it ran, I got the "Next" button to click. Then I typed "Create Recovery Drive" and the "Next" button showed. That is strange. Hope someone else would read this to remember if my earlier situation occurs.

    You enlightened me on Windows 10 safety. Since I already have the rescue USB drive for all the Windows 10, I will just keep to the images I create with Acronis and Easeus. I make two images with per PC with two different apps. Not an overkill since I was 'bitten' badly some years back and don't want that to happen again. Just time time to create them (can be created while I do other things).

    Thinks I got it all now from your info.
    Thanks
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  7. cereberus
    Posts : 15,480
    Windows10
       New #5

    caxtin said:
    I sure appreciate your quick respond to my issues.
    1) A usb installation stick uses less than 4 GB, with everything on it.

    2) No, you do not really need usb recovery drives if you make image backups to an external usb drive, along with your app boot cd/usb stick, especially have a usb installation stick from above.

    USB recoverry drives are a nice to have, but not essential, unlike windows 7 where a recovery drive was the recognised way of recovering a pc for preinstalled windows 7. if you wanted to clean install a standard iso, you needed the COA key which often got lost (then a recovery drive was essential if you did not have an image backup).

    From Windows 8 onwards, recovery partitions are useful but not essential. The one exception are devices with the special 8.1+Bing OS which is not available from MS to general public. Here a usb recovery drive is essential (if no image backup).
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  8. jimbo45
    Posts : 11,247
    Windows / Linux : Arch Linux
       New #6

    Hi there

    IMO the best "Recovery" is to take an Image of the OS (keep the OS on its own partition or separate SSD) and use many of the imaging / backup programs out there - a bootable one is best then you can even do a "Bare metal" restore or move the OS to another drive simply.

    In any case if you create the Windows install media from the Ms site you can always use that where possible with the "Repair your system" option.

    I prefer the imaging method --you should always take regular backups anyway.

    Cheers
    jimbo
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