Create Recovery Drive in Windows 10  

Just created a new recovery drive using a 16 GB USB flash drive. No issues and it will boot the computer.

I looked at the drive properties and it only shows <4 GB in use. I was expecting closer to 8. Using Win 10 (1511) Home. Attached is a PDF of the drive contents. Am I missing anything?

TIA!

Recovery.pdf

Brink said:

Hello FortFun, :)

That would be about right for how much it uses for installation USB.

Thanks Brink! I was concerned because an article I saw (not one of yours ) said a recovery drive would need close to 8 GB. Feel better now.

Brink said:

If it was a multiple architecture (32-bit and 64-bit) installation USB, it could come close to that size.

A recovery drive would never come close unless you checked the Back up system files to the recovery drive box.

I did check that box.

Brink said:

In that case, I'd say they didn't get backed up the recovery drive for some reason.

That's what I was thinking. Time to do some digging. Thanks!

Hi all. lots of helpful info here. I have a few questions. I have a very new alienware laptop. I was able to create an image to an external HDD using Win 10. I am UNABLE to create a usb recovery drive using Win 10 WITH the include system files box checked. So, If i uncheck include system files and create the usb recovery drive with just the tools, am I able to restore my image using that drive in the event that my C drive were to fail completely? My drive has a recovery partition on the C drive from the factory. However, that is basically useless if that drive fails. All i am able to do in windows is create a usb recovery drive without the system files. And using the image I created on and external drive (~45gb), would i be able to restore my computer to that image with this recovery tool without system files? If not, what do you suggest I do in the event of a total C drive failure? Thanks in advance.

mcinturf said:

Hi all. lots of helpful info here. I have a few questions. I have a very new alienware laptop. I was able to create an image to an external HDD using Win 10. I am UNABLE to create a usb recovery drive using Win 10 WITH the include system files box checked. So, If i uncheck include system files and create the usb recovery drive with just the tools, am I able to restore my image using that drive in the event that my C drive were to fail completely? My drive has a recovery partition on the C drive from the factory. However, that is basically useless if that drive fails. All i am able to do in windows is create a usb recovery drive without the system files. And using the image I created on and external drive (~45gb), would i be able to restore my computer to that image with this recovery tool without system files? If not, what do you suggest I do in the event of a total C drive failure? Thanks in advance.

Most likely you will get a lot of different answers on this. Their are a lot of us that use Macrium Reflect free version for doing all our image backups. Also if you install MR I suggest you make the Rescue Media option, too. It will let you restore your last image to your C drive, from a USB or DVD disk.