How to Create a Recovery Image used to Reset Windows 10
If you're having problems with Windows 10 on your PC, you can try to refresh, reset, or restore it.
When you reset your PC, it will remove everything and reinstall Windows 10 to start over completely with a clean install.
To be able to reset Windows 10 you may be required to first insert your Windows 10 installation media or recovery drive if there is not an OEM factory recovery image present.
This tutorial will show you how to create a recovery image that is used instead of OEM recovery image, installation media, or recovery drive for a push-button reset of Windows 10.
You must be signed in as an administrator to create a reset recovery image.
A reset recovery image is basically like having your installation media always connected and ready to use to reset your PC with.
The reset recovery image will continue to still be available after a reset of Windows 10.
Here's How:
1 In File Explorer (Win+E), create a new folder named ResetRecoveryImage at a location (ex: F: ) where you want to keep the recovery image stored at. (see screenshot below)
It would be recommended to create the ResetRecoveryImage on a hard drive other than the one Windows is installed on to help protect you in case the Windows hard drive should fail.
2 If you have not already, download a 32-bit or 64-bit Windows 10 ISO file that is the same edition and 32-bit or 64-bit as your currently installed Windows 10.
3 Double click/tap on the ISO file to mount and open it. Open the sources folder, and copy the install.wim file. (see screenshot below)
4 Paste the install.wim file into the new ResetRecoveryImage folder from step 1 above. (see screenshot below)
5 Open an elevated command prompt.
6 Type the command below into the elevated command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
reagentc /setosimage /path "location\ResetRecoveryImage" /index 1
Substitute location in the command above with the full path of where you created the ResetRecoveryImage folder at in step 1 above.
For example:reagentc /setosimage /path "F:\ResetRecoveryImage" /index 1
7 When finished, you can close File Explorer and the command prompt if you like.
That's it,
Shawn
Related Tutorials
- How to Reset Windows 10
- How to Show Location of Recovery Image used to Reset Windows 10
- How to Create and Customize a Windows 10 Image in Audit Mode with Sysprep Tool
- Create Custom Provisioning Package used to Reset Windows 10 or Create Recovery Drive
- How to Enable or Disable Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) in Windows 10
- How to Delete Recovery Partition in Windows 10