Windows 10: Deregister Refresh Custom Recovery Image in Windows 10

How to: Deregister Refresh Custom Recovery Image in Windows 10

How to Deregister Current Custom Recovery Image used to Refresh Windows 10


Warning This tutorial no longer works starting with Windows 10 build 10130 released on May 29th 2015.



Information If you're having problems with Windows 10 on your PC, you can try to refresh, reset, or restore it.

By default, here's what happens when you refresh your PC:

• Your files and personalization setting won't change.
• Your PC settings will be changed back to their defaults.
• Apps from the Windows Store will be kept.
• Apps you installed from discs or websites will be removed. Basically all installed desktop apps.

The recimg.exe command line tool lets you configure a custom recovery image for Windows to use when you refresh your PC. When you create a custom recovery image, it will contain the desktop apps you've installed, and the Windows system files in their current state. Recovery images do not contain your documents, personal settings, user profiles, or apps from Windows Store, because that information is automatically preserved at the time you refresh your PC.

Basically, a custom recovery image let's you refresh Windows 10 as usual with your current Windows, but also lets you keep your desktop apps and Windows system files as they were when the recovery image was created.

When you create a custom recovery image, recimg will store it in the specified directory, and set it as the active recovery image. If a custom recovery image is set as the active recovery image, Windows will use it when you refresh your PC instead of the default OEM recovery image (if present) or Windows installation media. All recovery images have the filename CustomRefresh.wim. If no CustomRefresh.wim file is found in the active recovery image directory, Windows will fall back to using the OEM recovery image or Windows installation media when you refresh your PC.


This tutorial will show you how to deregister the current active custom recovery image to use the default OEM recovery image or Windows installation media to refresh Windows 10 when you refresh your PC.

You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to deregister the current active custom recovery image.



Here's How:

1. Open an elevated command prompt.

2. In the elevated command prompt, copy and paste the command below, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
*Arrow recimg /deregister
3. When finished, you can close the command prompt.





That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to Refresh Windows 10
• How to Create a Custom Recovery Image used to Refresh Windows 10
• How to Set a Custom Recovery Image as Active to use to Refresh Windows 10
• How to Show Current Custom Recovery Image used to Refresh Windows 10

:)

 

Windows 10 - Creating custom recovery image

If Windows 10 has the same Refresh feature as Windows 8.1, that would still rely on a recovery image that Windows has. Which in 8.1 can be customized through the recimg.exe via command prompt. So I'd imagine Windows 10 would still have some means of modifying
the image Windows Refresh would utilize is what I was figuring.

As the article you linked primarily refers to creating a system recovery disk, which would be a different method of recovery than Windows Refresh. If one modifies the image Windows Refresh uses, then Refresh would remove 3rd party software other than what
was included within the customized image.

 

Create Custom Recovery Image in Windows 10  

Yep, it's still valid for Windows 10. I'm working on updated tutorial versions for them here today.

It would be recommended to double check to make sure that the recovery image you want active is still set as active after the next build of Windows 10 has finished installing to be safe. Here's the new one for Windows 10.

How to Set a Custom Recovery Image as Active to use to Refresh Windows 10

 

Create Custom Recovery Image in Windows 10


Shawn, is this still valid for win 10? Refresh Windows 8 - Set a Custom Recovery Image as Active

Also, I assume ​that the next build will set it back?

 

Find Reset Recovery Image Location in Windows 10  

Oh, I can boot into it myself. I was just concerned that it wasn't prompting me or coming up at any point on its own. I guess that answers my question though. Thanks for letting me know!

 

Windows 10 - Creating custom recovery image

Hi,

In WIndows 8.1, I know one can create a custom recovery image that, when one does a Windows Refresh. It will remove all 3rd party applications other than what is already in the custom recovery image. With Windows 10, will this utilize the same process as
Windows 8.1 when creating the custom recovery image?

I install a fair amount of software on my home system, which usually takes an hour to hour and half for me to complete. Thus I'm planning on creating a custom recovery image after all of my software has been installed. If the process is different compared
to Windows 8.1, could you please enlighten me as to process required?

Sincerely,

Josh