Windows 10: USB Recovery Drive

I have an ACER computer that was updated from Windows 7 to 10 when the update was still free.

The updates are up to date except for the 2H20.


I was trying to make a USB Recovery Drive. I tried to follow the directions I could find on the web.

After finding and opening the recovery app:

The check box : Backup system files to the recovery drive was checked. per most of the directions I found.

I clicked "Next"

After about 3 or 4 minutes, the app had not asked about drive location.

I cancelled and restarted with the box unchecked. It found the drive after a few seconds.

It stated the drive must be at least 1GB.

I clicked 'Next" when prompted, and the the app ran to the end claiming the drive was finished.

This try took only took a few minutes.


I checked the contents of the USB drive. There are files in most of the directories.

A couple of the directories appear empty. "sources" & "EFI/ Microsoft / Recovery"


The size of the drive claims to be 488Mb.

Does this seem accurate?

What files are normally on one of these drives?


I am trying to prepare myself if anything happens to my computer.

Thank you for any insight anyone can give.

:)

 

USB Recovery

Hi Janie,

Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.

Please reply to the following questions to get a better understanding on the issue:

• Are you getting any error message?
  
• How are you creating the recovery USB?
  

However, you can follow the steps from Create a recovery drive
to create a recovery drive.

Hope it helps.

Nikhar Khare

Microsoft Community – Moderator

 

Recovery Drive for Windows 10 Doesn't Recognize USB Drive

When I try to create a Recovery Drive in Windows 10, Windows doesn't recognize the flash drive.

I'm following the instructions to create a Recovery Drive listed here:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/create-a-recovery-drive

• 
  From the taskbar, search for Create a recovery drive and then select it. You might be asked to enter an admin password or confirm your choice. (I was asked to confirm my choice, and I clicked "Yes".)
  
• 
  When the tool opens, make sure Back up system files to the recovery drive is selected and then select
  Next.
  
• 
  (Secret Step) Wait a minute or so for the "Please Wait" screen to finish thinking
  
• 
  Connect a USB drive to your PC, select it ...
  

The issue is that when I connect a USB drive to the PC, it doesn't appear on the "Connect a USB flash drive" screen as a drive that can be selected, and the "Next" button is grayed out.

However, when I look in File Explorer, I can see the USB drive plugged into the computer. Selecting Properties shows that Windows considers its Type to be "Removable Disk". (Sounds right to me.)

I'm not getting any error messages.

My environment:

A brand new Toshiba Sattelite C55-C5241 laptop with Windows 10 Home. It's never had anything other than Windows 10 on it - unless they upgraded it at the factory.

A brand new ativa 8GB USB flash drive. Note that the packaging for the USB drive does not include Windows 10 in the System Requirements, but seriously?

What I've tried:

• Plugging the flash drive into all three USB ports (USB 2, USB 2, and USB 3)
• Reformatting the flash drive with FAT32
• Restarting the computer with the flash drive plugged in
• Turning off Real-Time Scanning in McAffee

I've seen a few threads with this issue in Windows 8, but none of the potential solutions in those threads have worked for me. So here I am asking the same question, but for Windows 10.

Does anyone have any suggestions for resolving this issue?

Thank you.

 

How to reformat USB Recovery Drive

Thanks again for helping. Yes, I've found and tried those instructions prior to posting. Nothing seems to work. It is ridiculous that Windows basically trashes a perfectly good USB stick when it creates a recovery disk. Their should be a way to clear it off so you can use it again but I guess not. Probably going to just give up and toss it....they are cheap enough these days.