A recovery drive can help you repair your computer even if the computer won’t start. When you create this drive, you can also copy a manufacturer’s recovery partition if your computer came with one (and if the drive you’re saving to is large enough to hold it). It’s best to create this drive before a problem occurs, versus wishing you had after the fact. The best way to start is to purchase and then connect an empty USB disk (or thumb drive) that is at least 256 MB, although you can also use a DVD.
Creating a Recovery Drive
- Insert the USB stick into an available USB port on your computer.
2. From the Start screen type Recovery.
3. Click Create A Recovery Drive in the results.
4. If applicable, select Copy The Recovery Partition From The PC To The Recovery Drive. Click Next.
5. Select the USB drive in the list. The name of the drive is the name given by the manufacturer.
6. Click Next.
7. Click Create.
8. Click Finish when prompted.
TIP on How to Create a Recovery Drive in Windows 8.1
- You can rename the USB drive in File Explorer under This PC. You might want to name it Recovery so that you don’t accidentally write over it later. In File Explorer, right-click the drive and click Rename.
- Store the recovery drive you create in a safe, dry, climate controlled area like a drawer or filing cabinet.
