Share this article
Improve this guide
[Solved] Can’t create Recovery drive on Windows 10/11
8 min. read
Updated onOctober 4, 2023
updated onOctober 4, 2023
Share this article
Improve this guide
Read our disclosure page to find out how can you help Windows Report sustain the editorial teamRead more
Key notes
Fixing computer problems is always easier if you have the proper tools available. One of the common tools that users like to use isRecovery drive, but it seems that users can’t create Recovery drive onWindows 10.
How do I fix the Recovery drive feature on Windows 10?
Recovery drive can be useful if you need to restore your Windows, however, certain issues with this feature can appear. Speaking of issues, these are the common problems that users reported:
1. Remove the problematic software
According to users, certain backup software can create issues with the Recovery drive. Users reported that after uninstallingSymantecGhost 15 or Comodo backup the issue was completely fixed.
It seems that Symantec Ghost 15 uses its own version of VSS that interferes with Recovery drive creation, but after the software was removed, there were no problems with the Recovery drive.
Although these two applications are the common cause of this problem, it’s worth mentioning that almost any backup software can interfere with Recovery drive creation, therefore if you have any problems try removing all third-party backup software from your PC.
If you want to completely remove a certain application from your PC, it’s advised to use uninstaller software. In case you’re not familiar, uninstaller software is special software that can completely remove any program from your PC.
If you’re looking for uninstaller software, we recommend you tryCCleaner, a comprehensive and easy-to-use tool to remove leftover files.
CCleaner
2. Disable your antivirus
Your antivirus tool is important for your security, but sometimes antivirus tools can interfere with Windows and cause various problems to appear. If you can’t create Recovery drive on Windows 10, the issue might be caused by your antivirus software.
If removing the antivirus solves the problem, it’s advised to switch to a new antivirus solution. There are manygreat antivirus tools available, and when choosing the right fit for your need, make sure it not only does it protect your PC, but also if it is easy to manage, especially when it comes to enabling and disabling it.
3. Disable Secure boot
Bear in mind that you can also access BIOS by doing the following:
Secure bootis a useful feature designed to protect your PC from malicious users, but sometimes this feature can interfere with Recovery drive creation, and the only solution is to disable Secure boot.
Alternatively, you can just hold theShiftkey and click theRestartbutton and follow the instructions above.
For more details on how to access BIOS and how to disable Secure boot, we advise you to check yourmotherboardmanual.
4. Disable certain services from running
Apparently, certain services related to MicrosoftWordand Excel can cause problems with Recovery drive on Windows 10, therefore you need to find and disable those services.
5. Use third-party solutions
If you can’t create Recovery drive on Windows 10, you might want to consider using a third-party solution. There are many great third-party applications that allow you to back up and restore your Windows in case anything goes wrong.
If you’re looking for tools that can easily clone your Windows installation, you might want to consider usingAcronis Cyber Protection Home. All these applications offer similar features, so feel free to use any of them if you can’t get Recovery drive to work.
6. Try using a larger USB flash drive
Users reported that they are unable to create a Recovery drive in Windows 10 due to size of theirUSB flash drive.
According to users, after using a 32GB or larger flash drive the issue was resolved. Users reported mixed results after using a larger USB flash drive, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t try this solution out.
7. Use Command Prompt
Many users reported that they can’t create Recovery drive on their Windows 10 PC. This can be a big problem for some users, however, you should be able to fix the problem usingCommand Promptand diskpart.
This is an advanced solution, and we advise you to be extra cautious while using it. If you find it confusing, be sure to read it once again carefully. If you don’t understand how to use this solution, maybe you should try a different one.
8. Remove Windows.old
If you recently installed or updated Windows 10, it’s possible that you have Windows.old directory on your PC. If you’re not familiar, this directory holds all your files from the previous Windows installation allowing you to return to the older version of Windows if need be.
This is a great feature to have, but sometimes Windows.old directory can prevent you from creating a Recovery drive. If you can’t create Recovery drive on your PC, be sure toremove Windows.old directoryfrom your PC.
9. Convert your drive to FAT32
According to users, sometimes this problem can occur if your flash drive isn’t formatted as a FAT32 device. As you know, there are several file systems, and while NTFS offers better features that FAT32, sometimes recovery drive might need a FAT32 flash drive in order to work.
According to users, if you can’t create Recovery drive on your Windows 10 PC, you might want to format your USB flash drive as a FAT32 device.
Once the formatting process is finished, try to create the Recovery drive again.
Having a Recovery drive is useful if you want to fix problems on Windows 10, but if you can’t create a Recovery drive on Windows 10 be sure to check some of our solutions to see how to fix this problem.
More about the topics:data recovery,windows recovery
Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Milan has been enthusiastic about technology ever since his childhood days, and this led him to take interest in all PC-related technologies. He’s a PC enthusiast and he spends most of his time learning about computers and technology.
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s one of the Troubleshooting experts in our worldwide team, specializing in Windows errors & software issues.
User forum
0 messages
Sort by:LatestOldestMost Votes
Comment*
Name*
Email*
Commenting as.Not you?
Save information for future comments
Comment
Δ
Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s specialized in Windows errors & software issues.
