How to make a rescue USB to repair any Windows error

¿How to make a rescue USB to repair any Windows error? When Windows refuses to boot or displays strange errors, a USB flash drive prepared as rescue media becomes the perfect lifeline. A recovery USB drive allows you to access the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE), repair your system, restore it to factory settings, or even reinstall it from scratch., even if you have replaced the disk or it is completely erased.

The key is to prepare it in advance and keep it updated. The recovery media stores essential system files, the latest updates available at the time of its creation, and manufacturer settings., but it doesn't include your personal documents; for that, you'll need to use backups with File History, Windows Backup, or another similar solution.

What exactly is a recovery drive and when will you need it?

A recovery drive is a USB drive prepared by Windows for diagnostic, repair, and restoration tasks.On many devices, it also serves to return the device to its factory state thanks to the recovery information provided by the manufacturer.

In everyday life, this USB flash drive comes into play when the system won't boot, the boot manager becomes corrupted, a driver fails, or after a hardware failure. When you boot from the USB, WinRE loads, from where you can repair, use restore points, reset your PC, or reinstall Windows..

There is an important nuance: The recovery USB does not copy your personal files or applications that were not installed by default.Therefore, it is recommended to complement this with a backup plan for your data and periodically recreate the rescue USB to include security updates and improvements.

This procedure works for almost any modern Windows computer: Laptops, desktops, all-in-ones, Windows-based handheld consoles, and mini PCsOn Surface devices, Microsoft also provides specific factory recovery images.

Prerequisites and important notices before you start

To keep things running smoothly, prepare the groundwork beforehand. You'll need an empty flash drive of at least 16GB (on devices like Surface, 32GB guarantees space for any recovery images) and, if possible, USB 3.0 or higher to speed up the process.

During creation, all content on the USB will be erased, so you should save your files first. Keep your computer connected to power to avoid interruptions, and if prompted, confirm in the User Account Control window.

Depending on the manufacturer, there may be partitions with their own utilities (e.g., built-in recovery functions). Restoring from a USB may remove manufacturer-customized features.If you want to keep them, consider creating a full system image to restore later.

The device format may be relevant in some cases. For example, on some computers like Surface, the USB must be in FAT32 to boot properly.The Windows tool handles automatic partitioning and formatting in most scenarios.

How to create a recovery drive using the built-in Windows 11/10 tool

Windows includes its own utility to generate this rescue USB. You can open it by searching for 'Recovery Drive' in Start or by running recoverydrive.exeIt is important to have administrator permissions when the User Account Control window appears.

In the wizard, select the option to include system files if you want to reinstall Windows from the USB. Select the USB flash drive, confirm, and press Create to begin copying the tools and recovery image.; may take a while depending on your computer and image size.

Once finished, your emergency aid will be ready. It is recommended to recreate it periodically to incorporate security updates and system improvements., especially in work equipment or that you carry with you frequently.

For Surface devices: Microsoft offers specific factory images on its support portal. If you download the recovery image for your model, create the drive with the Windows tool, uncheck the option to copy system files and, when finished, unzip and copy the files from the image to the USB, replacing what the tool indicates.This way, you'll have a recovery perfectly tailored to your device.

Use the rescue USB to repair, restore, or reinstall Windows

Once you have the USB ready, you can use it in case of problems. Connect the drive, turn on the computer and select boot from USB (The key to access device selection varies; consult the manual if you are not familiar with it.)

On Surface, the process is very simple. With the device powered off and connected to power, insert the USB, hold down the volume down button, and press the power button; release the volume down button when the logo appears.. Then, select your language and keyboard layout.

In WinRE, you have several options depending on the problem. To revert recent changes without affecting your files, use System Restore from the advanced options.; This will remove recently installed drivers, updates, and applications that may cause errors.

If you are looking for a deeper repair without doing a full format, choose the option Reset this PC and decide whether to keep your files or remove everything; Windows will be reinstalled and any apps not included by default will disappear.

For a complete wipe and start from scratch, warns about recovering from a driveYou can choose to delete only the files or clean them completely. The latter option is safer but will take longer.

Create a recovery USB for another PC: official method with ISO and alternatives

If the faulty computer doesn't allow you to create your own USB, you can create one on another computer. The official method in Windows 10 is to use the Media Creation Tool to generate an installation USB. with which to reinstall or access recovery options.

The process is simple: with a pendrive of 8 GB or more, Download the tool, accept the license, select Create media for another PC, choose language, edition, and architecture, and write the media to the USB drive.. Boot the problematic computer from that USB to access repair, reset, or reinstallation.

Keep in mind one limitation: Recovery drives created with the Windows tool may fail if used on systems with different architectures (e.g., 32-bit versus 64-bit). In these cases, it is advisable to match the architectures or use media with the appropriate ISO.

Alternatively, there are third-party programs that expand the options. EaseUS Todo Backup allows you to create a system image and an emergency WinPE disk. that boots from a USB to restore Windows on computers that won't boot. You just need to back up the system to an external drive or the cloud and then generate the recovery media.

The process is simple: first create a backup, then create the recovery media (USB, ISO, CD/DVD) from the tool, and, in case of a computer failure, boot from that media to recover the image. You can also create a Windows To Go USB drive to have a portable environment and boot it on other computers.

Usage tips and best practices with restore points

Restore points are useful, but it's important to understand how they work. WinRE will use the previously saved points on the system, not on the recovery USB..

When you choose Reinstall System, the wizard will display the available points. You can run a scan of affected programs to determine which drivers and applications will be rolled back.. Confirm the operation with the equipment connected to the power supply to avoid interruptions.

If the restore tool doesn't fix the problem, consider options like resetting or reinstalling from USB. Resetting while preserving files removes applications and drivers not integrated with Windows, while from a drive, it erases absolutely everything..

If the USB does not boot or the recovery option does not appear

It may happen that your computer ignores the USB or does not display the desired options. Check in the BIOS/UEFI that booting from USB is enabled and that the boot order prioritizes external memory.; On many computers, you can quickly select the boot device upon startup.

On Surface devices, if you don't see the option to recover from a drive, Make sure the drive is in FAT32 and that you have copied the recovery image specific to your model.If that still doesn't work, recreate the USB from scratch.

If you need information about Windows 10, we leave you this guide: How to create a Windows 10 rescue disk

How to recover the full size of a USB larger than 32 GB after use

After using a large USB as a recovery drive, you may end up with a 32GB partition named RECOVERY and the rest as unallocated space. To return the memory to its full size, delete that partition and create a new one that takes up the entire drive..

From Windows 11 and Windows 10 settings, Go to Start > Settings > System > Storage > Advanced storage settings > Disks and volumesLocate the recovery partition, delete it, and create a new volume in the unallocated space. You can also use Disk Management to do this manually, deleting the RECOVERY partition and creating a single volume.