Create a Recovery Disc

How to Create a Vista Recovery Disc​

   Information

This will show you how to download or create a Recovery Disc for both the 32 bit and 64 bit Vista.

   Note

The Recovery Disc created here does not install Vista. It is also not like the OEM Vista recovery DVD that comes with most store bought computers created from the factory recovery partition. Instead it is used only to boot from to repair your already installed Vista. See the example below for the options available from the recovery disc when booted from.

   Tip

This can be useful if you only have a OEM Vista recovery DVD or partition and would like to have a dvd to boot from to repair your Vista instead of reinstalling it. Plus, the recovery disk files are small enough to fit on a CD if you do not want to or can use a DVD.

EXAMPLE: System Recovery Options screen
NOTE: Using the Recovery Disc you create below, you can boot to the System Recovery Options screen below.

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Here's How:

STEP ONE

Replace the recdisc.exe file

   Note

If you have SP1 or SP2 installed, then you will need to replace the recdisc.exe file installed by SP1/SP2 with a non-SP retail version below instead for the 32 bit or 64 bit version of Vista that you have installed.

   Note

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To see what 32-bit or 64-bit version of Vista you have, open the Control Panel (Classic View) and click the System icon, or right click Computer in the Start Menu and click Properties. You will see the bit version under the System type section.​

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If you ever run the sfc /scannow command, then it will restore the old original non-working copy of the recdisc.exe file, and you would have to do this STEP ONE section again to be able to create a Vista Recovery Disc.​

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1. If You Have 32 bit (x86) Vista Installed​

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A) Click on the Download button below to download the recdisc_x86.zip file.​

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B) Go to step 3.​

2. If You Have 64 bit (x64) Vista Installed​

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A) Click on the Download button below to download the recdisc_x64.zip file.​

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3. Save the ZIP file to your desktop.​

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4. Right click on the ZIP file (on desktop), and click on Open.​

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5. If prompted by UAC, then click on Allow.​

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6. Extract (drag and drop) the recdisc.exe file to the desktop.​

NOTE: You can delete the ZIP file (on desktop) when done if you like afterwards.​

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7. Right click on the extracted recdisc.exe file, click on Properties, General tab, the Unblock button, and on OK.​

NOTE: If you do not have a Unblock button under the General tab, then the shortcut is already unblocked and you can continue on to step 8.​

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8. In Windows Explorer, navigate to C:\Windows\System32\recdisc.exe. (See screenshot below)​

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9. Take ownership of and set permissions to Allow your user account Full Control of the recdisc.exe file at the location in step 8.​

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10. Right click on the extracted recdisc.exe file on the desktop from step 6, and click on Cut.​

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11. Go back to the C:\Windows\System32\recdisc.exe window and right click on a empty area and click on Paste. (See screenshot below step 13)​

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12. Click on Copy and Replace and Continue.​

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13. Right click on recdisc.exe, and click on Send To and Desktop (create shortcut).​

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14. Move the shortcut to where you like for easy use.​

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STEP TWO

Creating a Recovery Disc

15. Double click on the recdisc.exe shortcut on your desktop created from above to run the program.​

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16. Select your DVD drive, and click on create disc. (See screenshot below.​

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17. Insert your retail Vista installation DVD into the CD/DVD drive, and click on Continue. (See screenshot below)​

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18. You will now see this. (See screenshot below)​

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19. After a little bit, it will ask you to replace the Vista installation DVD with a blank CD or DVD.​

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A) Insert a blank CD or DVD into your CD/DVD drive and click on OK. (See screenshot below)​

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20. When it is finished, click on Close for both windows. (See screenshots below)​

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21. Now you can boot from this Recovery Disc to go to the System Recovery Options screen in the example above.​

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That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How To Perform a Repair Installation For Vista
• How to Do a Startup Repair in Vista
• How to Do a System Restore in Vista
• How to Restore the Complete Computer from a Complete Backup and Restore Image in Vista
• How to Use the Memory Diagnostics Tool in Vista
• List of Commands for Vista and How to Use Them
• How to Create a Vista SP1 Slipstream Installation DVD
• How to Create a Bootable USB Flash Thumb Drive to Install Vista
• How to Do a Custom Installation of Vista

 

[Brink]

Hello Whitefox,

Yes, the tutorial on the first page of this thread is the one I was referring to create and use.

 

[whitefox42]

Well, that was very short lived, If there is anything that needs administrator permission to do I can't do it. I am blocked because of a stupid mistake that I made and I need to find a way around, up, over, under, thru it. So that idea didn't work what else do we have?

Now I am confused. what first page of what thread?

 

[Brink]

Yep, from your other thread. You'll need to create this disc on another computer that has the same version of Vista installed on it to be able to use on your computer since you do not have access to do it on your computer.

I would also strongly recommend that you find somone that knows more about this that can stand beside you to help you do this.

At the top and bottom right corner of this webpage, you will see page ## of 29 where you can select what page to view in the current thread that you are in. Click on the First link there to go to the first page of this thread at the link below.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/141820-create-recovery-disc.html
​

This discussion should be continued at your other thread below to keep this all together.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/67567-administrator-account.html
​

 

[whitefox42]

Thank you so much. you have been such a great help. I wish I had someone that could come over but everyone that I know that would have the knowledge is 2 states away my girlfriend is talking to someone from work but they are not going to come over here either but I will try. Plus this is something that I should learn anyway because I am going to school online to get a degree in Digital Design and Animation and Web Design. It's too bad that I am only starting my 3rd term. Who knows maybe someday I will be helping other people out and it will be in part because of you helping me. Thank you so much. I will let you know how this goes.
Whitefox42

 

[Brink]

You're welcome. Please feel free to ask any question that you not certain about.

 

[whitefox42]

Hello Brink,
It's whitefox42 again. When my girlfriend and I tried to make a recovery disk on her computer so we can fix mine the program that you had me download would not run for her. I watched everything and we were following your directions. she was listed as the owner and administrator and she clicked run as administrator and we got a sour note beep at us. meaning it's not working but it should have. Do you know why? Can you give some more of your awesome advice?
Whitefox42

 

[Brink]

Could have been a mistake made somewhere. Give it a try again double checking to make sure that you didn't miss anything.

 

[whitefox42]

Nope it doesn't work. Everything looks right too. I don't get it. what now. should I try it on another computer? or is it the program. It looks good and we used 7zip to unzip it and that went well too.

Are these other files that you sent me yesterday the visaunzip, vistazip, zipfix vista. are these smaller parts of the recdisc.exe or is that totally different? I am grasping at straws now.

Why did the computer only give a sour note and not a message that let me know why it wasn't working? What does a sour note mean anyway. This is something that the programmers should take a look at because there are only so many talented people out there and a lot of computers.

When we clicked run as administrator it warned us that an unidentified program wants access yada yada and we clicked allow then the sour note. does this problem have to do with security?

Is Step One for my computer or does that have to be done to my girlfriends computer in order to make the disk?

 

[Brink]

If able, you could do this from your computer. It would be best if you could do it from your computer. You just need to make sure that you use the correct step 1 or step 2 for what version of Vista you have installed.

 

[whitefox42]

Unfortunately I can't install any programs without administrator permission I get rejected its very frustrating getting rejected by your own computer. Anything that requires admin permission I am blocked. I am going to see how far I can get on mine and maybe she can finish it on hers. stay tuned.

 

[boyans]

Is it possible: recdisc.exe plus another utilty to redirect created image to hdd ?

Very well written tutorial.
Worked. Thank you.

Is it possible to redirect (using another utility) output of recdisc.exe to hdd - for example to file "vista32recovery.iso" ?

The question could be also:
Is there a utility to emulate RW CD/DVD drive (and disks) using files on disk?
1. Create empty "virtual RW CD media".
2. Mount "virtual RW CD media" on "virtual CD drive".

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Boyans, and thank you.

No, but after you create the Vista recovery disc/dvd, you could use the free program Magic ISO Maker to create a ISO file from the DVD.

You could then use the free program Virtual Clone Drive to mount the ISO if you like.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Jake98]

This isn't working for me, it's stressing me out! When I first save it to my desktop, and then I right click and press open, instead of bringing me to the UAC prompt, it brings me to some window titled "recdisc_x86.zip - WinRAR (evaluation copy)" I don't know what to do! I really want to recover my computer..

 

[Brink]

Hello Jake, and welcome to Vista Forums.

That would be because it opened the downloaded ZIP file in your installed program WinRAR. You would just need to continue on from step 6 to extract the .exe file out of the ZIP file.

 

[TheWhopper]

Is it possible to create a Vista Recovery Disc on a machine running Windows XP?

(ex. Vista not loading on one machine, but I have another computer that's operational but is running XP.)

 

[Brink]

Hello TheWhopper, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Sorry, but no. However, it can be created on any Vista computer (a friends if available) that is the same 32-bit or 64-bit as yours for you to be able to also use it on your computer.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[SIW2]

Is it possible to create a Vista Recovery Disc on a machine running Windows XP?

(ex. Vista not loading on one machine, but I have another computer that's operational but is running XP.)

You need to have the Vista install dvd to make a recovery disc.

If you have a Vista instal disc, the recovery options are on there anyway.

You could just make a copy of your Vista install dvd .

You can do that on an XP machine.

You just need a program that will do it.

PowerIso free ( unregistered) version will do the job.

Just click the download link - use it unregistered.

PowerISO - Create, Burn, Mount, Edit, Compress, Encrypt, Split, Extract ISO file, ISO/BIN converter, Virtual Drive, DAA File

View attachment 25439

You need a blank recordable dvd - (don't format it )

 

[TheWhopper]

Thank you Brink and SIW2 for the quick responses! You guys and your website is awesome!

 

[Brink]

Is it possible to create a Vista Recovery Disc on a machine running Windows XP?

(ex. Vista not loading on one machine, but I have another computer that's operational but is running XP.)

You need to have the Vista install dvd to make a recovery disc.

If you have a Vista instal disc, the recovery options are on there anyway.

You could just make a copy of your Vista install dvd .

You can do that on an XP machine.

You just need a program that will do it.

PowerIso free ( unregistered) version will do the job.

Just click the download link - use it unregistered.

PowerISO - Create, Burn, Mount, Edit, Compress, Encrypt, Split, Extract ISO file, ISO/BIN converter, Virtual Drive, DAA File

View attachment 25439

You need a blank recordable dvd - (don't format it )

Hello Simon,

You should be able to create a recovery disc from within Vista without a installation disc. I never needed it. Of course if you have a retail Vista installation disc, then yeah you do not need to create a recovery disc since it's already on the installation disc.

 

[SIW2]

Can't remember that. Are you sure you aren't confusing it with Windows 7 ?

Where does recdisc get winre.wim from on Vista?

Funnily enough, I just reinstalled Vista yesterday - 108 updates since SP2 for me.

Might boot it up and have a go.