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

 

[floobs]

Looks like it may be time to do a complete reinstall then. It may be to corrupted to just repair. I hope you had backups of anything you did not want to lose. Your computer should have a recovery partition on it that you can boot into by pressing something like F11 usually. You will need to check with your computer's documentation to be sure, usually on a DVD or at their website for your computer model.

From their you can select reinstall.

If you need help on this, just tell me the brand and model of your computer. I'll look up the instructions for you at their site.

Sorry,
Shawn

well there was nothing on it to start with, it was new i bought it from currys yesterday, apprently it was meant to have it already installed on there. thats why im so gutted as it shudnt of happened. i havnt tried the F11 i know the vista is on there just not booting up. i didnt get no disc with it. my model is advent T9608 UK. thanks

 

[z3r010]

floobs, take it back to currys and get one that works

 

[floobs]

floobs, take it back to currys and get one that works

well i am going too, but i was seeing if i could solve it first as i live a far way from where i got it from plus im working so was checking if i could do out first.
damnn thing!! dont go currys haha

 

[Brink]

Hi Floobs,

Your computer model number comes back as a Advent computer. They do not seem to have much of a site though, but I did find this. You will need to press F10 every second during boot up until you get to the recovery partition screen.

Recovery and Recovery Disk FAQs - read before posting : Advent Recovery Disk Support • Advent Laptop/Computer Support •

If this does not fix it, then I would take it back to Currys as John posted above. A new computer should not be doing this.

Shawn

 

[floobs]

Hi Floobs,

Your computer model number comes back as a Advent computer. They do not seem to have much of a site though, but I did find this. You will need to press F10 every second during boot up until you get to the recovery partition screen.

Recovery and Recovery Disk FAQs - read before posting : Advent Recovery Disk Support • Advent Laptop/Computer Support •

If this does not fix it, then I would take it back to Currys as John posted above. A new computer should not be doing this.

Shawn

thanks for your help anyway :D

 

[Brink]

Your welcome Floobs. I hope they get it sorted for you.

 

[amdturion]

Hello Brink,

First of all my compliments for the very full detailed instructions you are giving on this Forum.

This is my first post here.

Briefly:
I bought a new laptop: HP Pavilion dv6230br, it has been supplied without the Vista installation disks.
This machine has an hidden partition as D:\ volume, containing the recovery files.
I have repeatedly failed the creation of the recovery disks.
I was able to burn the recovery DVD, but then this never boots up the system:
After Windows filesystem loads, I see an error messages on the screen stating something as:
"This computer is not compliant with this version of Recovery".
I also tried to make an ISO of the D:\ ,than I tried to burn it on a new DVD, but it doesn't boots; perhaps something is missing on my attempt.
Question1:
Is that possible to use recdisc.exe to create the Recovery disks using the D:\ partition as source, instead of the Vista installation DVD?
Question2:
Is there any alternative way to make the Recovery disk?

Many Thanks.

BR,

amdturion​

 

[Brink]

Hi BR,

Welcome to Vista Forums.

Did you make sure that you downloaded and used the correct 32 bit or 64 bit ISO version for your version of Vista?

Q1) Sorry, you will not be able to create a Recovery Disc using recdisc.exe with your HP recovery partition.

Q2) You could borrow a friends Vista installation DVD to use to make you a Recovery Disc using recdisc.exe instead.

Hope this help,
Shawn

 

[amdturion]

Hi BR,

Welcome to Vista Forums.
Tks Brink!

Did you make sure that you downloaded and used the correct 32 bit or 64 bit ISO version for your version of Vista?
I used the pre-installed VISTA that's a 32bits version of Vista Home Basic (brazilian version - I am italian but living in Brazil )

Q1) Sorry, you will not be able to create a Recovery Disc using recdisc.exe with your HP recovery partition.
Gosh!

Q2) You could borrow a friends Vista installation DVD to use to make you a Recovery Disc using recdisc.exe instead.
I will try to ask to the Shop where I bought the machine.

Hope this help,
Shawn

Yes, it did.
BR

 

[Brink]

BR,

I'm glad to hear that you got it sorted. Thank you for the feedback.

Shawn

 

[Brink]

Yikes, that's a lot of wasted space. Sounds like it got corrupted.

 

[sidney1st]

HI,
Thanks again, not only for this tutorial, but for the whole site.

Just a question on this one, why do we have to replace the recdisc.exe installed with SP1 update?
I have 2 retail versions, the original one bought last year and a retailed version which includes SP1 bought with a new PC.
My laptop runs ultimate, sp1 installed through update and the PC runs the Ultimate SP1 installed with the DVD which includes SP1 (both versions are french).

Forgot to say that 32 bit version installed on laptop, 64 bit on PC.

 

[Brink]

Hi Sidney,

The recdisc.exe file only worked in the prereleased versions of the SP1, and not in the final SP1 version for some reason. This just replaces it with one that works.

Shawn

 

[sidney1st]

OK, thanks Shawn,

So, do i have to insert the DVD with the non SP1 version or the DVD with the SP1 included version?

 

[Brink]

Sidney,

I would use the one that included the SP1 to get the most out of the recovery options.

Shawn

 

[sidney1st]

Thanks Shawn,
I'll do it this way and will let you know the result.

EDIT:

BTW, Done and works fine either on CD or USB flash drive.

 

[Brink]

Your welcome Sidney. Good to know that you have it working on a USB flash drive. Thank you for the feedback.

Shawn

 

[avol2]

omg.. I am so screwed...
started having printing issues tonight on my HP desktop, tried to reboot andthe ssytem hung there.. my kid says ohh mom do this... and proceeds to hold the power button .. the system reboots... bla bla bla.. but it never really rebooted.. it sticks there on this blue screen.. I tried to get into safe mode and it just opens a screen with the words safe mode in each corner, but nothing else. I tried to make a recovery disc but dont want to loose everything - so I am frightened..
I ran diagnostics and everything passed but it did take a while to check the memory..
anything I do it just freezes up on me.... of course I have no vista disc... suggestions please..

 

[Brink]

Hello Avol2,

Welcome to Vista Forums.

Do not worry, the Recovery Disc in this turorial will not wipe out your computer. It will only attempt to repair it for you.

Create the Recovery Disc and boot from it and run a Startup Repair to see if that will fix the problem. If not, then boot from the Recovery Disc again and run a System Restore this time using a restore point dated before your problem started.

Hope this helps you,
Shawn

 

[avol2]

Hello Avol2,

Welcome to Vista Forums.

Do not worry, the Recovery Disc in this turorial will not wipe out your computer. It will only attempt to repair it for you.

Create the Recovery Disc and boot from it and run a Startup Repair to see if that will fix the problem. If not, then boot from the Recovery Disc again and run a System Restore this time using a restore point dated before your problem started.

Hope this helps you,
Shawn

I think I made it worse... I d/led the recovery disc.. got it on a cd (used my XP laptop).. but the onlky options were vista 64 and vista 86.. I think I have 32..
The system then said there was a issue with my boot file and that it would repair it. it rebooted and recognised the HP recovery software on the system, THEN when I ran it I was told there was not system recovery set? I know I set it to automatically do a recovery... ugh... I beleive I need to go to an expert, as I am really not prepared to loose all the data on the hard drive.