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

 

[americancritic]

Hi Brink thank You for getting back to me.


americancritic

Tom

 

[MarkJ]

Hi Brink, I give a lot of help to OP's on Tech Support Guy and have for some time been looking for the process for making a Vista Recovery disc.

My problem is that on the forum I work on the Moderators will not allow any link to a Recovery Disc that has not been permitted by Microsoft. Could you verify that this process above is only using files that are permitted for distribution by Microsoft.

Windows 7 is not a problem as it has the built in facility to make the disc but Windows XP is another one I have been trying to find a link for that is permitted by Microsoft other than the 6 set floppy start up discs that are available on the Microsoft site.

Your help and validation would be very welcome.

 

[Brink]

Hello Mark, and welcome to Vista Forums.

The method used in this tutorial should be fine since it's only replacing one system file with a older copy of it that still works. After that, you would still have to have a legal Vista installation installed to be able to manually create a recovery disc for it.

There are some sites that do have a premade ready to go ISO download available to create a repair disc with. That's the one that Microsoft does not approve of and doesn't want to be distributed.

Hope this helps some.

 

[MarkJ]

That is good news and thank you for your prompt reply.

Do you know of a similar Microsoft approved method to make a Recovery Console disc for XP.

 

[Brink]

I'm afraid that I do not know of anything for XP though.

 

[MarkJ]

Ok, thanks for the reply. I have submitted this tutorial to Tech Support Guy for approval, I can't see any reason why they should decline its use.

 

[Brink]

You're welcome.

 

[MarkJ]

Hi Brink,

I submitted the link to your tutorial to Tech Support Guy to approve its use and have been baffled by there response, makes no sense to me at all, I just thought you might like to see it. I appreciate you cannot pass judgement on another sites rules.

It may be OK to provide that link, but only if you stress the need for
already having your own Vista installation DVD. We do not see how this
would benefit many people who already have a Vista installation DVD, so we
prefer that you do not provide that link unless you come across somebody who
has the DVD but cannot use it directly for Repair.

Just one final question though, do Microsoft officially approve of this method or don't they?

 

[Brink]

Mark,

This is mostly for those that have Vista preinstalled on their OEM computer and do not have a installation disc, but only have a OEM factory recovery partition instead. A system repair disc could come in handy for them when they only want to repair their Vista instead of doing a factory recovery to reinstall Vista.

The only way to be able to create the system repair disc using the steps in the tutorial is if you already have Vista installed since it must be done from within Vista.

There is no official approval by Microsoft, but this is an included feature in Vista so one would think it would have to be. The tutorial only replaces a system file included in Vista with a older version of it so that the built-in feature to create a system repair disc will work again.

Hope this helps.

 

[MarkJ]

Thanks for the reply, I was aware of everything you have said.

It is for the Vista users that have the circumstances you discribe that I was hoping to be able to use your method when helping. But alas, the moderators of Tech Support Guy could only give the reply I quoted in my last post so they clearly do not want this method put to use on their forum, they did not explain why.

I can only assume that the moderators at TSG frown upon any use of Microsoft files being distributed unless they come direct from Microsoft and see this as an infringement of copyright laws. If that file was made available from Microsoft I doubt there would be a problem in it meeting with their approval.

 

[patch41]

Hi Brink, Maybe this will help, This was when i was in contact with microsoft support, and these where the instructions they e-mailed to me, also they mailed me the repair disc free of charge, and as it states it only repairs vista which is already installed. Patch41

 

[patch41]

Hi Brink, These where the instructions, had trouble with the format,patch41

 

[Brink]

Hello Patch41,

Thank you, but that appears to deal with a in-place upgrade aka repair install. I'm not sure what that has to do with creating a "Vista Recovery Disc" in Vista to be able to use to boot to the System Recovery Options screen with. A "Vista Recovery Disc" is not able to install Vista, only help repair it.

 

[patch41]

Sorry, I thought recovery disc and the repair disc they sent me was the same. Patch41

 

[Brink]

Ah, sorry but nope.

 

[patch41]

I thank you shawn for setting me straight, And i immediately created a recovery disc per your fine instructions just in case, Patch41.

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Patch41.

 

[whitefox42]

I want to make sure that I have the right disk to make a repair disk from. It has on it at the very top Operating system then Reinstallation DVD Windows Vista Home Premium 64bit SP1. Is this the right one?
whitefox42

 

[patch41]

Hi Whitefox and welcome, you can make your own repair disc, Brink has a excellent tutorial on this, click on the link below, Patch41.
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/141820-create-recovery-disc-28.html#post1356660

 

[whitefox42]

Thank you Patch41. Are you the one on duty today? If so, I might need you later. I don't know if you can access the conversation that I was having with Brink but I am desperate at this point. School classes start on monday and I need my computer up and running because I go to school online. So If you are willing, stick around, I hope this works.
Whitefox42