Windows 11 will present you with a simple application screen with one choice, as shown in Figure B. To create a full system recovery USB drive for Windows 11, type “create a recovery drive” into the desktop search tool ( Figure A) and click the appropriate search result.

However, a recovery drive created this way would only restore Windows 11 to its default configuration-hardly the “recovery” we are looking for. However, in the interest of completeness, we will mention that it is possible to use a much smaller USB drive of 1GB for this purpose, if you do not wish to recover system files as well. You will not be able to store other files on it or use it any other way-once committed to this purpose, it must stay committed to this purpose regardless how much “empty” space is left on the drive. It is also important to note that the USB drive in question, once created, cannot be used for any other purpose. For Windows 11, the size of the USB drive used for a recovery that includes system files should be at least 32GB. Perhaps the most significant difference from previous Windows recovery drive procedures is the required size of the USB drive.

How to create a USB recovery drive for Windows 11 The general process for creating a USB recovery drive has been the same since Windows 7, but there are some slight variations for Windows 11. SEE: How to minimize security risks: Follow these best practices for success (TechRepublic Premium) Must-read Windows coverageĭefend your network with Microsoft outside-in security servicesĬreating a USB recovery drive using built-in tools provided by Microsoft, Windows 11 users can create fully functional recovery drives quickly with just a few mouse clicks and a little educated preparation. Unfortunately, for most users, that means starting over from scratch because they have no recovery media. Whether you are running a new Windows 11 PC, or an older PC updated to Windows 11 from Windows 10, according to Murphy’s Law, you are going to need to recover from a catastrophic personal computer failure one day. We explain what you need to completely recover from a catastrophic failure. How to create a USB recovery drive for Windows 11Ĭreating a USB recovery drive for Windows 11 is easy if you follow the preparation protocols.

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