A Windows 10/11 repair boot USB drive can fix system errors and reset computer to a normal state. In this post, you will find how to create bootable USB and repair Windows 10 with it.
I installed a recent update to my windows 10 pro 64 bit machine, but I can't boot it normally. I tried the SFC Scannow, DISM command, reset this pc and keep my files, but no success. So can I use a Windows 10 boot repair disk to repair the OS?
The answer is YES, you can boot Windows 10 from a repair boot USB drive and repair your computer with corresponding recovery tools, such as bootrec commands.
A Windows 10 repair boot USB refers to a bootable recovery drive made with USB. If you've created it before system crashes, you can fix issues, reset Windows even when the computer fails to boot. And if you can't repair the system successfully, the bootable recovery drive also offers you an opportunity to reinstall Windows 10.
In the following article, I will introduce how to make a recovery USB and how to use it to repair system.
Note: If you have no USB around, only CD/DVD, you can choose to create Windows 10 system repair disc.
To make a Windows 10 repair USB for another computer, or you fail to create recovery disk, turn to the professional bootable drive creator. More »
It is a wise choice to create Windows 10 repair USB drive in case of system problems. Here are the detailed steps:
Step 1. Connect a USB drive to your working computer and make sure it can be detected.
Note: Any data on the USB drive will be overwritten during the operation, please backup anything important first.
Step 2. In the search box, type "recovery drive" and choose "Create a recovery drive."
Step 3. In the small pop-up window, check the option "Back up system files to the recovery drive" and click "Next."
Step 4. Select a USB flash drive and click "Next."
Step 5. Click "Create" to start the operation.
Note: Sometimes, you will find Windows 10 bootable USB not working, click the given link before and fix the error.
If you need to repair system using boot repair USB drive when your operating system fails to boot, you can insert the repair USB drive to your computer and enter BIOS to make your computer boot from the bootable disk firstly. Then, when the recovery screen appears, go to "Troubleshoot" > "Advanced options" > "Startup Repair."
If Startup Repair can’t solve the problem, you can go to "Command Prompt" under "Advanced options" to repair Windows 10.
Note: Replace d: with the drive letter of the partition that contains your Windows installation.
As described above, the bootable Windows 10/11 repair drive helps to fix boot issues, restore or reinstall Windows OS. But it cannot be used to start other computers. Sometimes you are even unable to create a recovery USB disk.
In this case, you can consider using another free backup software. AOMEI Backupper Standard is a good example.
When your PC fails to start, you can boot it from the bootable USB drive and perform system restore in WinPE. Download and install the freeware to have a try.
Before creating bootable media:
Insert a USB drive to a working computer running Windows and ensure that it can be detected.
If you don’t want to lose data on the USB drive, you can make a backup before operation.
Create a system image and save it to a safe location in case of recovery needs.
Step 1. In the main interface, click “Create Bootable Media” under “Tools” tab.
Step 2. Select the type of bootable media. "WinPE" is recommended for more complete functions and easier operation. And the created disc is compatible with both legacy/MBR and UEFI/GPT.
Step 3. Select a bootable media among three options (here USB Boot Device is chosen) and click “Next” to execute the operation.
When the process completes, click on “Finish” button.
With the created bootable USB drive and system image, you can fix the computer when it fails to access Windows. Here's the approach:
1. Insert the bootable USB drive to the computer that needs to restore system.
2. Press certain key while starting computer to enter BIOS.
3. Select the USB drive as the first boot option.
4. Access the main interface of AOMEI Backupper to restore system.
Tips:
#1. Can I use any USB drive for creating a Windows 10 repair boot USB?
Yes, you can use most USB drives with sufficient capacity (at least 8GB). Ensure there's no critical data on the drive, as the process will format it.
#2. How do I boot from a Windows 10 repair USB?
Insert the repair boot USB into the computer, restart it, and access the boot menu or BIOS/UEFI settings. Select the USB drive as the boot device to launch the repair options.
#3. Can I use a repair boot USB on multiple computers?
Yes, you can use a Windows 10 repair boot USB on multiple computers. However, keep in mind that repair options may vary depending on the specific system and issues.
#4. Can I use a Windows 10 installation DVD instead of a USB for repair purposes?
Yes, you can use a Windows 10 installation DVD for repair purposes, but creating a repair boot USB is more convenient and often recommended for devices without an optical drive.
#5. How often should I create a new Windows 10 repair boot USB?
It's a good practice to create a new repair boot USB when you install major Windows updates or make significant changes to your system. This ensures that you have the latest tools and files.
If your computer becomes unbootable, it is nice to fix the issue using Windows 10 repair boot USB. And it is effective and simple to restore system using bootable media created by AOMEI Backupper. All in all, it is wise to backup system in advance so that you can restore system if necessary.
If you want to protect unlimited computers within your company, you can pick AOMEI Backupper Technician. With the inbuilt AOMEI Image Deploy tool, you are also allowed to deploy/restore system image file on server-side computer to multiple client-side computers over network.