[SOLVED] Unable to Create Recovery Drive on Windows 10 |5 Ways

The Error: Unable to Create Recovery Drive

Creating a recovery drive in Windows 10 allows you to repair, restore, or reinstall Windows if your computer is not working properly. With it, you can boot your PC and fix startup issues, restore from system image, repair boot sectors, etc.

However, some users report that they can’t create a recovery drive on Windows 10 with the following two error messages:

• “We can’t create the recovery drive.”
• “A problem occurred while creating the recovery drive.”

These errors usually mean that Windows can’t access the recovery environment or essential system files due to corrupted recovery partition, insufficient space, improper formatting, missing system files, disabled winre, etc.

How to Fix Unable to Create Recovery Drive in Windows 10

Here are 5 simple and effective methods to fix “can’t create recovery drive” on Windows 10.

Method 1: Enable Windows Recovery Environment

Sometimes, the recovery drive can’t be created as WinRE (Windows Recovery Environment)is disabled. Here’s how to check and re-enable it(if it’s disabled):

Step 1. Type cmd in the Start menu, right-click Command Prompt, and choose Run as administrator.

Step 2. Type reagentc /info and press Enter. It will display the Windows RE status: Disabled, it needs to be re-enabled.

Step 3. Type the following command to enable it and try creating the recovery drive again.

reagentc /enable

Method 2: Run System File Checker and DISM

Corrupted or missing system files can cause the unable to create recovery driveerror. If this is the root cause, you can fix it using SFC and DISM commands.

Step 1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator.

Step 2. Type sfc /scannow and press Enter. It will start to scan and repair any detected issues.

Step 3. Then, type the following DISM command to restore system health. Once completed, restart your computer.

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Method 3: Format or Replace the USB Drive

If your USB flash drive is too small, corrupted, or incompatible, you can’t create the recoverydrive.Be sure the USB is at least 16GB and format it as FAT32.

Step 1. Open File Explorer, right-click the USB drive, and select Format.

Step 2. Choose FAT32 as the file system and click Start. It will perform a quick format by default unless you uncheck it.

Step 3. If the problem persists, try to replace it with another USB drive.

Method 4: Disable Antivirus or Security Software

Sometimes, antivirus software can interfere with the process while creating Windwos 10 recovery drive. So you can choose to temporarily disable your antivirus software and then re-enable it.

Step 1. Press Win + I to open the Settings window. Then, select Update & Security > Windows Security and click Virus & threat protection.

Step 2. Under Virus & threat protection settings, click Manage settings.

Step 3. Turn Off Real-time protection. It will automatically turn on after a short time or when you restart your PC.

Method 5: Temporarily Turn OffWindows Defender Firewall

Also, security programs like Windows Defender Firewall may interfere with the process while creating Windows 10 recovery drive. Just disable your Windows Defender Firewall temporarily.

Step 1. Type control in the Start menu. Then, scroll down to Windows Defender Firewall and select it on the right side.

Step 2. On the left side, click Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off.

Step 3. Select Turn off Windows Defender Firewall under both Private network settings and Public network settings. Click OK to save the changes.

⚠️Note: Remember to re-enable the firewall immediately after creating Windows 10 recovery drive.

Worry-Free Way to Create Windows 10 Recovery Drive

When the built-in Recovery Drive fails, you can still create Windows 10 recovery drive easily using a third-party bootable media creator - AOMEI BackupperStandard. It’s free, universal, and fully compatible with Windows 10.

Steps to Create Windows 10 Recovery Drive with AOMEI Backupper

Step 1. Download and install AOMEI Backupper Standard. Then, go to Tools > Create Bootable Media.

Step 2. Select the storage media among USB drive, CD/DVD, ISO file. Here, click USB Boot Device and Create to start creating Windows 10 recovery drive.

⚠️Note: Unlike the built-in Recovery Drive, it allows you to create a system image or disk image and restore Windows 10 image to new hard drive without extra tools. It can fully resolve system issues.

Final Thoughts

The “Unable to Create Recovery Drive” error in Windows 10 is a common but fixable issue, and most of the time, it’s caused by system file corruption, USB issues, disabled recovery environment, etc. You can fix it with the above methods.

The easiest method is to create a Windows 10 recovery drive using a dedicated tool like AOMEI Backupper Standard. It’s fully compatible with both UEFI and Legacy BIOS systems, and supports different backup solutions -ensuring you’re always ready for unexpected crashes or system failures.