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HP PCs
- Creating Recovery Discs or Saving a Recovery Image to a USB Flash
Drive
(Windows 7)
This document pertains to HP and Compaq computers that came with Windows 7.
This document describes how to create recovery media that you can use to restore your computer to its original
condition in case of a major problem with your computer.
HP strongly recommends that you create recovery discs or create a recovery USB flash drive as soon as you
receive your computer. If your HP computer with Windows 7 does not have the HP recovery program, or if the
recovery discs or USB drive was not created before the recovery partition was damaged or erased, you will need
to find a set of the HP recovery discs that match your model number from the Internet or install a new operating
system.
HP recovery software allows you to make only one recovery backup . These backup files contain the original
operating system, drivers, and application software that shipped with the computer.

Media options: Discs or a USB flash drive

Your computer might have one or two options for creating recovery media. Use the option that is most convenient
for you.
To determine which options are available to create recovery media, click Start (
click Recovery Manager .

), click All Programs , and then

If Recovery Disc Creation displays in the list, you can use discs only.
If Recovery Media Creation displays in the list, you can use either discs or a USB flash drive.
Depending on the media options that your computer provides, follow one of the procedures below.
Click expandable (+) headings to expand the information.
Creating recovery discs with Recovery Disc Creation software
This section describes how to create a recovery disc set.
View a video on creating recovery discs in Windows 7

Features and important information

The following is a list of features and important information about creating recovery discs:

 Recovery Disc Creation software creates a set of system recovery discs using blank, writable DVDs (DVD-R
or DVD+R). HP recommends using blank DVD+R discs. Use a name-brand label from a manufacturer you
trust, as these recovery DVDs are very important. You need approximately 2 blank DVD+R discs. The Disc
Creator software program states how many discs are needed at the beginning of the process.
NOTE: Only DVD-R and DVD+R discs are compatible with the Recovery Disc Creation program. The following
disc types are not compatible with the Recovery Disc Creation program:
CDs
DVD-RW
DVD+RW
DVD-R DL
DVD+R DL
DVD-RW DL
DVD+RW DL
Temporarily disable Windows User Account Control if User Account Control is enabled. Doing so decreases
the chances of encountering problems during disc creation.
The Disc Creation software program allows only one complete set of discs to be created.
The Disc Creation software program requires an uncorrupted recovery partition (FACTORY_IMAGE D:) to
create a set of discs. Uncorrupted means the recovery partition has not been modified or removed.
The creation process takes about 30 minutes per DVD. The entire recovery set does not need to be created
in one session.
The Disc Creation software can be aborted at any time, except during the writing (burning) process, by
clicking Cancel . The next time the Disc Creation software program is run, it automatically starts where it
last stopped.
You can use the recovery discs you create on your computer on another computer only if the second
computer is the same model as the one that created the recovery discs.
Creating recovery discs from Windows
This section provides steps for creating the recovery disc set.
NOTE: Use DVD+R discs if your disc drive supports the DVD+R format. CDs and DVD-RW/DVD-RW discs are not
compatible with the Recovery Disc Creation program.
NOTE: If drive encryption software is running while creating discs, file verification errors can occur. If you are using
drive encryption software, such as bitlocker , disable drive encryption before creating your discs.
NOTE: Your computer screens might vary slightly from the screens shown below.
1. Disconnect from the Internet and close all other programs. Creating recovery discs is a resource-intensive
process. You should not use your computer for other work while the computer is creating recovery discs.
2. Click Start (

), and enter recovery manager into the Search field.

3. If a User Account Control message opens, click Yes or enter your login password, whichever is required. For
best results, HP recommends that you temporarily disable Windows User Account Control .
A Recovery Manager window opens.
4. Click either Recovery Media Creation or Recovery Disc Creation , whichever is shown in the Window.
NOTE: If Recovery Media Creation or Recovery Disc Creation is not available (grayed out), then a recovery
image has already been created. Due to license restrictions, only one set of recovery media can be created.
Any new recovery media must be ordered online or obtained using another method.
Figure 1: Recovery Manager: Recovery Media selection

5. Do one of the following, depending what is shown in the Recovery Manager window:
If Welcome to Recovery Disc Creation is shown, click Next to continue.
If Welcome to Recovery Media Creation is shown, select Create recovery media using blank DVD(s) ,
and click Next to continue.
Figure 2: Recovery Manager: Recovery Media selection

6. The Recovery Disc Creation program displays the number of discs needed to create your set of recovery
discs.
Obtain the same number of blank DVDs as shown in the window and label them, according to their disc
number, using a permanent marker.
For example, if your recovery requires 2 discs, mark the first disc 1 of 2 and the second 2 of 2 .
Figure 3: Recovery Disc Creation: Number of discs needed

7. Insert the first blank DVD and close the disc tray. Click Next to continue.
NOTE: An AutoPlay message might open when you insert the blank disc. If it does, close it by clicking on the x
in the upper right corner. This message has nothing to do with creating recovery discs.
A verification window opens, showing the disc type and the number of discs needed.
Figure 4: Recovery Disc Creation: Disc verification window

8. Click Next .
The Recovery Disc Creation window opens and displays the status of the following processes:
Collecting files - The program collects needed files from the recovery partition.
Writing files - The program burns the first disc.
Verifying disc - The program verifies the contents of each disc.
Figure 5: Recovery Disc Creation: Creating disc 1 of 1

CAUTION: Cancelling the write process in the middle might result in a corrupted and unusable disc. Before
cancelling, wait until the disc has completed its write and verification process and prompts for the next
disc.
NOTE: If the disc creation process cancels automatically while collecting files, temporarily disable Windows
User Account Control .
9. Wait for a message stating that disc creation was successful.
Figure 6: Recovery Disc Creation: Disc creation successful

10. When the disc has been created, the disc tray opens automatically.
11. If prompted for another disc, insert it into the disc tray.
NOTE: The AutoPlay message might display on the desktop. If it does, close it by clicking on the x in the
upper-right corner. This message has nothing to do with creating recovery discs.
The same process begins for Disc 2 and subsequent discs, if they are required. With the successful burning
of each disc, a Disc creation successful message displays and the disc tray automatically opens, allowing
you to retrieve the disc.
12. Continue creating discs until Recovery Disc Creation has successfully created all recovery discs.
Figure 7: Recovery Disc Creation: Recovery Disc Creation complete

13. Click Finish .

14. Be sure all discs are marked appropriately, and save them in a safe place.
CAUTION: It is important to protect the discs you created. Store these discs in a safe dark place away from
sunlight.
15. If you attempt to create another set of recovery discs after successfully creating one set of discs, a screen
displays stating only one recovery set is allowed. Your only choice is to click OK and exit the program. If the
first recovery disc set is incomplete or damaged and this message opens, use another method to obtain
new discs. See Looking for Recovery Discs? .
Resolving disc verification failures
If the computer ejects a disc and a disc verification error message displays, the disc burn on that disc was
unsuccessful. Do not exit from the system recovery disc process. Instead, insert another disc to complete the disc
creation process. If the error occurs again, use a different brand of writable disc.
If the disc creation process fails and you need recovery discs, see Looking for Recovery Discs? .
Saving a recovery image to a USB flash drive
This section describes how to save a recovery image to a USB flash drive.
View a video on saving a recovery image to a USB flash drive

Features and important information

The following is a list of features and important information:
Use a blank USB flash drive with at least 32 GB of memory. HP recommends using a name brand from a
manufacturer you trust.
Temporarily disable Windows User Account Control if User Account Control is enabled. Doing so decreases
the chances of encountering problems during the process.

 The media creation software allows only

system image to be created. If you created a set of recovery
discs, you can not create a system image on a USB drive.
The media creation software requires an uncorrupted recovery partition (FACTORY_IMAGE D:). Uncorrupted
means that the recovery partition has not been modified or removed.
The image creation process takes about 30 minutes.
Saving a recovery image to a USB flash drive
Complete the following steps to save a recovery image to a USB flash drive:
NOTE: If drive encryption software is running while creating this media, file verification errors can occur. If you are
using drive encryption software, such as bitlocker , disable drive encryption before creating the media.
1. Disconnect from the Internet and close all other software.
2. Click Start (

), and enter recovery manager into the Search field.

3. If a User Account Control message opens, click Yes or enter your login password, whichever is required. For
best results, HP recommends that you temporarily disable Windows User Account Control .
A Recovery Manager window opens.
4. Click Recovery Media Creation .
NOTE: If Recovery Media Creation is not available (grayed out), then a recovery image has already been
created. Due to license restrictions, only one set of recovery media can be created. Any new recovery media
must be ordered online or obtained using another method.
Figure 8: Recovery Manager: Recovery Media selection

5. Select Create recovery media with a USB flash drive , and click Next to continue.
Figure 9: Recovery Media Creation

6. Click Create recovery media with a USB flash drive , and then click Next .
A verification window opens, showing the hard drive locations for removable discs.
7. Select the location for your USB flash drive, and then click Next .
Figure 10: USB flash drive location

8. A Recovery Manager message opens stating that the flash drive will be formatted. Click OK to format the
USB flash drive and continue.
NOTE: Formatting this flash drive deletes any files on the drive.
Figure 11: Verification message

9. Wait while the software creates your recovery media.

Recovery image creation happens in two stages:
First, the software copies the files to the USB flash drive.

Figure 12: Copying files screen

Second, the software verifies the files that files were copied successfully. A screen displays for each
process.
Figure 13: Verifying files screen

10. Click Finish when Recovery Manager has successfully created the recovery media.
Figure 14: Media creation successful message

11. Store the USB flash drive in a safe, protected place.

12. If you attempt to save another recovery image to a USB flash drive after successfully saving one recovery
image, a screen displays stating that only one recovery set is allowed. The only choice is to click OK and exit
the program.

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