What to Do When Creating a Recovery Drive Fails
I wanted to try installing Ubuntu 24.04 on my Surface Pro 5. However, anticipating the possibility that I might want to revert to the original Windows 10 just in case, I needed to create a recovery USB beforehand.
Normally, you can use the “Create a recovery drive" feature to set up a system that restores Windows onto a USB flash drive. However, when I actually tried it, an error occurred halfway through and it couldn’t finish.
Securing a Way to Reinstall Windows 10
The goal is simple:
- Make it possible to perform a clean installation of Windows 10 on the Surface Pro 5 at any time.
- Have the peace of mind of being able to return to Windows even after installing Ubuntu.
Once this is achieved, you can try out another OS with peace of mind.
Failure to Create a Recovery Drive
I actually selected “Create a recovery drive" in Windows 10, connected a 16GB USB flash drive, and proceeded.
However, after a few minutes, an error popped up and I couldn’t proceed. Changing the USB flash drive yielded the same result.
Possible causes include:
- The recovery partition on the Surface Pro 5 is corrupted
- The state of Windows Update or system files is affecting it
- Or compatibility issues with the USB flash drive
In any case, it did not succeed in my environment.
Creating Official Microsoft Installation Media
Therefore, I changed my approach and chose to create installation media from the official Microsoft website.
The steps are as follows:
- Access the official Microsoft Windows 10 download page.
- Click “Download tool now" to get the Media Creation Tool.
- Run the tool and select “Create installation media for another PC".
- Check the edition and architecture, then select the USB flash drive.
- The installation USB is completed in a few tens of minutes.
Booting from this USB allows for a clean installation on the Surface Pro 5. Since the license is embedded in the device itself, there is no need to manually enter a product key, and it will be activated automatically.
Conclusion: Official Media is the Most Reliable Option
Even if you cannot create a recovery drive on a Surface Pro 5, creating official Microsoft installation media is a sufficient alternative.
- Insurance for when a recovery drive cannot be created
- Peace of mind before trying Ubuntu or other OSs
- License activation happens automatically without any issues
As a result, there was no need to obsess over the recovery drive. In fact, using the official media allows for reinstallation in a more up-to-date state, so it seems best to use this method going forward.