Solved I Can't Create a System Repair Disk

[Durango]

My new UEFI BIOS computer system is as follows:

Mfg/Model: Velocity Micro/Raptor Z55 SLYLAKE Desktop
Motherboard: Asus Z170-P Intel Z170 chipset, ATX Motherboard
Processor: Intel Core I5-6600 Processor, 4-core @ 3.3GHz
C Drive: 512GB Samsung 950 Pros PCIe 3.0 SS Drive
OS: Win 7 Pro (installed by vendor)

When I try to create a System Repair Disk from the Backup and Restore screen, I get the following error:
This version of System Recovery Options is not compatible with the version of Windows that you are trying to repair.

I don't know what to do at this point and would appreciate any help/advice. Thanks in advance.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Ok mate I will assume you have done these in safe mode but if not run them the sfc ideally you should run for about three runs
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/433-disk-check.html < if necessary include the /f and /r in the command line as per Option2


Now an option is to use this Macrium Reflect Free install it because it is very good for a lot of back up and imaging stuff. Now when you first open the program and before it gets to settinhg an image it gives the option to make a repair disk see pic Plus it is very good at cloning drives.

Plus it might be of help to you to read through this tutorial http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html < a lot of us use it frequently for imaging which can be reinstated when failure occurs.

 

[Durango]

Thanks very much for the response. I hope I wasn't misleading......Win 7 Pro is running just fine on my SSD, and I do image backups using both Windows and Acronis. So just to be ready in case I ever had to restore a Windows image, I wanted to make a System Repair Disk. And that's when I got the error message. I was able to create a WinPE-based Repair Disk in Acronis, but not in Windows at the time.

As an update, I was finally successful in creating a bootable USB flash drive from my Windows installation DVD. When I booted from the USB drive, I got as far as the System Recovery Option menu. But when I selected System Image Recovery from that menu, I once again got the same 'Not Compatible' error.

Although not in Safe mode, I did previously run sfc /scannow three times and got no integrity violations.

I did try Macrium Free a few months ago on an older computer, just to play around with it. Since I'm probably not as computer savvy as you guys, I found my Acronis program to be more user friendly. But maybe I have to give up on Windows Repair and go with Acronis and Macrium (personally, I always like to use two different programs to create system images).

Any other thoughts or ideas you have would be sincerely appreciated. Thanks again........

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Skylake is not exactly compatible with win-7 so I've read but windows recovery or system restore has always never worked when really needed to
System recovery :/
You could download a iso file and create either a dvd or flash drive installation media and see how well the tools work on it
Use Chrome and this process,
Download Windows 7 and 8.1 ISO Images from Microsoft - gHacks Tech News

 

[Durango]

Thrash, thanks for your response. I did download a Win 7 iso file, from which I created both a DVD and a USB flash drive installation media. When I booted from either, it led me to the System Recovery Option menu. But then when I selected System Image Recovery from that menu, I once again got the same 'Not Compatible' error.

Trying to work with Windows repair & image recovery has been very frustrating. I think my new computer configuration was meant to be state-of-the-art, but some of the art is still missing.

 

[MeOnMine]

I think you need to ascertain whether your OS is loaded in UEFI or Legacy.
You then need to start the recovery in the same mode as the OS was loaded.
I.E. start the recovery in UEFI if that is what the OS was loaded in.
Have a look at the format of the OS drive if it is GPT then it will be loaded UEFI or NTFS will be Legacy.
E.G you are trying to start the recovery in Legacy when it needs to be started in UEFI

I am no expert on UEFI yet.....just my thoughts.

 

[Durango]

I think you need to ascertain whether your OS is loaded in UEFI or Legacy.
You then need to start the recovery in the same mode as the OS was loaded.
I.E. start the recovery in UEFI if that is what the OS was loaded in.
Have a look at the format of the OS drive if it is GPT then it will be loaded UEFI or NTFS will be Legacy.
E.G you are trying to start the recovery in Legacy when it needs to be started in UEFI

I am no expert on UEFI yet.....just my thoughts.

Me, too.......I'm struggling to learn UEFI. But my OS is loaded in UEFI, and I start the recovery search in UEFI, i.e., from the Boot menu I select UEFI: DVD/CD device, where my bootable DVD is located..

Thanks for your response.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
I believe if you used a flash drive was it formatted as device default = Fat32 ?
It would need to be as far as I've read.
Did you use Rufus to create the flash media Option 2 here ?
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2432-usb-windows-7-installation-key-drive-create.html

 

[Durango]

Hi,
I believe if you used a flash drive was it formatted as device default = Fat32 ?
It would need to be as far as I've read.
Did you use Rufus to create the flash media Option 2 here ?
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2432-usb-windows-7-installation-key-drive-create.html

Thrash, I actually used Option 3 - DiskPart. And I did format the flash drive as Fat32.

I noticed in the referenced tutorial, Shawn said
"If you have UEFI instead of BIOS motherboard, then you will need to temporarily disable Secure Boot to use the USB to install Windows. After installation is complete, you can enable Secure Boot again."

I do have a UEFI motherboard, but I wasn't able to successfully disable Secure Boot. When I did that and rebooted, someplace in the process my mouse and keyboard became inoperative. But I will try again.

Again, thanks for your response.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
You might need a bios update skylake has had some issues reported and that solves it
But mainly a special installer was needed here's an example

 

[Durango]

Thrash, I watched the video on building a special USB installer. Although I used Diskpart to create my bootable USB flash drive, he did a few things that I didn't do (especially with the bootmgfw.efi file). So I am going to try that. I'm also going to talk with my computer vendor about the availability of a Skylake update.

Creating a Windows Rescue Disk should not be this difficult. Macrium is looking better and better to me, to complement my Acronis program. I always like two different ways of creating a system image, and Windows just ain't hacking it.

Thanks for hanging in there with me.....

 

[Durango]

Hi,
Skylake is not exactly compatible with win-7 so I've read but windows recovery or system restore has always never worked when really needed to
System recovery :/
You could download a iso file and create either a dvd or flash drive installation media and see how well the tools work on it
Use Chrome and this process,
Download Windows 7 and 8.1 ISO Images from Microsoft - gHacks Tech News

Thrash, I finally communicated with the vendor's Director of Engineering where I bought my computer, and he confirmed exactly what you said regarding my Skylake system with the Samsung boot drive. His exact words were as follows:
"The specific boot drive selected in your system is a newer bleeding edge technology called NVMe. Windows 7 does not natively support this drive, so an external driver is required to get the OS to be able to recognize it. With that being said, the built in restore process in windows 7 will not function due to the NVMe drive being your boot drive. We actually do not recommend using the built in windows restore, because it is not as robust as other solutions out there that will allow you to make images to restore from."

As he suggested, I am going to forget about Windows restore and turn to Acronis and Macrium.

I didn't mean to lead anyone on a wild goose chase, and I thank all for their attempt to help me with this issue. I consider this problem resolved.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi and thanks for the update
You might find this an interesting read it is caused by a Recommended April update that issues just surfaced about uefi install which I image you had to do to get windows 7 installed on skylake,
A bitlocker update is the problem and win-7 and secure boot
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3133977
https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthre...Secure-Boot-Violation-Asus-Maximus-VII-Ranger

Solution in your case might be to enter your bios and Avanced/ Boot and under secure boot go to CSM and activate uefi only ?
Most people all they had to do is disable secure boot or switch os type to Other os to get around booting problems.

 

[Durango]

Thrash, as it turns out the hardware vendor actually did the Win 7 Pro install before they shipped the unit. He did say that a special driver was required just to get the system to recognize my Samsung drive.

So I just don't think I can get there from here. I will use Acronis and Macrium instead (I always like to use two different programs for generating system images).

FYI, when 'UEFI only' was activated under CSM, my DVD/CD device was not even recognized. So I had to change the setting to 'UEFI and Legacy". And I did try to disable secure boot, which as you indicated meant changing the setting to 'Other os'. But that didn't work either. I'm embarrassed to say, I must have 20 pages of notes where I kept track of all the setting changes I tried.

But now I'm tired of trying. Let's leave my thread marked as solved, and my personal thanks to you for sticking with me.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Can you upload a disk management screen shot just for the record
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/274797-disk-management-post-screen-capture-image.html

 

[Durango]

Sure, here it is. Do you seen anything unusual? Like I mentioned, the vendor installed Win 7 Pro for me on my SSD C: Drive.

I'm just curious as to why I don't get an email alert when there has been a new posting on my thread? Unless I remember to go to the website and check, I never know about a new posting. Is there a setting someplace that I missed?

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi thanks
The screen shot just confirms you have an efi system reserved partition instead of a ntfs one
So yea your install was meant for secure boot but win-7 was not.

Email's well some where you may have unsubscribed from here if you ever were
But yes user CP = user control panel would have those options which are default to receive email alerts
Go to Edit Options and way down at the bottom you can use Reset fields.

 

[Durango]

OK, I found it and hopefully changed the email setting to instant notification. While I was there I completed my System Specs section and a little personal info. This is an excellent forum and since I have three computers all running Win 7 (one Pro and two Ultimate), I plan on being a frequent visitor. And I will contribute when I can.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Good you got it fixed then and just in case you haven't seen this I use it for all my machines
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/11728-optimize-windows-7-a.html < it is my bible when setting up new installs or fixing family or friends machines.

 

[Durango]

Thanks. I had seen and used that guide before......I have already implemented some of the recommendations on my new computer.

Since I think this is such a neat forum and since I have received many good tips/advice from forum members, I would like to become a "Supporter". But I can't figure out how to do that.

So I guess I need some help in figuring out how to give you money, lol.