System Repair Disc - Create

How to Create a Windows 7 System Repair Disc​

   Information

This will show you how to create a Windows 7 system repair disc to be able to use to boot to system recovery options to help recover your Windows 7 installation if you don't have a Windows installation disc, can't find your Windows installation disc, or can't access the recovery options provided by your computer manufacturer.

A system repair disc is not able to install Windows 7.

   Note

If you are unable to boot your Windows 7 to create a Windows 7 System Repair Disc, then you could create it on another computer to use on your computer.

   Warning

• A system repair disc is not the same as a OEM factory recovery/restore disc.
• A system repair disc is not an installation disc. You cannot do a repair install or install Windows 7 with a system repair disc.
• A system repair disc can only be used to repair Windows 7 through the system recovery options.
• 32-bit System Repair Disc can only be created on a 32-bit Windows 7.
• 64-bit System Repair Disc can only be created on a 64-bit Windows 7.
• 32-bit System Repair Disc can only be used to repair a 32-bit Windows 7.
• 64-bit System Repair Disc can only be used to repair a 64-bit Windows 7.

:note: For Windows 10, see the following link - System Repair Disc - Create in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Tutorials

EXAMPLE: System Recovery Options
NOTE: Using the System Repair Disc that you have created below, you can boot to the system recovery options screen below.



Here's How:
1. Open the Start Menu, then type recdisc.exe in the search box and press Enter.
A) Go to step 3.
OR

2. Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click on the Backup and Restore icon.
A) Click on the Create a System repair disc link in the left blue pane. (See screenshot below)

3. Insert a blank unformatted CD or DVD into your CD/DVD drive and click on the Create disc button. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: If you are prompted to insert a Windows installation disc, it means that the files needed to create the system repair disc cannot be found on your computer. Insert a Windows 7 installation disc.

4. It will now start creating the System Repair Disc. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: If a AutoPlay window pops up, just close it.

5. When it's finished, click on the Close button. (See screenshot below)

6. Click on OK. (See screenshot below)

7. Remove and label your new Windows 7 System Repair Disc from the CD/DVD drive.

   Tip

If you would like to create a bootable System Repair USB flash drive, then you could use the free program ImgBurn to create an ISO file with this Windows 7 System Repair Disc (DVD), then use the Part 1 section in the tutorial below to extract the ISO file to a USB flash drive.

Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Tell if Windows 7 is a 32-bit or 64-bit System Type
• How to Create a Windows 7 Recovery Partition
• How to Create a Windows 7 Installation USB Key
• How to Boot to the System Recovery Options in Windows 7
• How to Boot to the Advanced Boot Options in Windows 7
• How to Run a Startup Repair in Windows 7
• How to Do a System Restore in Windows 7
• How to Do a System Image Recovery in Windows 7
• How to Run the Memory Diagnostics Tool in Windows 7
• How to Open a Command Prompt at Startup in Windows 7
• How to Do a Repair Install to Fix Windows 7
• How to Extract Files from the Windows 7 Installation DVD
• How to Make a MS-DOS Bootable Flash Drive
• How to Create a System Recovery Shortcut in Windows 7
• How to Create a Windows 7 Backup and Restore Shortcut
• How to Create a Windows 7 Universal Installation Disc
• How to Boot Windows 7 System Repair Disc from USB Pen Drive or External Hard Disk Using Grub4Dos
• How to Recover from an Infinitely Looping Startup Repair Loop without Reinstalling Windows
• How to Slipstream Windows 7 SP1 and Updates to Create a Bootable USB, Installation DVD, or ISO File
• How to Hide or Show "Do you want to create a system repair disc?" Message

 

[Brink]

Hello Preiius, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Both 1 & 2 = Can be used on either.

Both 3 & 4 = Yes on both.

 

[preiius]

Really, my understanding was win7 non-sp1 cannot repair sp1 installation, or that win7 sp1 cannot repair non-sp1 installation.

Btw, great forum.

 

[Brink]

Yep, I just tested by booting to the "System Recovery Options" screen from my 64-bit non-sp1 Windows 7 installation disc at boot on my 64-bit Windows 7 SP1 installation, and was able to do all options.

 

[LM2008]

I have created 2 System Repair Disc cd's and they won't boot. I have tried changing the order of boot in BIOS and used F12 too to quickly select drive to boot. Only a System Repair "USB" boot and a retail Windows 7 DVD.

 

[Brink]

Hello LM,

If you have your CD/DVD drive set to be first in the boot order on BIOS, then when you get that "Press a key to boot from CD..." message at boot, are you pressing a key at that point to boot from the system repair DVD?

 

[SIW2]

1. Why do you want a system repair disc if you have the retail dvd?

2. If it's for a backup copy of the repair functions - try using a recordable dvd to create the repair disc.

I have created 2 System Repair Disc cd's and they won't boot. I have tried changing the order of boot in BIOS and used F12 too to quickly select drive to boot. Only a System Repair "USB" boot and a retail Windows 7 DVD.

 

[LM2008]

1. Why do you want a system repair disc if you have the retail dvd?

2. If it's for a backup copy of the repair functions - try using a recordable dvd to create the repair disc.

I have created 2 System Repair Disc cd's and they won't boot. I have tried changing the order of boot in BIOS and used F12 too to quickly select drive to boot. Only a System Repair "USB" boot and a retail Windows 7 DVD.

Because is not booting neither and tried making the repair discs, stupid laptop. I don't know what's wrong.

 

[Brink]

LM,

Are you able to boot from a USB flash drive using your boot menu (F12 ?) ?

If so, you could use the tutorial below to create a Windows 7 installation USB flash drive to use to boot to the "System Recovery Options" screen with instead.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2432-usb-windows-7-installation-key-drive-create.html

 

[SIW2]

You say the win 7 install dvd will boot ?

Did you read the second question?

2. If it's for a backup copy of the repair functions - try using a recordable dvd to create the repair disc.

I don't usually repeat myself - but English is not your first language , so you may have missed it.

 

[LM2008]

I can boot from USB, but not from the dvd as before and i don't know what's wrong because the dvd\cd drive read it well in Windows, the problem is just booting from it.

 

[Brink]

LM,

Since you say that you have the CD/DVD drive listed as first in the boot priority list in BIOS, and have selected to boot from it in your F12 boot menu, are you pressing a key to actually boot from the CD/DVD drive when you see this screen below pop up? If not, then it will not boot from the CD/DVD drive even if listed first.

 

[LM2008]

Message is not appearing as before.

 

[Brink]

Personally, I'd stick with using a USB flash drive since it will be faster with it.

If you're not seeing the "Press any key..." message, then the CD/DVD drive is not set to be allowed to be booted from in BIOS or boot menu.

 

[ramicio]

I want to create a backup image of my Windows install and put it on my Areca RAID array. Can a recovery disc be made with those RAID drivers?

 

[Brink]

Hello Ramicio,

Not that I'm aware of.

As a workaround, you could create a ISO of the repair disc, burn the ISO to a USB flash drive, and then manually copy the RAID drivers to the USB flash drive to make it easier to select them.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[ramicio]

There is evidently a way to make a USB recovery disc without the tool. But still, it would have been nice for them to enable a way to include RAID drivers.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Thanks Shawn Haven't this mistake again with the newy laptop (my little Compaq CQ43 workhorse - pun intended lol!!)

John

 

[Brink]

LOL, no problem John.

 

[Infinite]

I'm assuming the System Repair Disk is the same as pressing F8. I don't know, never tried this before.

 

[Brink]

Hello Infinite,

Yeah, they both will boot to the "System Recovery Options" screen. Some custom factory OEM installations may vary with what F8 does though.