The issue of Recover from a drive not appearing under Troubleshoot options can be quite frustrating. Do you know how to resolve this? This article from MiniTool explains the common causes and offers several solutions to help you overcome this problem.
Recover From a Drive Not Showing Under Troubleshoot Options
When accessing the Troubleshoot option in the Windows Recovery Environment and finding that the Recover from a drive option is missing, it usually indicates an issue with the recovery drive or system configuration. What leads to such a situation? Here are some potential reasons behind this.
- Improper creation of the recovery drive. If the "Back up system files" option was not selected when creating the recovery drive, the USB will only have basic tools and won't support full recovery.
- Installation of the system on an NVMe SSD. Microsoft acknowledges that if Windows is installed on an NVMe drive, the option to recover from a drive might not appear.
- Incomplete or incorrectly formatted recovery image. The USB must be formatted as FAT32 and include a complete recovery image file like install.wim.
- UEFI settings conflicts. Disabling Secure Boot or failing to enable USB booting could lead to missing recovery options.
- Disabled recovery partition. Using the reagentc /info command allows checking the Windows RE status. If it's Disabled, manual activation is required.
Fixes for No Option to Recover From a Drive
If you're unable to see the Recover from a drive option while attempting to reinstall Windows using a USB drive, try the following methods to address the issue.
Method 1: Recreate the Recovery Drive
When the Recover from a drive option is absent in the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE), recreating the Recovery Drive is one of the most effective ways to fix this. This ensures all recovery functions are accessible after booting from the USB drive, enhancing post-recovery stability.
Step 1: Press the Win R keys, type recoverydrive.exe, and press Enter.
Step 2: Make sure the box next to Back up system files to recovery drive is checked. This crucial step ensures the recovery drive contains a full system image, then click Next.
Step 3: Insert the USB flash drive, choose the target drive, and click Next.
Step 4: Click Create, allowing the system to copy the recovery environment and necessary files onto the USB. This process may take several minutes depending on the system size and USB speed.
Step 5: Safely remove the USB once completed. It’s advisable to keep the recovery drive stored securely and avoid using it for other tasks.
Method 2: Verify the Recovery Environment Status
When this option doesn’t show up, checking the Recovery Environment status becomes essential for troubleshooting. This confirms whether WinRE is active and verifies the accuracy of the recovery path.
Step 1: Launch Command Prompt with administrative privileges.
Step 2: Enter reagentc /info into the window and hit Enter.
Step 3: Upon completion, the correct status should display:
- Windows RE status: Enabled
- Windows RE location: \\?\GLOBALROOT\device\harddisk0\partition4\Recovery\WindowsRE
- Boot Configuration Data (BCD) identifier: …
If the status is Disabled, input reagentc /enable and press Enter to activate it.
In various user reports, executing reagentc /enable revealed that the recovery environment was either disabled or had a missing path, causing the absence of the Recover from a drive option. After reactivating the recovery environment or fixing the configuration, the recovery option returned.
Method 3: Review BIOS/UEFI Settings
Failure to enable USB Boot or External Device Boot within the BIOS may prevent the system from recognizing the recovery drive. Additionally, if the USB isn’t prioritized in the boot sequence, the system may bypass it entirely, opting for another disk or partition. In such cases, inspecting the BIOS/UEFI settings is necessary to identify and rectify the issue.
Step 1: Open Settings and navigate to System > Recovery.
Step 2: Select Restart now found under Advanced startup.
Step 3: Once the system restarts, access the Choose an option interface.
Step 4: Proceed to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI firmware settings.
Step 5: Choose Restart to enter the BIOS/UEFI setup.
Method 4: Test Another USB Device or Port
Issues related to USB interface compatibility, drive hardware mismatches, insufficient or unstable port power, flawed recovery drive creation, incorrect formatting, or problems with the USB controller/driver could all contribute to this issue. If previous attempts haven't resolved the problem, trying a different device or port might help.
Tip: Try this free file recovery software, MiniTool Power Data Recover, which lets you restore up to 1 GB of files at no cost. Give it a shot!Final Thoughts
These strategies can assist in resolving the issue of Recover from a drive not showing under Troubleshoot options on Windows 11. Go through them systematically to find the solution!
The above is the detailed content of Recover From a Drive Not Showing Under Troubleshoot Options. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

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