Plug in a USB flash drive (16GB or larger is recommended for driver backups).

Ethan wiped his hands on his jeans. "The MBR is corrupted. I need to wipe and reinstall. I’m going to need a recovery image."

Here are two ways using Microsoft's own tools:

To ensure successful creation, the following hardware and software parameters must be met:

A USB flash drive with at least 16 GB of storage is recommended, though 8 GB may suffice for standard recovery.

In the wizard window, ensure the checkbox labeled is selected. Click Next .

Select "Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC."

You need a drive with at least 16 GB of storage space. Note that the creation process will completely format the drive, erasing all existing data.

Once the screen says "Your USB flash drive is ready," click Finish . Safely eject the USB drive. Method 2: Creating a Dedicated System Recovery Drive

: Use an empty flash drive with at least 16 GB of space. All data on it will be erased.