Recovery drive windows keep crashing​

Recovery Drive: Troubleshooting Windows When It Keeps Crashing

Windows is one of the most widely used operating systems globally, powering millions of personal and business computers. However, like any software, it is not immune to issues, and one of the most frustrating problems users can encounter is when Windows keeps crashing. A crashing Windows system can lead to data loss, inability to access important files, and a significant disruption to work or daily activities. One of the most effective tools for dealing with such issues is the recovery drive. 

Blue Screen of Death (BSOD): This is perhaps the most well-known type of Windows crash. The BSOD is characterized by a blue screen with an error message and technical details. Errors such as “IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL,” “DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL,” and “BAD_POOL_HEADER” are common. These crashes are often caused by hardware issues, such as faulty RAM, a failing hard drive, or incompatible drivers.

Application Crashes: These occur when a specific application stops working unexpectedly. The application may freeze, display an error message, or close without warning. Application crashes can be due to software bugs, conflicts with other programs, or insufficient system resources.

System Hangs: In this case, the entire system becomes unresponsive. The mouse may not move, keyboard input may be ignored, and the screen may freeze. System hangs can be caused by a variety of factors, including overheating, software conflicts, or problems with the operating system kernel.

Causes of Windows Crashes

Hardware Issues: As mentioned earlier, faulty hardware components can cause Windows to crash. For example, a failing hard drive may lead to data corruption, which can result in system instability. Overheating can also cause hardware to malfunction, leading to crashes.

Driver Problems: Drivers are software components that allow the operating system to communicate with hardware devices. Outdated, corrupted, or incompatible drivers can cause conflicts and crashes. For instance, a graphics driver that is not properly installed or updated may lead to graphical glitches and system crashes.

Software Conflicts: Installing multiple software programs on a system can sometimes lead to conflicts. For example, two antivirus programs running simultaneously may compete for system resources, causing the system to crash.

Malware and Viruses: Malicious software can infect a Windows system and cause a variety of problems, including crashes. Viruses can corrupt system files, modify system settings, and use up system resources, leading to instability.

Insufficient System Resources: If a system does not have enough RAM, CPU power, or disk space, it may struggle to run applications and the operating system smoothly. This can result in crashes, especially when running resource-intensive programs.

What is a Recovery Drive?

A recovery drive is a bootable storage device (usually a USB flash drive or a DVD) that contains the necessary files and tools to repair a Windows operating system. It allows users to access advanced startup options, such as Safe Mode, System Restore, and Command Prompt, even when the operating system fails to boot normally.

Components of a Recovery Drive

Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE): This is a lightweight version of Windows that is loaded from the recovery drive. It provides a set of tools for troubleshooting and repairing the operating system. WinRE includes options for system recovery, disk repair, and driver management.

System Image: A system image is a backup of the entire Windows operating system, including all installed programs, settings, and user files. Some recovery drives may include a system image that can be used to restore the system to a previous working state.

Diagnostic and Repair Tools: These tools include disk check utilities (such as chkdsk), memory diagnostic tools, and system file checker. These tools can be used to identify and fix issues with the hard drive, memory, and system files.

Creating a Recovery Drive in Windows

Prerequisites

A USB Flash Drive or a DVD: The USB flash drive should have at least 8GB of free space, while a DVD is suitable for creating a recovery drive for older versions of Windows.

Administrator Privileges: You need to have administrative rights on the Windows system to create a recovery drive.

Steps to Create a Recovery Drive in Windows 10

Open the Control Panel: Click on the “Start” button and type “Control Panel” in the search bar. Then, click on the “Control Panel” app to open it.

Search for Recovery: In the Control Panel, search for “Recovery” in the search bar at the top right corner.

Select “Create a recovery drive”: Under the “Recovery” section, click on “Create a recovery drive” link. This will open the Recovery Drive wizard.

Choose Options: The wizard will ask you if you want to include a system image of your drive on the recovery drive. If you have enough space on the USB flash drive, it is recommended to include the system image. This will allow you to restore your entire system in case of a major failure.

Insert the USB Flash Drive: Plug in the USB flash drive into the computer’s USB port. Make sure the drive is recognized by the system.

Create the Recovery Drive: Click on the “Next” button in the wizard, and it will start creating the recovery drive. This process may take some time, depending on the size of the system image and the speed of the USB drive.

Completion: Once the recovery drive is created successfully, you will see a confirmation message. You can then click on the “Finish” button to close the wizard.

Steps to Create a Recovery Drive in Windows 11

Open Settings: Click on the “Start” button and select “Settings” (the gear icon).

Go to System: In the Settings window, click on “System” in the left sidebar.

Select Recovery: Scroll down in the System settings and click on “Recovery” in the right pane.

Click on “Create a recovery drive”: Under the “Advanced startup” section, click on the “Create a recovery drive” button. This will open the Recovery Drive wizard.

Follow the Wizard: The steps in the wizard are similar to those in Windows 10. You can choose to include a system image, insert the USB flash drive, and wait for the recovery drive to be created.

Using a Recovery Drive to Fix a Crashing Windows System

Booting from the Recovery Drive

Insert the Recovery Drive: Insert the USB flash drive or DVD recovery drive into the computer’s appropriate port.

Restart the Computer: Restart the computer. You may need to press a specific key (such as F12. Del, or Esc) during the boot process to access the boot menu. The key to press may vary depending on the computer’s manufacturer.

Select the Recovery Drive: In the boot menu, select the recovery drive as the boot device. For example, if it is a USB flash drive, select the USB drive from the list of available devices.

Enter Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE): Once the computer boots from the recovery drive, it will load the Windows Recovery Environment.

Troubleshooting Options in WinRE

Safe Mode: Safe Mode starts Windows with a minimal set of drivers and services. This can help you identify if a third-party driver or software is causing the crashes. If Windows starts successfully in Safe Mode, you can uninstall recently installed programs or update drivers to fix the issue.

System Restore: System Restore allows you to restore the system to a previous restore point. A restore point is a snapshot of the system’s settings and files at a specific time. If you suspect that a recent software installation or system change has caused the crashes, you can use System Restore to revert the system to a working state.

Command Prompt: The Command Prompt in WinRE provides a powerful tool for troubleshooting. You can use commands such as “chkdsk” to check the hard drive for errors, “sfc /scannow” to scan and repair corrupted system files, and “bootrec /fixmbr” to fix the Master Boot Record.

Startup Repair: This option automatically tries to fix problems that prevent Windows from starting. It can repair boot configuration data, fix corrupted system files, and resolve other startup-related issues.

Memory Diagnostic Tool: If you suspect that faulty RAM is causing the crashes, you can use the Memory Diagnostic tool in WinRE to test the computer’s memory. The tool will run a series of tests to check for errors in the RAM modules.

Advanced Troubleshooting with a Recovery Drive

Fixing Bootloader Issues

The bootloader is a crucial component that initializes the Windows operating system during the boot process. If the bootloader is corrupted, Windows may not start. You can use the Command Prompt in WinRE to fix bootloader issues. For example, you can use the “bootrec /fixboot” command to write a new boot sector to the system partition, and “bootrec /rebuildbcd” to rebuild the Boot Configuration Data.

Driver Management

As mentioned earlier, driver problems can cause Windows to crash. In WinRE, you can use the Device Manager to manage drivers. You can update drivers to the latest version, roll back to a previous version if an update caused the problem, or uninstall drivers that are not working properly.