Windows 10 Install Recovery Environment and Error (All in One)

Overview of Windows 10 recovery environment

Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) is a recovery environment on Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows Server 2012, and later installations, which can repair, reset, and automatically diagnose your computer when you meet unbootable trouble, such as: failure startup attempts, unexpected shutdown, BitBlocker or secure boot errors, etc. And usually, it includes the following options. 

• Use a device: You can boot from external media, such as a USB flash drive or CD/DVD.
• Troubleshoot: You can fix common issues and quickly get the device back to a good state.
• Continue: Directly enter the computer desktop and exit WinRE.
• Turn off your PC: Turn off your PC with no change.

Among them, the Troubleshoot option is the most commonly used one, with which, you can use more advanced features, such as, Reset this PC (keep or remove files), or System Image Recovery, System Restore, Command Prompt, etc in the Advanced Options. 

If you create a recovery disk in Windows 10 with Recovery Drive feature, you may see Reover from a drive option as well in the Troubleshoot window. All in all, Windows 10 recovery environment can help you in different ways, depending on your situation.

Please keep reading below and learn how to install Windows 10 from recovery environment. Besides, this article still provides solutions to potential issues you may encounter and be sure you can always use it.

How to install and repair Windows 10 from a recovery environment

In this part, you can learn how to enable the Windows recovery environment and then reset Windows 10 system from it.

Enable Windows 10 recovery environment

1. Type cmd in the search box and run as administrator.

2. Type reagentc /info and press Enter to check the status of Windows RE.

3. If it is disabled, type reagentc /enable to enable it.

Windows 10 recovery fresh install

If you want to reinstall your Windows 10 from Windows RE, you can launch Windows Recovery Environment and then troubleshoot your device. Then you can reset your PC without any file loss. Here, I will show you some ways to open Windows 10 recovery environment. You have 4 ways in the following:

Way 1. Use Command Prompt

1. Type cmd in the search box and run as an administrator. Then type reagentc /boottore , press Enter and restart your computer.

2. It will load WinRE. And then click Troubleshoot.

Besides, you can also run shutdown /r /o command and then restart your computer.

Way 2. Use Start menu to run Troubleshoot

1. Select Start > Power, then press and hold the Shift key while clicking the Restart option.

2. And then you can enter WinRE. And then click Troubleshoot.

Way 3. Run troubleshoot from Settings

1. Open Settings and then select Update & Security  > Recovery.

2. Under  Advanced startup, select Restart now.

3. After your PC restarts to the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot.

Way 4. Use a black or blank screen

1. Hold down the power button for 10 seconds to turn off your device.

2. Press the power button again to turn on your device.

3. On the first sign that Windows has started, hold down the power button for 10 seconds to turn off your device. And then press the button to open your device.

4. Allow your device to fully restart. You will enter WinRE. And you can select Troubleshoot.

Repair Windows 10 from a recovery environment 

Now you are in the Windows 10 recovery environment, select one of the troubleshoot option. Here take Reset this PC as an example. 

1. In the Troublshoot option, select Reset Your PC. 

2. Then, you will be asked to choose if you want to keep files. Select Keep my files if you don't have a copy of your important files. 

3. Afterward, it will inform you which items will be deleted. Confirm you want to remove them and click Reset to start this process. And wait for a moment then you can fresh install Windows 10.

Besides, you can choose the corresponding options in the following situations.

If your computer is affected by Windows Update, or recent installed programs and drivers, try System Restore in the Advanced Options. It will only undo recently installed Windows Updates, programs and drivers, without affecting your personal data.

If you create a system image before a diaster happens, try System Image Recovery in the Advanced Options. It will bring your computer back to the good status it was when you created this image, everything is on, except for newly installed programs and data between this backup and disaster.

If you want to completely delete system partition and data on it, try Recover from a drive option. This requires you to create a recovery drive when your computer is in a good state.   

Potential issues for Windows 10 recovery environment 

Windows 10 recovery tools can help you a lot when your computer meet troubles. However, there still are some possible issues when you use WinRE.

1. Windows 10 recovery environment is missing.

Some users may find they cannot install the recovery program due to the recovery environment missing. And this issue may be caused by Winre.wim file missing, corrupted Windows registry keys and disabled WinRE, etc.

To fix this problem, you can turn on the Windows RE or check and fix the WinRE entry in BCD. You can check Windows 10 Recovery Environment Missing for detailed information.

2. Windows could not find the recovery environment.

When you try to reset or repairyour computer, you may meet this trouble “Could not find the recovery environment”. And you cannot use the recovery options unless you insert a Windows recovery media or disc. This issue may be caused by a broken Windows 10 installation disk, a corrupted Winre.wim file, or Windows RE disabled status.

To fix Windows that could not find the recovery environment, you can enable Windows recovery environment, fix the corrupted or missing Winre.win. Besides, you can use a Windows installation or recovery media to install Windows. You can read Windows Could Not Find Recovery Environment to fix this error.

3. System restore failed to extract the file in Windows 10.

System restore may not work appropriately sometimes, and you will receive the message “System Restore did not complete successfully. Your computer’s system files and settings were not changed.” This may be caused by the incorrect place of some files or some antivirus applications.

If there is a file conflict, you can create another system restore point and try again. And you’d better disable security programs. Follow this guide in System Restore Failed to Extract the File and get detailed steps. 

Easier way to install and repair Windows 10 recovery environment 

You can reset your PC or try other troubleshooting options in the recovery environment, but you may encounter different Windows 10 recovery environment error or system restore failed due to various reasons, such as, it does not support restoring to partition layouts that are smaller than the original disk.

In view of this, it's suggested to create a system image and recovery environment with reliable backup software, AOMEI Backupper Professional, for example. With it, you can enjoy the following advantages: 

Complete backup and restore solutions: It allows you to create system image or disk backup if you are worried about computer failure. Both of them backups the operating system, system files and settings, installed programs, personal data, etc on the system partition, which can help you restore your computer to an earlier date, even to computer with different hardware.

Rich backup and restore features: It can help you backup system regularly (daily, weekly, monthly, etc) and reduces disk space usage by default with a variety of features. And you can use advanced features, such as, differential backup, automatic backup cleanup, high compression, etc. Besides, it is able to restore system image to different computer with the help of Universal Restore feature.

Different ways to install recovery environment: It provides you with two practical ways to install recovery environment, and the recovery environment is the priority if you don't have any storage device.

Let’s start to enable Windows 10 recovery environment and then restore your system. Please download and install this software first.

(PS: This software only supports Windows 11/10/8/7/XP/Vista. For server users, try AOMEI Backupper Server.)

 Enable recovery environment in Windows 10 

AOMEI Backupper provides users with two practical ways to create recovery environment in Windows 10, you can choose one of them based on your needs.

#1: Use Recovery Environment feature. It will directly add AOMEI Backupper to boot menu and you can access it every time you start the current computer.

#2: Use Create Bootable Media feature. It allows you to create bootable USB or CD/DVD and you can use it on any computer. You need to set boot priority every time you want to get into recovery environment in Windows 10. 

Here take Recovery Environment as an example. 

1. On the main page of AOMEI Backupper, click Tools and select Recovery Environment. 

2. In the Recovery Environment Settings window, tick Enable the boot option of AOMEI Backupper recovery environment and set standing time, click Next. 

3. Restart your computer and see if there is an option called Enter into AOMEI Backupper. If yes, you create a recovery environment sucessfully. 

Tip on create a bootable USB or CD/DVD for any computer:

• Click Tools and then under the Common Tools section, select Create Bootable Mdiea.  

• Select bootable disc type - Windows PE and storage device (USB, CD/DVD, or ISO file). Then, click Next, it will start the creation of bootable USB. 
• Restart your computer, set it as the first boot option and see if you boot from it successfully.

Create a system backup image for recovery 

Backup image is the premise to bring your computer. So before we perform system restore in the recovery environment, you need to create a system backup image or disk backup with AOMEI Backupper.

 Launch AOMEI Backupper Professional, click Backup > System Backup, it will select system and boot-related partitions automatically. Then, select a destination path to store backup image and click Start Backup to create a system image in Windows 10.

In daily use, you can set daily/weekly/monthly automatic backup with its Schedule Backup feature. With this function, you can sustainably protect your data.   

And by default, this software reduce backup image and disk usage with a various of features, such as, normal compression, intelligent sector backup, automatic splitting, incremental backup, etc. 

But if you think there is not enough space for new backups, you can choose to enable automatic backup cleanup and differential backup in the Backup Scheme feature. With this, you can delete old backup images regularly and safely.

Besides, you can enable high compression, customized splitting, etc in the Options feature.

Perform Windows 10 system recovery from boot

If you can boot into Windows normally, you can easily restore your system with AOMEI Backupper. If not, you can perform Windows 10 recovery mode and then restore your system in it. 

Restart your computer and click Enter into AOMEI Backupper to run this software automatically. After loading, click Restore > Select Image File to find and select your system image. Then, tick Restore this system backup and Restore system to other location,click Next.  After that, select a destination path and click Start Restore to get your computer back.

Conclusion

These are all information about Windows 10 install recovery environment, with them, you can restore system from the recovery environment in any situation. You can choose to use recovery environment provided by Microsoft or AOMEI Backupper. Since there are many restrictions on creation and use of built-in recovery environment, it's suggested to create a recovery environment with AOMEI Backupper.

With it, you can create recovery environment for current computer or any PC, depending on the way you use.  And it still provides complete backup and restore solutions and the corresponding features. It is able to meet your needs in all aspects and resolve all the potential issues for all the processes. Try and explore more.