Create a Custom Recovery Partition on Windows 11

📦 PowerShell Script: Create a Custom Recovery Partition on Windows 11

This script automates the process of capturing a custom system image and creating a dedicated recovery partition. The recovery partition can then be used with “Reset this PC” > “Keep my files” to restore the system with pre-installed software.

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✅ Features

• Captures current system (C:) into a .wim image using DISM
• Creates a new recovery partition (30% of disk size)
• Copies the .wim into Recovery\WindowsRE
• Registers the custom image with reagentc
• Hides the recovery partition from normal users

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⚠️ Requirements

• Must run as Administrator
• DISM must be available (built into Windows 10/11)
• Sufficient disk space to shrink C: and store .wim

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💻 Usage Instructions

1. Save the script below as Create-RecoveryPartition.ps1
2. Run PowerShell as Administrator
3. Wait for all steps to complete — it may take several minutes
4. Verify recovery status using:

reagentc /info

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📝 PowerShell Script

# === Config ===
$WimName      = "CustomRefresh"
$ImageName    = "Custom Windows Image"
$ImageIndex   = 1
$CapturePath  = "C:\"
$TempWim      = "C:\Recovery\$WimName.wim"
$RecFolder    = "Recovery\WindowsRE"
$VolumeLabel  = "Recovery"
$TempLetter   = "R"
$DiskNumber   = 0   # <-- Adjust if needed (0 is usually system disk)

# === Check Admin Privileges ===
if (-not ([Security.Principal.WindowsPrincipal] [Security.Principal.WindowsIdentity]::GetCurrent()).IsInRole("Administrator")) {
    Write-Error "Run this script as Administrator."
    exit 1
}

# === Create folder if needed ===
if (!(Test-Path "C:\Recovery")) {
    New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path "C:\Recovery" | Out-Null
}

# === Capture current C: as WIM image ===
Write-Host "📦 Capturing system image to $TempWim ..."
$dismCmd = "dism /Capture-Image /ImageFile:`"$TempWim`" /CaptureDir:C:\ /Name:`"$ImageName`""
Start-Process -Wait -FilePath cmd.exe -ArgumentList "/c $dismCmd"

if (!(Test-Path $TempWim)) {
    Write-Error "DISM capture failed. Exiting."
    exit 1
}

# === Get Disk Size and Calculate Shrink Amount ===
Write-Host "📊 Calculating 30% shrink from disk 0..."
$vol = Get-Volume -DriveLetter C
$disk = Get-Disk -Number $DiskNumber
$shrinkSizeMB = [math]::Floor($disk.Size / 1024 / 1024 * 0.3)

# === Create DiskPart script ===
$diskpartScript = @"
select disk $DiskNumber
list volume
select volume $($vol.UniqueId)
shrink desired=$shrinkSizeMB
create partition primary
format fs=ntfs quick label=$VolumeLabel
assign letter=$TempLetter
set id=de94bba4-06d1-4d40-a16a-bfd50179d6ac
gpt attributes=0x8000000000000001
exit
"@

$scriptPath = "$env:TEMP\diskpart_script.txt"
$diskpartScript | Set-Content -Path $scriptPath -Encoding ASCII
Start-Process -Wait -FilePath diskpart -ArgumentList "/s `"$scriptPath`""
Remove-Item $scriptPath

# === Copy image to recovery partition ===
$targetFolder = "$($TempLetter):\$RecFolder"
Write-Host "📁 Copying image to $targetFolder ..."
New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $targetFolder -Force | Out-Null
Copy-Item -Path $TempWim -Destination "$targetFolder\CustomRefresh.wim"

# === Register custom image ===
Write-Host "🛠️ Configuring recovery image with reagentc..."
Start-Process -Wait -FilePath cmd.exe -ArgumentList "/c reagentc /disable"
Start-Process -Wait -FilePath cmd.exe -ArgumentList "/c reagentc /SetOSImage /Path $TempLetter`:\$RecFolder /Index $ImageIndex"
Start-Process -Wait -FilePath cmd.exe -ArgumentList "/c reagentc /enable"

# === Show status ===
Write-Host "`n📋 Recovery configuration:"
Start-Process -Wait -FilePath cmd.exe -ArgumentList "/c reagentc /info"

# === Hide the recovery partition ===
Write-Host "🔒 Hiding recovery partition..."
$removeScript = @"
select volume $TempLetter
remove letter=$TempLetter
exit
"@
$removePath = "$env:TEMP\remove_letter.txt"
$removeScript | Set-Content -Path $removePath -Encoding ASCII
Start-Process -Wait -FilePath diskpart -ArgumentList "/s `"$removePath`""
Remove-Item $removePath

Write-Host "`n✅ Done! Recovery partition created and configured." -ForegroundColor Green

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🔁 Result

Once the script is run, your system will be configured to use your captured recovery image when you choose:

Settings > System > Recovery > Reset this PC > Keep my files

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📌 Notes

• Only use on stable systems (tested and configured).
• Always keep a backup before modifying partitions.
• You can optionally place the .wim on a USB or external disk for reuse on other machines.

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🔧 Bootable Recovery USB (Optional)

To create a bootable USB containing the recovery image and tools:

🛠️ Steps

1. Insert a USB drive (8 GB or larger)

2. Format the USB as FAT32 or NTFS

3. Mount a Windows ISO (same version as your current OS) or download the Windows ADK to access WinPE tools.

4. Create WinPE boot environment (if not using ISO):

# From Deployment and Imaging Tools Environment (as Admin)
copype amd64 C:\WinPE_amd64
MakeWinPEMedia /UFD C:\WinPE_amd64 E:

1. Copy your custom .wim file to the USB:

# Assuming CustomRefresh.wim exists
Copy-Item C:\Recovery\CustomRefresh.wim E:\sources\install.wim

1. Make USB bootable (if not already via MakeWinPEMedia). For ISO-based bootable USB, use Rufus to burn the Windows ISO and then replace the install.wim.

2. Boot into USB and use DISM or Recovery Environment to apply the image manually.

✅ Apply WIM manually (example):

# In Windows PE command prompt:
dism /Apply-Image /ImageFile:E:\sources\install.wim /Index:1 /ApplyDir:C:\

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