Recovery Partition reagentc /setreimage /path to a recovery partition not having an assigned volume letter?

Current system:

Windows 11 Pro 22621.317

I just updated to 22621.317 from 22621.232

After the updating to 2261.317, I ran reagentc /info to check the recovery partition status. reagentc /info reported that the recovery partition was Disabled.

The attached procedure file, 'Create or Recreate a Recovery Partition for Windows 10', has always worked well for me in the past with Windows 10 in re-creating the recovery partition.

After completing the procedure, up to the point in the procedure of 'Remove the WinRE mount point (Q:) so that it will not display in File Explorer', running reagentc /info reported that the recovery partition was Enabled and I was successful in creating a Recovery thumbdrive. I then finished the procedure by removing the drive letter (Q:) using diskpart. I then ran reagentc /info again. reagentc /info reported that the recovery partition was now Disabled. I then used diskpart to re-assign yet again the drive letter (Q:) to the recovery partition. Running reagentc /info afterwards, reagentc /info reported that the recovery drive was Enabled.

Attached is also the output from bcdedit /enum all command.

My question is how to assign and enable a recovery partition via the reagentc /setreimage /path command with a recovery partition that does not have an assigned volume letter.
Can a UNC path format be used instead (i.e, \\disk0\partition4\Recovery\WindowsRE)? If so, what would be the correct syntax for the reagentc /setreimage /path {recovery partition location} using a UNC path to the recovery partition instead of a drive letter path?

Recovery Partition is not supposed to have a letter.

You temporarily assign recovery partition a drive letter using diskpart commands or 3rd party partition tool like minitool partition wizard free.

I have done this many times to use the setreimage option.

Then after reagentc is run correctly, remove the drive letter again.

cereberus said:

You temporarily assign recovery partition a drive letter using diskpart commands or 3rd party partition tool like minitool partition wizard free.

I have done this many times to use the setreimage option.

Then after reagentc is run correctly, remove the drive letter again.

Click to expand...

But after removing the drive letter, reagentc /info reports 'Disabled'. Only when a drive letter is assigned to the recovery partition will reagentc /info report 'Enabled'. I thought that the symbolic link created by 'reagentc /setreimage /path "Q:\Recovery\WindowsRE" /target C:\Windows' command, i.e, '\\?\GLOBALROOT\device\harddisk0\partition4\Recovery\WindowsRE', was retained by Windows after removing the drive letter (Q:). It doesn't seem like it is retained by Win 11 as it was by Win 10. I don't like having the recovery partition visible in File Explorer. I was wondering if a UNC path to the recovery partition could be used instead in the /setreimage /path parameter, to avoid the recovery partition being assigned a drive letter that is visible in File Explorer.

PlateauRealm said:

I was wondering if a UNC path to the recovery partition could be used instead in the /setreimage /path parameter, to avoid the recovery partition being assigned a drive letter that is visible in File Explorer.

Click to expand...

You shouldn't really have to set the path yourself, I don't understand how you got into a situation where you have to.

If you first make sure reagentc /info says it is enabled, then use reagentc /disable you should be able to safely delete the recovery partition once it's no longer in use. Then use just reagentc /enable, it should be able to create a new recovery partition as required - one without a drive letter.

1. Format the recovery partition.

2. reagentc /disable

3. Copy WinRE.wim and the uninitialized ReAgent.xml files from the installation Media (ISO file) to C:\Windows\System32\Recovery

4. reagentc /enable (this will move WinRe.wim to the Recovery partition and set the GUID and location in ReAgent.xml)

Source: Redirecting

Bree said:

You shouldn't really have to set the path yourself, I don't understand how you got into a situation where you have to.

If you first make sure reagentc /info says it is enabled, then use reagentc /disable you should be able to safely delete the recovery partition once it's no longer in use. Then use just reagentc /enable, it should be able to create a new recovery partition as required - one without a drive letter.

Click to expand...

I tried this.
This is the result:

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.22621.317]
(c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\System32>reagentc /disable
REAGENTC.EXE: Operation Successful.


C:\Windows\System32>diskpart

Microsoft DiskPart version 10.0.22621.1

Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation.
On computer: ASUS-LAPTOP

DISKPART> sel disk 0

Disk 0 is now the selected disk.

DISKPART> list vol

Volume ### Ltr Label Fs Type Size Status Info
---------- --- ----------- ----- ---------- ------- --------- --------
Volume 0 F DVD-ROM 0 B No Media
Volume 1 C Main NTFS Partition 299 GB Healthy Boot
Volume 2 D Storage NTFS Partition 537 GB Healthy
Volume 3 FAT32 Partition 100 MB Healthy System
Volume 4 Q WinRE NTFS Partition 728 MB Healthy Hidden
Volume 5 B ASUS B Driv NTFS Partition 931 GB Healthy
Volume 6 RECOVERY FAT32 Removable 14 GB Healthy

DISKPART> sel vol q

Volume 4 is the selected volume.

DISKPART> list vol

Volume ### Ltr Label Fs Type Size Status Info
---------- --- ----------- ----- ---------- ------- --------- --------
Volume 0 F DVD-ROM 0 B No Media
Volume 1 C Main NTFS Partition 299 GB Healthy Boot
Volume 2 D Storage NTFS Partition 537 GB Healthy
Volume 3 FAT32 Partition 100 MB Healthy System
* Volume 4 Q WinRE NTFS Partition 728 MB Healthy Hidden
Volume 5 B ASUS B Driv NTFS Partition 931 GB Healthy
Volume 6 RECOVERY FAT32 Removable 14 GB Healthy

DISKPART> list part

Partition ### Type Size Offset
------------- ---------------- ------- -------
Partition 1 System 100 MB 1024 KB
Partition 2 Reserved 16 MB 101 MB
Partition 3 Primary 299 GB 117 MB
* Partition 4 Recovery 728 MB 299 GB
Partition 5 Primary 537 GB 300 GB

DISKPART> sel part 4

Partition 4 is now the selected partition.

DISKPART> list part

Partition ### Type Size Offset
------------- ---------------- ------- -------
Partition 1 System 100 MB 1024 KB
Partition 2 Reserved 16 MB 101 MB
Partition 3 Primary 299 GB 117 MB
* Partition 4 Recovery 728 MB 299 GB
Partition 5 Primary 537 GB 300 GB

DISKPART> del part override

DiskPart successfully deleted the selected partition.

DISKPART> list part

Partition ### Type Size Offset
------------- ---------------- ------- -------
Partition 1 System 100 MB 1024 KB
Partition 2 Reserved 16 MB 101 MB
Partition 3 Primary 299 GB 117 MB
Partition 5 Primary 537 GB 300 GB

DISKPART> exit

Leaving DiskPart...

C:\Windows\System32>reagentc /enable
REAGENTC.EXE: The Windows RE image was not found.


C:\Windows\System32>

aubergine said:

1. Format the recovery partition.

2. reagentc /disable

3. Copy WinRE.wim and the uninitialized ReAgent.xml files from the installation Media (ISO file) to C:\Windows\System32\Recovery

4. reagentc /enable (this will move WinRe.wim to the Recovery partition and set the GUID and location in ReAgent.xml)

Source: Redirecting

Click to expand...

I have found that sometimes setting the partition location fails to update ReAgent.xml as it should and it must be deleted. Windows will recreate a clean copy of it when the set partition command is invoked.

PlateauRealm said:

But after removing the drive letter, reagentc /info reports 'Disabled'. Only when a drive letter is assigned to the recovery partition will reagentc /info report 'Enabled'. I thought that the symbolic link created by 'reagentc /setreimage /path "Q:\Recovery\WindowsRE" /target C:\Windows' command, i.e, '\\?\GLOBALROOT\device\harddisk0\partition4\Recovery\WindowsRE', was retained by Windows after removing the drive letter (Q:). It doesn't seem like it is retained by Win 11 as it was by Win 10. I don't like having the recovery partition visible in File Explorer. I was wondering if a UNC path to the recovery partition could be used instead in the /setreimage /path parameter, to avoid the recovery partition being assigned a drive letter that is visible in File Explorer.

Click to expand...

You just do

reagentc /setreimage /path Q:\Recovery\WindowsRE

assuming you set drive to Q.

Then run

reagentc /enable

then remove drive letter Q.

That is all I do.

cereberus said:

You just do

reagentc /setreimage /path Q:\Recovery\WindowsRE

assuming you set drive to Q.

Then run

reagentc /enable

then remove drive letter Q.

That is all I do.

Click to expand...

In Win10 I have found that before running setreimage you need to delete the ReAgent.xml because it will not update. Running the setreimage will recreate it with the correct path. This could be what is happening.

PlateauRealm said:

C:\Windows\System32>reagentc /enable
REAGENTC.EXE: The Windows RE image was not found.

Click to expand...

The Windows RE image is a file named WinRE.wim. Windows only ever has one copy of this, it's in the recovery partition when enabled, or moved to C:\Windows\System32\Recovery for safe keeping when disabled. It is possible to loose your only copy of WinRE.wim if the recovery partition gets deleted while enabled.

To fix this and be able to re-enable recovery you need to put a copy of WinRE.wim into C:\Windows\System32\Recovery. You can get one from the Windows install media for the version you are running. Open the install.wim or install.esd you'll find in the sources folder using 7-Zip file manager.

aubergine said:

1. Format the recovery partition.

2. reagentc /disable

3. Copy WinRE.wim and the uninitialized ReAgent.xml files from the installation Media (ISO file) to C:\Windows\System32\Recovery

4. reagentc /enable (this will move WinRe.wim to the Recovery partition and set the GUID and location in ReAgent.xml)

Source: Redirecting

Click to expand...

I tried this, but reagentc /enable did not move WinRe.wim to the recovery partition. reagentc /info does report Enabled, but the WinRe location reported is C:\Windows\System32\Recovery and not the recovery partition. When you say format the recovery partition, I assume you also mean setting the partition id to be a recovery partition along with setting the correct partition gpt attributes?

If you have a valid partition with the correct files in it, you can set the path with
\\?\GLOBALROOT\device\harddisk1\partition5\Recovery\WindowsRE

Obviously change harddisk# and partition# to match what you need.

I don't understand the fascination with having a separate partition. WinRE works just fine from C:\Recovery or from the Windows installation USB flash drive.

NavyLCDR said:

If you have a valid partition with the correct files in it, you can set the path with
\\?\GLOBALROOT\device\harddisk1\partition5\Recovery\WindowsRE

Obviously change harddisk# and partition# to match what you need.

I don't understand the fascination with having a separate partition. WinRE works just fine from C:\Recovery or from the Windows installation USB flash drive.

Click to expand...

Thanks. The UNC path format is what I have been looking for. I will try this with /setreimage /path parameter.

I can have WimRe.wim in C:\Windows\System32\Recovery and reagentc /info will report Enabled. I'm just testing to see as to what can be done in having an enabled custom recovery partition without having an assigned drive letter to it showing up in File Explorer.

NavyLCDR said:

I don't understand the fascination with having a separate partition. WinRE works just fine from C:\Recovery or from the Windows installation USB flash drive.

Click to expand...

This is true - it seems rather pointless having a separate partition.

When, you do a build upgrade, it sometimes shrinks C drive and reinstates recovery partition. It is inconsistent though, sometimes retaining c:\recovery instead.

If you dual boot different versions, the separate partition can get tangled up with wrong version.

No wonder people get confused!

You could also try the device path.

aubergine said:

1. Format the recovery partition.

2. reagentc /disable

3. Copy WinRE.wim and the uninitialized ReAgent.xml files from the installation Media (ISO file) to C:\Windows\System32\Recovery

4. reagentc /enable (this will move WinRe.wim to the Recovery partition and set the GUID and location in ReAgent.xml)

Source: Redirecting

Click to expand...

PS C:\Users\Heikki> diskpart

Microsoft DiskPart version 10.0.22000.653

Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation.
On computer: DESKTOP-VCOT0Q9

DISKPART> list disk

Disk ### Status Size Free Dyn Gpt
-------- ------------- ------- ------- --- ---
Disk 0 Online 931 GB 1024 KB *

DISKPART> select disk 0

Disk 0 is now the selected disk.

DISKPART> list partition

Partition ### Type Size Offset
------------- ---------------- ------- -------
Partition 1 System 100 MB 1024 KB
Partition 2 Reserved 16 MB 101 MB
Partition 3 Primary 930 GB 117 MB
Partition 4 Recovery 1024 MB 930 GB

DISKPART> select partition 4

Partition 4 is now the selected partition.

DISKPART> format quick fs=ntfs

100 percent completed

DiskPart successfully formatted the volume.

DISKPART> set id=DE94BBA4-06D1-4D40-A16A-BFD50179D6AC

DiskPart successfully set the partition ID.

DISKPART> gpt attributes=0x8000000000000001

DiskPart successfully assigned the attributes to the selected GPT partition.

DISKPART> exit

Leaving DiskPart...

PS C:\Users\Heikki> reagentc /disable
REAGENTC.EXE: Windows RE is already disabled.

--------------------

- Extract ReAgent.xml and Winre.wim from your installation media using 7-Zip.
- You will find them in any of the images in the Windows\System32\Recovery folder.
- Copy them into your C:\Windows\System32\Recovery folder (overwrite the existing files).

--------------------

PS C:\Users\Heikki> reagentc /enable
REAGENTC.EXE: Operation Successful.

PS C:\Users\Heikki> reagentc /info
Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE) and system reset configuration
Information:

Windows RE status: Enabled
Windows RE location: \\?\GLOBALROOT\device\harddisk0\partition4\Recovery\WindowsRE
Boot Configuration Data (BCD) identifier: 2999d45a-ecde-11ec-8604-c0b88329caec
Recovery image location:
Recovery image index: 0
Custom image location:
Custom image index: 0

REAGENTC.EXE: Operation Successful.

PS C:\Users\Heikki>

aubergine said:

PS C:\Users\Heikki> diskpart

Microsoft DiskPart version 10.0.22000.653

Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation.
On computer: DESKTOP-VCOT0Q9

DISKPART> list disk

Disk ### Status Size Free Dyn Gpt
-------- ------------- ------- ------- --- ---
Disk 0 Online 931 GB 1024 KB *

DISKPART> select disk 0

Disk 0 is now the selected disk.

DISKPART> list partition

Partition ### Type Size Offset
------------- ---------------- ------- -------
Partition 1 System 100 MB 1024 KB
Partition 2 Reserved 16 MB 101 MB
Partition 3 Primary 930 GB 117 MB
Partition 4 Recovery 1024 MB 930 GB

DISKPART> select partition 4

Partition 4 is now the selected partition.

DISKPART> format quick fs=ntfs

100 percent completed

DiskPart successfully formatted the volume.

DISKPART> set id=DE94BBA4-06D1-4D40-A16A-BFD50179D6AC

DiskPart successfully set the partition ID.

DISKPART> gpt attributes=0x8000000000000001

DiskPart successfully assigned the attributes to the selected GPT partition.

DISKPART> exit

Leaving DiskPart...

PS C:\Users\Heikki> reagentc /disable
REAGENTC.EXE: Windows RE is already disabled.

--------------------

- Extract ReAgent.xml and Winre.wim from your installation media using 7-Zip.
- You will find them in any of the images in the Windows\System32\Recovery folder.
- Copy them into your C:\Windows\System32\Recovery folder (overwrite the existing files).

--------------------

PS C:\Users\Heikki> reagentc /enable
REAGENTC.EXE: Operation Successful.

PS C:\Users\Heikki> reagentc /info
Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE) and system reset configuration
Information:

Windows RE status: Enabled
Windows RE location: \\?\GLOBALROOT\device\harddisk0\partition4\Recovery\WindowsRE
Boot Configuration Data (BCD) identifier: 2999d45a-ecde-11ec-8604-c0b88329caec
Recovery image location:
Recovery image index: 0
Custom image location:
Custom image index: 0

REAGENTC.EXE: Operation Successful.

PS C:\Users\Heikki>

Click to expand...

Your steps enabled my recovery partition. reagentc /info reported Enabled. Unfortunately, upon rebooting and running reagentc /info again, reagentc /info reported the Windows RE status as being Disabled. Running reagentc /enable prompted me with 'The Windows RE Image was not found'.

@PlateauRealm You can always do an in place repair install
I was having problems with my recovery partition and this solved it. It keeps all your files and apps and it might even do away with your recovery partition by moving it into your OS and that way you'll recover a bit more disk space. If you concerned you can always make a disk image for safety. I've done lots of in place repair installs and never had a problem.

SoFine409 said:

@PlateauRealm You can always do an in place repair install

Repair Install Windows 11 with an In-place Upgrade Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to do a repair install of Windows 11 by performing an in-place upgrade without losing anything. If you need to repair or create a new recovery partition or having problems with Windows 11 on your PC, and the usual solutions will not fix it, you can do a repair...

www.elevenforum.com

I was having problems with my recovery partition and this solved it. It keeps all your files and apps and it might even do away with your recovery partition by moving it into your OS and that way you'll recover a bit more disk space. If you concerned you can always make a disk image for safety. I've done lots of in place repair installs and never had a problem.

Click to expand...

Yeah, that's sort of a hail-mary solution, doing an in-place upgrade or disk image restoration. I was hoping, though, for some other solution not involving an in-place upgrade or disk image restoration.