Quick Answer: Create a System Image Not Working for USB Drive

Can’t Create a System Image to USB Flash Drive - Is It Really Impossible?

Creating a system image to a USB flash drive can be a lifesaver when Windows OS becomes corrupted, allowing users to restore their OS to a normal state from the system image file. However, many Windows users face frustration when their system image fails to work with their USB drive in Windows 11, 10, 8, or 7.

You're trying to create a system image on a USB drive, but it's not working because the drive is formatted as NTFS, but the computer is telling you it's not a valid backup location. This is likely due to the drive being formatted as NTFS, which is required for system image backups, but the computer is not recognizing it as a valid backup location.

The Backup and Restore feature doesn't allow using a USB flash drive as a destination due to its limited size and potential for loss or unauthorized access. However, you can use a USB flash drive as a network location for backup, provided it's formatted with the NTFS file system.

The Drive Is Not a Valid Backup Location - How to Create System Image On USB Drive

You can use a built-in tool to backup your system to a USB drive, but only if you use it as a network location. To do this, follow this guide to make your USB drive usable as a network location.

Format USB Flash Drive in NTFS File System

Step 1. Right-click the USB drive and select Format in the pop-up window.

Step 2. Select NTFS under the File system column.

Step 3. Afterward, click Start to format USB in NTFS file system.

Share USB drive through Properties

Step 1. Right-click the USB drive and select Properties in the next window.

Step 2. Go to the Sharing tab and see if it's shared. If not, select Advanced Sharing below.

Step 3. In the Advanced Sharing window, check Share this folder, click Permissions, select Full Control under Permissions for Everyone, then click Apply and OK.

Step 4. At this time, you can see "Shared" under the Network File and Folder Sharing. Copy the shared path for preparation.

Backup System to USB Drive with Network Location

Step 1. To access Backup and Restore (Windows 7), type "backup setting" in the search box and select it, then in the Backup settings window, select "Go to Backup and Restore (Windows 7)".

Step 2. Select Create a system image at the left panel.

Step 3. To back up your system image to a USB drive, select the option "On a network location" and paste the shared path you previously copied. Then, click OK to confirm. This will initiate the backup process to the specified USB drive.

Step 4. Click Next and Proceed to perform system backup.

More Flexible Way to Create a System Image to USB Drive

While the above method is helpful, it's somewhat cumbersome and requires scheduling backups through a specific option. Moreover, the system image can consume a significant amount of disk space, even after compression, and doesn't allow for automatic scheduling. Given these limitations, you may want to consider using a more flexible software to create a system image and save it to a USB drive.

Free backup software Qiling Disk Master Standard is a good choice. It allows you to easily backup your system to any storage device, such as a USB drive, external hard disk, network drive, or cloud drive, without any limitations. The software supports all file systems, making it a versatile option. With Qiling Disk Master Standard, you can enjoy a range of benefits, including the ability to backup your system to any desired destination.

Minimize the backup image size: This software offers various features to minimize backup size, including adjustable compression levels and intelligent sector backup, which can help reduce the size of backups.
The schedule backup system allows for customizable backup settings, including daily, weekly, monthly, and other time intervals, ensuring that data is safely backed up at regular intervals.
All version of Windows system supported.

Please download Qiling Disk Master Standard and launch it to create a system image on Windows 10 or other systems.

Free Download
Windows 11/10/8/7, 100% Secure

1. Select Backup -> System Backup.

2. Choose the USB flash drive as the destination to save the system image file, specifically selecting the F partition, and consider other options such as a NAS device, network share, external hard disk, or internal hard disk.

✦ Tips:
✿ To create a new task, simply type a name into the "Task Name" box, which will serve as a unique identifier for this specific task, allowing it to be distinguished from other tasks.
✿ The Qiling program automatically selects the partition associated with system files, ensuring a proper Windows OS restoration, eliminating the need for manual partition selection.

3. Press Proceed to image Windows system.

✦ Tips:
☂ Options allows you to comment, compress, split, encrypt, enable email or SMS notification, etc. for system backup.
☂ Schedule Backup allows you to create regular system images, such as daily, weekly, or monthly backups, and even trigger backups based on specific events or when a USB drive is plugged in. This feature is available in higher versions of Qiling Disk Master.
☂ Backup Scheme is capable of automatically deleting old backup images once the total number of backups exceeds a user-specified threshold.

It's recommended to create a bootable media, such as a USB or CD/DVD, or a recovery environment in advance, to help restore the system without booting into Windows. Alternatively, you can add a boot menu to the current computer, which doesn't require any storage device. This allows you to boot from it and perform system restore.

★ Advanced way to create a system image in Windows

To create a system image in Windows using Qiling OneKey Recovery, click on "OneKey System Backup" at the main interface, which will present you with two options.

Backup system to Qiling OneKey Recovery Partition: You can create a factory recovery partition to save the image file.
Backup system to other location: You are allowed to save the image file on a local disk, external hard drive, or USB flash drive, etc.

You can still use the compress feature to reduce backup size and keep track of changes from previous backups using a daily, weekly, or monthly scheduler.

The End

If the above methods don't work for you, you can consider using a USB drive as a network path if you prefer using built-in tools. However, for a more flexible and less restricted way, you might want to use Qiling Disk Master Standard to help you.

With this tool, you can create a system image to a USB drive, including all file systems, and even automate the process. It also minimizes backup size with features like Intelligent Sector Backup, compression, and incremental backup.

This software allows you to delete old backup images to free up disk space for new backups, ensuring you don't lose data after system image recovery. You can also upgrade to the professional version for additional features.

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