AOMEI Partition Assistant
How to Fix Insert Your Windows Installation or Recovery Media?
When you encounter the error Insert Your Windows Installation or Recovery Media, you can follow this tutorial to perform a boot repair. You can easily fix it without losing data.
By Irene / Updated on April 29, 2025
Why does Insert Your Windows Installation or Recovery Media error occur?
Sometimes, when you use a Windows PC, you might see an error message that says, "Insert your Windows installation or recovery media." Your first thought might be to look for a Windows installation disc. However, DVDs are becoming outdated, and most laptops today come with Windows already installed. If something goes wrong with the system, Windows usually updates, upgrades, or resets itself using files that are either automatically downloaded or saved in a backup. Why does the error occur? Here’s a simple and clear table listing the reasons for the "Insert your Windows installation or recovery media" error:
| Reason | Explanation | Common Causes |
|---|---|---|
| Missing or Corrupted BCD | BCD file tells Windows how to start. If it's missing or damaged, Windows can't boot. | Disk errors, interrupted updates, wrong manual changes, malware |
| Corrupted MBR | MBR helps find system files. If corrupted, the system can’t locate Windows. | Disk write errors, sudden shutdowns, third-party software, dual-boot setups |
| Disk Errors/Bad Sectors | Physical damage on the hard drive can prevent Windows from loading properly. | Aging hard drive, physical impact, and manufacturing defects |
| Accidental Deletion of System Partitions | Deleting important system files or partitions can make Windows unbootable. | Mistakes during partition management or installations |
| Hardware Issues | Failing storage drives or hardware problems can cause system startup failures. | Old or damaged hard drives, connection problems |
Having identified the potential causes of the "Insert your Windows installation or recovery media" error, we will now share the targeted solutions. The following section provides step-by-step methods to help you easily fix the issue and restore your system’s normal functionality.
How to fix the Insert Your Windows Installation or Recovery Media error
This section will share how to fix the Insert Your Windows Installation or Recovery Media error.
Fix 1. Run a boot repair
When you see the message "Insert Your Windows Installation or Recovery Media," it usually means the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) is missing, broken, or not set up correctly. The BCD is a key part of your system that tells the computer how to start Windows. If it’s damaged or lost, the computer doesn’t know where Windows is or how to load it. That’s why it asks you to insert installation or recovery media — so it can fix or rebuild the missing boot information.
AOMEI Partition Assistant offers a "Boot Repair" tool that lets you create a bootable USB drive or CD/DVD based on Windows PE (Preinstallation Environment). By starting your computer from this bootable media, you can open the AOMEI Partition Assistant interface and work on fixing your system drives, even if you can't get into Windows at all. This ability to repair a system that won't boot is one of the key features you should expect from any reliable boot repair tool for Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7.
AOMEI Partition AssistantThe Best Windows Disk Partition Manager and PC Optimizer
Step 1. Install and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant on a working PC, click "Recover"-"Boot Repair" and then click the "create a bootable disk" option to create a WinPE "Boot Repair" disk.
Step 2. Boot the PC that cannot boot into WinPE. It will automatically load the Boot Repair tool and start the boot entries scan process. All boot entries will be displayed.
Step 3. Select the repairable boot entries you want to repair and click the "Repair" button to start the repair.
Step 4. Once the repair is successful, you can remove the bootable disk and boot the PC from the original system drive.
Fix 2. Rebuild corrupted MBR
A corrupted MBR (Master Boot Record) can also trigger the "Insert Your Windows Installation or Recovery Media" error. While a missing or damaged BCD means the system locates Windows but cannot load it properly, a corrupted MBR prevents the computer from finding the Windows partition at all, forcing it to request recovery media. If you have a bootable USB, you can also run AOMEI Partition Assistant to easily rebuild corrupted MBR.
AOMEI Partition AssistantThe Best Windows Disk Partition Manager and PC Optimizer
Step 1. Boot your Windows from the WinPE bootable USB you created. It contains the preinstalled AOMEI Partition Assistant software. Once log in, the software will run automatically.
Step 2. Right-click the system disk and choose “Rebuild MBR”.
Step 3. Choose the proper MBR type for your current OS.
Step 4. Click on “Apply” and “Proceed” to commit the pending operation.
Fix 3. Factory Reset your Windows from boot
If the previous methods fail, you can restore Windows to its original factory state, either keeping or removing your personal files. Resetting Windows will return all system settings to their defaults and uninstall any third-party applications, giving your computer a clean, fresh start as if it were newly installed. To reset Windows 10, follow the steps outlined below. If you have something important on your PC but you have to factory reset it without saving data in advance, you can read this article to learn how to recover data after factory reset.
Step 1. Boot your PC by pressing the power button when the Windows logo is displayed, and subsequently power it back on. Repeat three times, and your computer can also boot into WinRE.
Step 2. Choose your preferred language and region in Windows Setup and click Next > Repair your computer.
Step3. Once in the Recovery Environment, click on "Troubleshoot", and then select "Reset this PC" to initiate the reset.
Step 4. When seeing the interface, choose either the "Keep my files" option or "Remove everything" based on your preferences as previously discussed.
Step 4. Now, decide on the method for reinstalling the system after performing the Windows 10 factory reset.
Step 5. Make your selection between "Just remove your files" or "Fully clean the drive".
Step 6. As you reach the reset screen, a list of the potential impacts of resetting your device will be displayed. If you have no further questions regarding these effects, proceed by clicking "Reset" to start the Windows 10 PC factory reset process.
Conclusion
The "Insert Your Windows Installation or Recovery Media" error can happen for different reasons, like missing BCD files, a corrupted MBR, disk problems, or hardware issues. Luckily, there are easy ways to fix it. You can repair the boot files with tools like AOMEI Partition Assistant or reset Windows to factory settings if needed. By following the right steps, you can quickly get your computer working normally again.
AOMEI Partition AssistantThe Best Windows Disk Partition Manager and PC Optimizer
