[Fixed] The drive is not a valid backup location
How to fix 'The drive is not a valid backup location' in Windows 10/8/7
You're getting an error message 'Drive is not a valid backup location' when trying to create a system image to a USB flash drive in Windows 10. To fix this issue, you can try using the built-in Backup and Restore (Windows 7) tool, or use a third-party backup software like Acronis or EaseUS. Alternatively, you can also try using the Windows 10 built-in tool called 'Create a system image' which is available in the Control Panel under System and Security. Make sure to select the correct USB drive as the backup location and ensure it has enough free space to accommodate the system image.
A user on the Microsoft Community asked about the issue of Windows Backup and Restore not supporting thumb drives as backup storage, a problem also experienced by users of Windows 8, 8.1, and 7. Fortunately, we have two useful solutions to troubleshoot this issue.
PAGE CONTENT:
- 1. Recommend: Create system image on USB with a third-party backup tool
- 2. Create a directory on the USB drive
1. Recommend: Create system image on USB with a third-party backup tool
The third-If you're experiencing the "The drive is not a valid backup location" issue, Qiling Backup is a great solution. As a professional software, it's the best alternative to Windows 10 backup when it doesn't work properly. You can download and try it to create a system image on your USB flash drive in just 3 simple steps, regardless of your Windows version (10/8/7 or others).
Step 1. Empty the USB Flash Drive
1. To ensure a smooth transition, it's recommended that your USB flash drive is at least as large as your current system C drive, if not larger. This will provide enough space to store your operating system, programs, and data, allowing you to boot from the USB drive and maintain a functioning system.
2. System Backup will overwrite all existing data on the USB, so please empty your USB flash drive if it contains important data.
Step 2. Backup Windows System to USB
1. Connect the USB to your PC, run Qiling Backup, and on the "Backup and recovery" page, select "System backup".
2. Select the Windows system and click Browse to select USB as your backup destination, then choose the drive and folder where you want to save your backups.
To create a backup plan for automatically backing up your Windows OS, click on "Schedule: Off" and select a frequency such as daily, weekly, or monthly to back up your OS.
3. To begin backing up your Windows OS to a USB drive, insert the drive into your computer and ensure it's recognized by the system. Next, click on the "Start" button, type "Backup" in the search bar, and select the "Backup using File History" option.
Qiling Backup will automatically run and back up the Windows OS after the first full backup, thanks to the automatic backup plan created for Windows OS backup.
2. Create a directory on the USB drive
Except for a third-You can use a party backup tool to troubleshoot issues like 'The drive is not a valid backup location' by creating a directory on a USB drive, but it requires more steps to manage the job.
1. Format the USB stick with NTFS.
2. Share the USB stick as a network drive.
- Create a directory on your USB drive.
- Right-click the directory and choose "Share with", "Specific people".
- Choose yourself from the list of users and click "Share" and then "Done".
3. Ensure the advanced share allow permissions are set to full control.
4. Start Windows Backup and select System Image.
5. Select the network drive as your backup location.
6. Browse to your own computer and select the USB share.
7. Enter your computer's login credentials, including your password, if it's blank enter a single space, and then click OK.
After completing the above steps, Windows Backup and Restore will create a system image on your USB flash drive, eliminating the 'The drive is not a valid backup location' error at most times.
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