Microsoft has released a recovery tool designed to help IT administrators repair Windows machines affected by CrowdStrike updates. This post from MiniTool introduces how to download the Microsoft CrowdStrike Recovery Tool and other details.
On July 18, 2024, CrowdStrike rolled out a buggy update that caused millions of Windows devices around the world to suddenly crash with a blue screen of death (BSOD) and enter a reboot loop. Microsoft has recently rolled out an enhanced Recovery Tool for the CrowdStrike issue. This post provides information about the Microsoft CrowdStrike Recovery Tool.
"As a follow-up to the CrowdStrike Falcon agent issue impacting Windows clients and servers, we have released a USB tool to help IT Admins expedite the repair process," reads a Microsoft support bulletin.Microsoft
How Does Microsoft Launches Recovery Tool Work
Microsoft recovery tool fixes the CrowdStrike issue by creating a bootable USB drive and automatically deleting corrupted files. Microsoft CrowdStrike recovery tool provides two repair options:
- Recover from WinPE – This option generates boot media that helps facilitate device repair.
- Restore from Safe Mode – This option generates boot media so that the affected device can boot into Safe Mode. The user can then log in using an account with local administrator rights and run the remediation steps.
Some users don’t know which repair option to choose and there is some information for you to decide.
Recover from WinPE:
This option provides a quick and straightforward system recovery that does not require local administrator rights. However, you may need to manually enter the BitLocker recovery key (if BitLocker is used on the device) and then repair the affected system.
Restore from Safe Mode:
This option enables recovery on BitLocker-enabled devices without entering a BitLocker recovery key. For this option, you must have access to an account with local administrator rights on the device. Use this method for devices using a TPM-only protector, unencrypted devices, or when the BitLocker recovery key is unknown. However, if using a TPM + PIN BitLocker protector, the user will need to enter a PIN (if known) or must use a BitLocker recovery key.
How to Download and Use Microsoft Launches Recovery Tool
How to download the Microsoft CrowdStrike Recovery Tool? Before that, you should notice the prerequisites for creating boot media.
- There are at least 8GB of free space on the Windows PC.
- Administrative rights on the Windows client.
- USB drive minimum 1GB, maximum 32GB.
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1. Connect the USB drive to your PC.
2. Go to Microsoft Download Center to download the Microsoft Recovery Tool.
3. Extract the downloaded source and find MsftRecoveryToolForCSv31.ps1. Right-click it to choose Run with PowerShell.
3. The ADK will download and media creation will start. It may take several minutes to complete.
4. Then, it will format the USB drive and then create a custom WinPE image that will be copied to the drive and make it bootable.
However, if the device is unable to use the option to recover from USB (e.g. due to security policy or port availability), you can use PXE to remediate it. Besides, CrowdStrike releases a guidance hub for BSOD error recovery. You can go there to find the solutions.
To avoid a similar issue in the future, you had better create a system image. This way, you can perform quick disaster recovery in the event of a blue screen rather than spending much time searching for solutions.
To do that, you can try the free backup software – MiniTool ShadowMaker will be your good assistant. It supports Windows 11/10/8/7 and can easily back up the Windows operating system, files & folders, partitions, or the hard drive.
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Final Words
Now, you have got the information about the Microsoft CrowdStrike Recovery Tool. You can know how it works and how to download and use it. Besides, it’s recommended to back up your system regularly to avoid data loss.