This is the classic precaution to pay attention to before unsolvable problems can arise. In fact, creating a recovery drive on Windows allows you to avoid installing an operating system update without too much worry. But also a driver or an application. Bugs and complications are in fact the order of the day and when personal data and precious files are involved , attention is never enough.
The utmost caution is to combine this operation with periodic data backup. But let’s focus for now on creating a recovery drive on Windows with a pen drive. The goal is to have the ability to recover system files in case they get corrupted, making it impossible to start the PC with the boot procedure . Especially in notebooks or portals it is not at all so rare that it can happen.
What you need to create a recovery drive
The fundamental element for creating a recovery drive on Windows is of course a pen drive or USB stick . It is not the only one as another device for data storage can also work. However, for its practicality, the low cost commitment required, the wide availability and variety of solutions on the market, it is the most convenient choice .
But pay attention to the capacity of the pen drive. Free space available should be at least 16GB. To be on the safe side we can choose a 32 GB stick. The cost varies based on the manufacturer chosen, but is almost always less than 10 euros. We point out that the purchase of a new pen drive is not necessary at all costs. Even a key already in our possession can be fine. But remembering that by creating a recovery drive, all data will be deleted.
How to create a recovery drive on Windows
Pen drive in hand and computer on, we can proceed with creating a recovery drive on Windows. To do this we must first insert the USB key and click on the search box next to the Start button in the Windows 10 bar . Then we type “create a recovery drive”.
Windows already has the option to create the recovery drive and there is no need to download and install any software. After clicking on the program, wait for the dialog box. Here, check (optionally) the Back up system files to recovery drive box. Then select the USB drive chosen for the recovery function and click Create to start running the recovery drive on Windows. At the end of the operation, which can take up to several minutes, the drive is ready to use in case of problems starting the PC with Windows.
What the pen drive contains with the Windows recovery drive
At this point two clarifications are useful on the pen drive with the Windows recovery drive. First of all, it works only with the PC involved or cannot be used on another computer with a different installation of Windows 10 to perform the same operation.
Secondly, the USB stick does not contain backup copies of folders and documents. It only includes the files needed to start Windows 10 in case of problems booting. For the conservation of personal files it is rather necessary to make a backup on an external hard disk or on a cloud space.
Best practices for creating a recovery drive on Windows
In case of problems, having a pen drive to use for booting the PC allows you to recover system files and have access to advanced recovery options. The first thing to know is that the operation can be done at any time. In practice, you don’t have to rush to create a recovery drive with a new PC or with newly installed Windows. At any time, you can create the recovery drive.
At the same time, another good practice is to proceed with the update periodically , for example annually, to keep the updates that have occurred on the system and the settings that have inevitably changed during use.
How to use pen drive to restore Windows
So how to start Windows via the pen drive? Once the computer is plugged in and started, the advanced options put us at a crossroads. Choose System Restore which retains personal data and removes subsequently installed apps, drivers, and updates.
Or restoring from a drive that removes your personal files and any settings to get Windows back to square one complete loss of all files.
