Overview of Windows Recovery Tools
In the past, PCs would ship with a CD/DVD disc that included an image of the system. If the OS has problems someday, you could easily restore the OS to the factory settings. But nowadays, manufacturers start to simplify the way of restoring Windows. They just put an image of the system on a hidden partition of your main drive, so does a Windows recovery USB drive. In addition to letting you reinstall Windows, it includes several troubleshooting tools for emergency use, especially when your system won't boot.
In Windows 10, for example, there are several Windows recovery tools (options) that solve different OS problems.
Windows Recovery Tools (Options) | Solve What Kind of Problems |
---|---|
Reset your PC | Your PC isn't working well and it's been a while since you installed an app, driver, or update. |
Windows recovery drive | Your PC won't start and you've created a recovery drive. |
Windows installation media | Your PC won't start, you haven't created a recovery drive, and resetting your PC didn't work. |
What Windows 10 Recovery Tool Should I Use?
Windows 10 recovery tool is used to create a Windows 10 recovery USB or CD/DVD disc. You should make a Windows 10 recovery drive before your PC dies. Both Microsoft and third-party software manufacturers provide reliable recovery tools. Here we picked up two of the best Windows recovery tools for you regarding the effectiveness and ease of use. One is the Windows 10 built-in tool and the other is EaseUS Todo Backup, a third-party backup and recovery software.
Pros of EaseUS Todo Backup:
- With EaseUS Todo Backup, users can make a full/differential/incremental backup.
- The backup image created by EaseUS Todo Backup can be stored in the network, local, and cloud.
- The backup image created by TB is independent, which would not be affected by Windows updates and will not be damaged.
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Next, you'll learn how to create a Windows 10 recovery USB with both the built-in tool and third-party software. Each way is able to solve a none-bootable Windows OS issue and revert your OS back to a working system point.
How to Create a Windows 10 Recovery USB with 2 Built-in Tools
- Applies to: Windows 10 32-bit and 64-bit operating system
- Reference: Microsoft Official Support
- Notice:
- The recovery drive created this way can help you troubleshoot and fix problems with your PC, even if it won't start. If you back up system files to this drive, you'll also be able to use it to reinstall Windows. If you chose not to back up system files when you created your recovery drive, Reset this PC and Recover from a drive that won't be available.
#1. To create a Windows 10 recovery drive, follow the below steps:
Step 1. Insert the USB drive into your computer. In Windows 10 Control Panel, click "Recovery".
Step 2. You'll arrive at the Advanced recovery tools area, choose "Create a recovery drive".
Step 3. Tick the option "Back up system files to the recovery drive" if you wish to use the drive to reinstall Windows or restore a previous version of Windows. Click "Next".
Step 4. Wait until the wizard prepares to copy files to your flash drive.
Step 5. Select your USB flash drive as the recovery drive and click Next.
Step 6. Confirm the warning message that "everything on the drive will be deleted. If you have any personal files on this drive, make sure you've backed up the files" and click "Create".
Step 7. When the final message "The recovery drive is ready" appears, click "Finish".
To Recover Windows 10 Using the Windows 10 Recovery Drive:
Step 1. Connect the recovery drive and turn on your PC.
Step 2. Select "Troubleshoot" and choose one recovery option.
- Restore from a system restore point by selecting "Advanced Options" > "System Restore". This will remove recently installed apps, drivers, and updates that might be causing your PC problems, but it won't affect your personal files.
- Select "Reset this PC" and then choose to keep or remove your files.
- Select "Recover from a drive". This will reinstall Windows 10, and it'll also remove your personal files, apps, and drivers you installed, and changes you made to settings.
#2. To create a Windows 10 installation media recovery tool, follow several steps:
Step 1. On a working PC, go to the Microsoft software download website.
Step 2. Download the Windows 10 media creation tool and then run it.
Step 3. Select Create installation media for another PC.
Step 4. Choose a language, edition, and architecture (64-bit or 32-bit).
Step 5. Follow the steps to create installation media, and then select Finish.
How to Create a Windows 10 Recovery USB with Third-party Software
To use EaseUS Todo Backup to make a Windows 10 recovery drive for the purpose of restoring from the OS crash or corruption, you'll first download the Windows backup software on a working PC. Then follow the below step-by-step guide to create a bootable USB drive. Don't forget to proceed to create a Windows 10 system backup image for the future Windows 10 recovery to a working restore point.
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In a word, the standard procedure of creating a third-party Windows 10 recovery drive includes:
- Create a bootable EaseUS Todo Backup USB drive
- Create a Windows 10 system image
- Boot from the recovery USB and perform a system recovery
- Notice:
- Create Emergency Disk is only for data & system restore when your PC can't start properly and you wish to restore from a backup image. It's not for any system repair purpose.
To create a Windows 10 recovery USB with EaseUS Todo Backup:
Step 1. Prepare a USB drive which can be written and read.
Step 2. Launch and install EaseUS Todo Backup on the Computer B.
Step 3. Find and click "Tools" and choose "Create Emergency Disk".
![Create Emergency Disk](/images/en/screenshot/todo-backup/screenshots/easeus-todo-backup-tools-options.png)
Step 4. Choose the Boot disk location. You can create an ISO file, a bootable USB or CD/DVD disc.
![Create emergency disk step2](/images/en/screenshot/todo-backup/screenshots/create-emergency-disk.png)
Step 5. Then click "Create" to start.
Now you have created your own EaseUS Todo Backup bootable USB recovery disk. Go back to the main window of EaseUS Todo Backup. You need to create a backup image according to your demand. For example, system backup, file backup, etc.
To create a Windows 10 system image:
Step 1. On the main page, click "Select backup contents".
![create system backup step1](/images/en/screenshot/todo-backup/screenshots/create-backup-step1.png)
Step 2. Among the four available categories, click OS.
![create system backup step2](/images/en/screenshot/todo-backup/screenshots/create-backup-step2.png)
Step 3. EaseUS Todo Backup will automatically select your system partition, you only need to select the backup destination.
![create system backup step3](/images/en/screenshot/todo-backup/screenshots/system-backup.png)
Step 4. Both Local Drive and NAS are available for you to save the backup file.
![create system backup step5](/images/en/screenshot/todo-backup/screenshots/create-backup-step4.png)
Step 5. After finishing the backup process, you can check the backup status, recover, open, or delete the backup by right-clicking the backup task on the left.
![create system backup step5](/images/en/screenshot/todo-backup/screenshots/system-backup-step1.png)
To recover Windows 10 using the recovery drive:
Step 1. Connect the recovery drive and keep tapping "F2" while turning on your PC. Choose to boot from EaseUS Todo Backup.
Step 2. After accessing EaseUS Todo Backup, choose your system image or other backup images and click "Recovery".
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Conclusions and FAQs About Windows Recovery Tools
Windows recovery tools are useful, and sometimes essential to have one when your operating system gets something wrong and crashes, freezes, gets stuck in the black screen of death and blue screen of death. As Windows 10 has occupied the largest market share nowadays, it's good to know how to use the Windows 10 recovery tools within the OS or from third-party tools to create a risk-free recovery USB drive/disk.
Moreover, there are some other frequently asked questions that might arouse your interest. Read on and get the answers.
1. Can I download a Windows 10 recovery disk?
Go to the official download website (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10), and there you can download the Windows media creation tool on Windows 10, 8.1, 8, and 7 computers.
2. How do I use Windows 10 recovery USB?
To use the recovery USB drive, all you need to do is to change your boot drive to the bootable USB drive.
- Turn off the computer.
- Insert the recovery USB drive into a USB port on the computer and turn on the computer.
- Use the Down arrow key to select the USB drive, and then press the Enter key.
- Click the language for your keyboard.
- Click Troubleshoot.
3. Does Windows 10 have a repair tool?
Windows 10 uses troubleshooters as the general repair tool to help you solve problems with your PC. To run a Windows 10 repair troubleshooter, select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot.
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Daisy is the Senior editor of the writing team for EaseUS. She has been working at EaseUS for over ten years, starting as a technical writer and moving on to being a team leader of the content group. As a professional author for over ten years, she writes a lot to help people overcome their tech troubles.
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Written by Jean
Jean is recognized as one of the most professional writers in EaseUS. She has kept improving her writing skills over the past 10 years and helped millions of her readers solve their tech problems on PC, Mac, and iOS devices.
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