If Windows 10 gets corrupted...


  1. Posts : 41
    Windows 8.1 Pro
       #1

    If Windows 10 gets corrupted...


    Installing Windows 10 was too much for my autistic messed up brain... so I had to pay someone to do it for me. And now, after the deadline for getting Win 10 for free has passed, I realize that I don't think he gave me a copy of the new OS in case it needs to be installed again. If the computer won't boot, how do I recover without Win 10 on one of my external drives?

    I don't wanna be mean to him and assume that he left me high 'n' dry. Can somebody explain things to me here?

    If I had an ISO of Win 10 on my USB, would that enable me to recover by booting to that drive?

    Thanx in advance for any help! :)
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 1,871
    W10 pro x64 20H2 Build 19042.610
       #2

    Once Ten has been installed and successfully activated then you should be able to re-install Ten at any time in the future, and with no worries over license keys. Microsoft have linked your PC and your license on their servers.

    An ISO would allow you to boot and reinstall etc but its the last resort because you have to set everything up from scratch. Most convenient option is to make a disk image of your system as it stands now, and store that image either on a plug in drive or on a separate partition on your existing drive. You can then restore everything back to the instant you made the backup.

    Whatever the quirks of Windows own built in utility, it does work and you need install nothing to use it.

    System Image - Create in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 42,735
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       #3

    Mr Mag00 said:
    If the computer won't boot, how do I recover without Win 10 on one of my external drives?
    If I had an ISO of Win 10 on my USB, would that enable me to recover by booting to that drive?
    The easiest approach is to burn the iso to a DVD. That gives you a bootable disk with very limited recovery options.
    (Creating a bootable USB drive requires using a program called Rufus).

    Disk imaging to an external storage medium is the recommended procedure.
    Macrium Reflect (free) + its bootable medium + external storage.

    If you don't have disk images on external storage, you could well be faced with a clean install.
    Think 'what happens when my disk fails?'

    With images you can restore to a new disk.
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 134
    windows 10
       #4

    The Easiest method is to use Microsoft Media creation tool.
    Windows 10
    Just run the tool plug a USB and sit back relax.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 4,453
    Win 11 Pro 22000.708
       #5

    It would be convenient to have a bootable USB drive or DVD with the Win 10 installer on it. For one thing, there are some (limited) repair options that you can access by booting to the installer.

    The Windows 10 .ISO is available for free download. Maybe the person who ran the upgrade for you will provide you a copy for free (or cheap).
      My Computers


 

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