Create Recovery USB Drive Comments / Questions

I wanted to create a W10 Recovery USB Drive. I read several articles on how to proceed and bought 2 new 16GB USB sticks. I formatted both sticks to NTFS file system from FAT32 before starting
Using 1 of the USBs it took a few tries before the Recovery App / Create programme started and when it did it took longer than 30 minutes before the screen showing the USB stick appeared. At this screen the option for copying the recovery partition was not shown. Having clicked start the window opened showing a bar indicating an approximation of the amount of files copied. That process took in excess of 4 hours to complete. The USB has a file reagent xml document and folders sources + EFI. All of the folders + sub-folders have files with exception EFI / Microsoft / Recovery which is empty.
The USB properties show FAT32 system and used 6.94GB.
During pre-creation reading I saw reference to recovery partition and an option to delete if required to free up space on hard drive. After the USB creation completed I searched my C: drive and found an enormous amount of recovery files e.g. in Windows/WinSxS folder there are 19,070 folder items. Some of the files go back a few years say to 2016/7 without checking folders in detail. My W10 details are.
Edition Windows 10 Pro
Version 21H1
Installed on ‎25/‎07/‎2020
OS build 19043.1165
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.3530.0
I intend to use the USB to transfer my W10 system to a new computer and following the above I have questions
1. Is the USB fully functioning to use? If not please advise on how to proceed.
2. Why has the USB system changed to FAT32 and should I change it to NFTS before using?
3. Why did the start of the recovery process take so long and there was no reference to the option for copying the recovery partition?
4. I have previously created a Recovery Drive using a 16GB SD card. My existing laptop has a SD slot. The last was maybe a year ago and I recall it took some time but surely not 4 hours?
5. Should I remove all/some of the existing Recovery files from my Windows folders?
In addition to the USB stick I will have a Backups of W10 system, each partition on laptop HDD on an external USB HDD. I will also have separate copies of all my important on the external USB HDD.

My understanding is that with new computer with no W10 installed I must 1st use Recovery Drive to boot the machine and then restore backup.
Is this correct or can I go straight to restore from backup to boot machine?
Regards

To transfer your full Windows 10 from old computer to new computer you need a system image backup created with a backup program such as Macrium Reflect Free. It's best to use a USB connected hard drive or SSD to hold the backup image rather than a USB flash drive. You also need to create the backup software's recovery drive, now just a Windows recovery drive, and this will be on a USB flash drive. Then you would boot the new computer from your backup software's recovery drive, and restore the image stored on the USB hard drive or SSD to the new computer.

The recovery drive that you created using the Windows method to create it will not transfer you current Windows installation to a new computer. It will simply install a new install of Windows 10. It will not restore any of your apps, programs or user data files (except those that came with the old computer from the manufacturer and those may not be compatible with the new computer). If you just want to do a clean install of Windows to the new computer then you just need to create a USB flash drive with Microsoft's Media Creation Tool:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/soft...load/windows10

The USB flash drive is FAT32 so that it is bootable in UEFI computers. Most UEFI computers will not boot from an NTFS partition.

Thanks for your clarifications. I understand that programs files etc. need to be installed separately
I have been making W10 backups from Control Panel / All Control Panel Items / Backup and Restore (Windows 7); see jpg attached. Will this be OK or must use another program.

Polterry said:

Thanks for your clarifications. I understand that programs files etc. need to be installed separately
I have been making W10 backups from Control Panel / All Control Panel Items / Backup and Restore (Windows 7); see jpg attached. Will this be OK or must use another program.

It is highly recommended to use a different program. I recommend Macrium Reflect Free:
Macrium Software | Reflect Free Edition

Windows 7 backup and restore is very unreliable and Microsoft even recommends you use something else.

Thanks everybody for comments and help. I will now use Macrium to make new copies.