Windows 10 upgrade Recovery Discs

[dynaquest1]

When I first bought this PC, I made the Recovery Discs immediately.  I later upgraded this PC from Win 8.1 to Win 10 back when Windows 10 was a free upgrade.  If I have any major issues in the future, that might require a full recovery, I'd rather NOT have to revert back to Win 8.1 and then have to buy Windows 10 to get back to where I am now.

Is there any way to "re-do" the recovery discs now so that any future recovery will get me back to Windows 10?

Thanks!!

[mdklassen · Accepted solution]

> I'd rather NOT have to revert back to Win 8.1 and then have to buy Windows 10 to get back to where I am now.

Since Windows 10 is installed on your computer, Microsoft has a "fingerprint" of your hardware,

which entitles you to re-install Windows 10 without buying a product-key.

> Is there any way to "re-do" the recovery discs now so that any future recovery will get me back to Windows 10?

Yes.  Or, if you have an empty 8GB USB-memory stick, you can write a copy of Windows 10 to it.

See: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10/

for a free download of Windows 10. 

When using this media, click "I don't have a product-key", and the "entitlement" will allow you to continue the installation.

[dynaquest1]

This is why I LOVE this forum!!!  Thank you!!

[WAWood]

EXCEPT -- you specifically asked about redoing the Recovery Disks, and the answer you got was for creating an Installation Disk, NOT Recovery Disks!

An Installation disk does have one recovery function, and that is known as a Repair-install, which will reinstall the OS to the PC, while leaving everything else intact.

But, if what you really want is a set of Recovery Disks, you have to create those yourself using a function in Win10; you can not download those from Microsoft.

[mdklassen]

> But, if what you really want is a set of Recovery Disks, you have to create those yourself using a function in Win10; you can not download those from Microsoft.

True, but I cannot find any such "function" (or "application") on my Lenovo laptop, running Windows 10 (v.1607).  Sigh.

Any advice on where to find that utility program?

What the questioner can do is to buy an external disk-drive made by SEAGATE or WESTERN DIGITAL.

Then, download "disk-cloning" software from the appropriate manufacturer's web-site, and burn it to a CD-recordable.

This free(!) software requires that either the "source" or the "target" disk-drive be from that company.

Turn the computer on.

Insert that "burnt" CD.

Turn the computer off.

Connect that drive.

Turn the computer on, and boot from the CD.

Then, "clone" from the internal disk-drive to the external disk-drive.

Set aside the CD-R and the external disk-drive, and mark the date of the "cloning".

[You could repeat the above, once every month or two, if you wish.]

In the event of a failure of the internal disk-drive, replace the internal disk-drive.

Turn the computer on.

Insert that "burnt" CD.

Turn the computer off.

Connect the external drive.

Turn the computer on, and boot from the CD.

Then, "clone" from the external disk-drive to the brand-new internal disk-drive.

Rerun Windows Update, to add all the updates from the date of the "cloning" to the current date.