Create a Windows 10 Recovery Disk for Another PC: Simple Steps

What Is a Windows 10 Recovery Disk?

A Windows 10 recovery disk (often a USB drive) is a bootable tool that lets you repair or reinstall Windows when your system fails. It can fix startup issues, restore your system from a backup, or reinstall Windows entirely. Unlike installation media, a recovery disk also includes system recovery tools tailored to your specific setup.

When Do You Need a Recovery Disk?

When problems occur with your system, a Windows recovery disk can assist in repairing or reinstalling Windows. Think of it as an emergency toolkit for your PC. But when exactly do you need one?

🖥️ Windows Fails to Boot

If your computer shows a black screen, gets stuck in a boot loop, or says "No operating system found", a recovery disk helps you access the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) to fix startup issues.

⚠️ System File Corruption

Critical system files may become corrupted due to crashes, malware, or improper shutdowns. With a recovery disk, you can run Startup Repair, System Restore, or Command Prompt to repair those files.

💽 Replacing or Formatting a Hard Drive

If you install a new hard drive or accidentally delete or format the system partition, you’ll need a recovery disk to reinstall Windows or restore a system image backup.

🔄 Undo Problematic Updates or Drivers

Sometimes, a faulty driver or Windows update prevents the system from starting. A recovery disk allows you to roll back updates or uninstall drivers when you can’t get into Safe Mode.

🛠️ Troubleshooting and Advanced Repairs

When your computer encounters some issues, you can use recovery media to diagnose problems, perform advanced repairs via the command line, and restore Windows to a previous state.

📂 Recover or Back Up Files in Emergencies

Even if you can’t boot into Windows, a recovery disk lets you copy important files from your system drive to an external USB before performing repairs or reinstallations.

Preparations Before Creating a Recovery Disk

Next, we'll walk you through step by step to create a recovery disk for another computer. But before the detailed steps, make sure you:

• Have a USB drive with at least 8GB of space (16GB recommended).
• Back up any important data on the USB, as it will be erased.
• Ensure the source PC is running the same version (Windows 10 Home, Pro, etc.) as the target computer.

With these preparations complete, let’s dive into different methods to create a Windows recovery USB for another computer.

How to Create a Windows 10 Recovery Disk for Another Computer

This section will present three methods to create a recovery USB for another computer, including both Windows built-in features and professional, efficient third-party software. Let's explore them one by one.

Method 1. Using Media Creation Tool

Media creation tool is a good option to create a Windows 10 recovery disk for another computer. It enables you to make installation media (including USB flash drives, DVDs, or ISO files) for installing Windows 10 on a different PC.

Step 1. Download and install Media Creation tool on your computer from Microsoft official website.

Step 2. Choose "Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC", then click "Next".

Step 3. Select the language, edition, architecture based on your needs.

Step 4. Choose "USB flash drive" and click "Next".

Step 5. Connect the prepared USB drive to your computer and click "Refresh drive list". Choose the connected USB as the media and click "Next". The tool will download and write Windows 10 to it.

Method 2. Using Create a Recovery Drive Feature

Windows 10 has a built-in option to make a recovery USB. This ensures the recovery disk is tailored to your system configuration. Follow the steps below to create a recovery drive for another PC using this feature:

Step 1. Type "create a recovery drive" in the Start menu and open it.

Step 2. Insert the prepared USB drive into your computer.

Step 3. Check the "Back up system files to the recovery drive" option and click "Next" to continue.

Step 4. Select the USB drive and click "Next".

Step 5. Click "Create" to start the process.

Method 3. Create Windows 10 Recovery Disk with MyRecover

While the built-in method to create a Windows 10 recovery disk for another PC is mainly focused on repairing startup issues or reinstalling the operating system, it does not directly help you recover lost personal files. This is where third-party tools like MyRecover come into play.

As a professional data recovery software, MyRecover not only allows you to scan local hard drive, but it also recovers deleted files from crashed or unbootable computers by creating a bootable recovery media. With this recovery disk, you can start up a PC that fails to boot, and then perform advanced file recovery in addition to system repair.

Step 1. Download and install MyRecover on your computer from Microsoft Store or official website. Connect the USB drive to your computer.

Step 2. Launch it and select "PC Crashed Recovery" section, then choose "USB Boot Device" and click "Create".

Step 3. Wait a few minutes until the USB recovery media is successfully created.

How to Use the Recovery Disk on the Target PC

Once you’ve created a recovery disk, you can recover data, fix issues, or reinstall the system on a computer that fails to boot or has crashed.

For MyRecover Recovery Disk

If you need to recover data from a computer that won’t start, you can use the recovery media created by MyRecover. It can scan the hard drive of a computer and recover files from the storage device, even if it has crashed or failed to boot.

Step 1. Inset the USB recovery disk into the unbootable computer.

Step 2. Boot the computer and enter the BIOS system by pressing F2, F12 or Del repeatedly (depending on your computer brand).

Step 3. Select the USB to boot the computer.

Step 4. Select a drive where the lost files were stored to scan and click "Scan".

Step 5. Choose the files you want to recover from the recoverable lists and click "Recover". You can preview the file content in the right panel to check if it's the one you want.

Step 6. Select a safe location to save the recovered files.

When the process is completed, the message indicating successful recovery will pop out. You can check the recovered files by clicking on the destination folder path or "Browse" button.

For Other USB Recovery Disk

For USB recovery media created by other methods, you can use it to boot your computer and attempt to repair or reinstall the system.

Step 1. Insert the USB recovery disk into the target computer.

Step 2. Power on the computer and press F12 to enter BIOS/UEFI (usually by pressing F2, F12, or DEL).

Step 3. Set the USB as the primary boot device.

Step 4. Then you may see a Windows installation interface, where you can select "Install now" or "Repair your computer" according to your needs.

Step 5. If you click "Repair your computer," you will enter the WinRE environment, where you can fix computer issues or reinstall the system based on your needs.

The End

A recovery disk is a powerful tool to fix or reinstall Windows, especially if your PC won’t boot. Whether you use the Media Creation Tool, the built-in recovery drive feature, or MyRecover you can easily create a recovery drive for another PC Windows 11 or 10. And remember: while a recovery disk can repair your system, it won’t always protect your data.

MyRecover can be a worthwhile investment for data recovery on Windows. For businesses, IT teams, or service providers, MyRecover offers the Technician edition. With just one license, you can perform unlimited recoveries across unlimited devices. It’s a comprehensive business data recovery solution tailored for all businesses and MSPs, ensuring your data recovery process is efficient, scalable, and reliable.