If your Windows 10 PC is operating perfectly right now (as perfect as a computer can be!), it is a good time to create a recovery drive so that you can perform repairs if something ever goes wrong. Booting from a USB recovery drive allows you to perform basic troubleshooting repairs on any Windows system.
Creating a basic recovery drive requires a USB drive that is at least 512 MB in size. For a recovery drive that includes Windows system files, you’ll need a larger USB drive; for a 64-bit copy of Windows 10, the drive should be at least 16 GB in size. The recovery drive tool formats the drive, so be sure to make backup copies of any important files on that drive before you begin the process.
In the Control Panel, you will find a Recovery heading. From there, choose Create a recovery drive. Be sure to select Back up system files to the recovery drive. The wizard will do all the hard work for you. Be sure to label the usb drive and put it in a safe place. I ordered a 32 GB flash drive for $6.99. You have no excuse for not protecting yourself!
Tip of the month
Windows 10
For anyone that hasn’t updated their PC to Windows 10 – for free – the cutoff date is July 29th. After that time, you will have to pay for the new operating system. An anniversary update for Windows 10 will probably also be released at that time. Here are a few of the new features:
The newest Start menu will become a thin scrolling bar on the left side. It will show the alphabetical All Apps list. This will result in fewer clicks.
Another improvement deals with the Settings app. It will now pick up options that were previously only in the Control Panel. Taskbar options are an example of what you can now access in Settings.
· Cortana continues to add new features, including the ability to respond to requests even from a locked screen and to perform some tasks without requiring a Microsoft account. Those features will be welcome to Windows 10 users in the handful of countries where Cortana support is available.