In a previous article, I showed you how to create a backup image using Windows 10's built-in backup program. Along the way, we were prompted to create what's called a “Recovery Drive” to use in the event of a disaster from which you need to recover.

A recovery drive is a USB flash drive from which you boot your computer in order to restore a previously created image, as well as perform a number of other Windows recovery tasks — including reinstalling Windows from scratch.

You don't have to be taking a backup image to create a recovery drive, and it's convenient to have around; it can take the place of your original installation media, should that not be available. Here's how to do it.

It's commonplace today to have a completely legal installation of Windows without original installation media. This can cause some panic when you're later instructed to make sure you have media ready before installing some other software or hardware, or if you ever need to reinstall your system from scratch.

Preparation is the best answer.

I'll look at how to prepare, and what options you may have should you be unprepared.

This is a common problem for which the answer has become complex.

Your computer's BIOS needs to be instructed to check for a bootable CD or DVD before it tries to load whatever is on the hard drive. Right now, your computer is configured to either ignore the CD/DVD, or check the hard disk first, at boot time.

The problem is that newer machines don't have a BIOS; they have something called UEFI.

And UEFI makes things more complex.

This is a very old question, and it (and its variants) continues to be asked frequently.

As time has progressed and software has matured, the answer has changed in some fundamental ways. a discussion that once included anti-virus software, anti-spyware tools, and pop-up blockers has morphed into a simpler response.