[SOLVED] Creating a bootable USB drive to install entire Windows 10 without anything else (possible? noob question)

[danny009]

Can I create a bootable USB flash stick (how much empty space needed on usb to put all needed windows 10 install files?) is there any Windows 10 features built in to do such thing? I really do not want to use additional software just to create a usb. I just read now Win10 actually have(?) a feature to do just that, its called "recovery drive" on Windows 10 pro 1903. Ok thats awesome for me, however now my only concern is this tool also will be removed in a future update? I know some of the built in Backup features will be discontinued, what about this one? My exact goal is (when my pc is not bootable: system broken etc) can I use this usb flash stick to reinstall windows? Recovery Drive program says I will also able to use this to reinstall windows if I backup system files as well,

so basically I do this within a - lets say a 8GB usb stick drive?- to backup everything including system files within this recovery drive feature, am ı good to go if my pc gets broken? I just plug in this and choose F8/delete on keyboard before the boot and select install or something like this? I have a ASUS motherboard if that helps, this is a desktop computer,

I would also be grateful if one of you people explain to me how I can gain 64GB usb flash stick space back? I think I did wrong quick format without choosing the correct MB space or something gone wrong in my end, probably my fault, this is a 64GB usb flash stick however now I only have 4GB on it,

Thank you in advance

 

[USAFRet]

To verify, you want to install Win 10 from a USB to a regular internal drive?

 

[DrummerManSpike]

I would also be grateful if one of you people explain to me how I can gain 64GB usb flash stick space back? I think I did wrong quick format without choosing the correct MB space or something gone wrong in my end, probably my fault, this is a 64GB usb flash stick however now I only have 4GB on it,

This article shows how to get that space back. Scroll down about halfway to find the Fix An Incorrect Size USB Drive Using Command Prompt section. I used this method to re-format my installation drive and it worked perfectly. I don't always trust 3rd party programs for this.

 

[danny009]

To verify, you want to install Win 10 from a USB to a regular internal drive?

Sorry for late reply, yes thats correct, a USB flash stick with Win10 system files (backed up with recovery drive feature under Start>Windows Administrator Tools) is all I need to reinstall Win10 is that correct? I just have to press correct key on my keyboard to access BIOS to make that USB flash stick in first boot order? is this needed nowadays? or win10 automatically recognizes that? I wonder what will happen to my Win10 pro license, one is installed via my previous Win7 key and the other computer activated by our organisation server. All of this pre assumed when my computer is broken aka not bootable but an internal SSD or HDD is connected

 

[danny009]

This article shows how to get that space back. Scroll down about halfway to find the Fix An Incorrect Size USB Drive Using Command Prompt section. I used this method to re-format my installation drive and it worked perfectly. I don't always trust 3rd party programs for this.

Thanks! I will take a look,

 

[USAFRet]

Sorry for late reply, yes thats correct, a USB flash stick with Win10 system files (backed up with recovery drive feature under Start>Windows Administrator Tools) is all I need to reinstall Win10 is that correct? I just have to press correct key on my keyboard to access BIOS to make that USB flash stick in first boot order? is this needed nowadays? or win10 automatically recognizes that? I wonder what will happen to my Win10 pro license, one is installed via my previous Win7 key and the other computer activated by our organisation server. All of this pre assumed when my computer is broken aka not bootable but an internal SSD or HDD is connected

For a reinstall in the same system, all you need is an 8GB or larger flash drive.
Blank, because whatever is on it will be wiped out.

Go here, download the MediaCreation tool, run it to build the bootable Win 10 install.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

Your OS licensing will NOT be affected. Reinstall in the same system incurs no license issues. When it asks for the license key, skip that and continue on.


Later, if you actually need to do this install, read here:

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[danny009]

For a reinstall in the same system, all you need is an 8GB or larger flash drive.
Blank, because whatever is on it will be wiped out.

Go here, download the MediaCreation tool, run it to build the bootable Win 10 install.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

Your OS licensing will NOT be affected. Reinstall in the same system incurs no license issues. When it asks for the license key, skip that and continue on.


Later, if you actually need to do this install, read here:

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

Thank you for valuable reply, can I also do this usb flash drive step to install Win10 on a new computer(all new hardware)? Can I still skip that product key part? I'm creating the media in the mediacreationtool1909.exe now, My goal here is having a ready-to-install Windows 10 usb flash drive when building a new computer, well this is one of my goals, I really do not want to pay like plenty for a win10 pro license (since Win10 home is a digital cancer with less features and I do using gpedit.msc to remove the bloatware so pro is a must)

I thank you for your help

 

[USAFRet]

That will work on any PC. New, old, whatever.

In the contect of a new system, if you do not have a license key, it will install just fine.
It will remain Unactivated, with teh small restrictions that brings.
Randomly appearing watermark at bottom right, and no customization of the Taskbar and Desktop.
Other than that, it runs just fine.

I have a long running test of an Unactivated Win 10 Pro, in a VM. To test exactly this.
Installed Dec 8 2016...running just fine.