Creating recovery on USB stick (or pen drive)

[turbofiat124]

So I was watching this video and it says you can upgrade to Windows 10 for free:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkafkI32Cs0&index=16&list=LLc03VdnAEdSkXEM91ETwlBg

Of course I'm skeptical when I watch these YouTube videos because 90% of the steps in these videos don't work when you actually try them yourself.

So I did all of that on my Windows 10 machine and tried to boot off a machine running XP. The only thing that happens is a blinking "_". So I'm wondering if this trick only works on machines running Windows 7 or above. This computer has a faster processor and more memory than my Windows 10 machine so it should run it. The only thing I can think of is the programs on the USB stick is not detecting Windows 7 or above. Plus I've had issues trying to get older machines to even boot off USB sticks.

However I did try this on the same machine I made the recovery USB drive from and it acts like it works.

Another thing. I have several Windows 10 USB recovery drives for my wife's laptop, her cousin's computer and maybe a couple of others. As long as all of these computers have Windows 10 on them, can I get away with using a single recovery stick? Or does it have to be specific for that computer?

This video shows how to obtain the licence key. So as long as I have the key to that particular computer would any recovery USB stick work?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5pzihC8o_g&index=15&list=LLc03VdnAEdSkXEM91ETwlBg

 

[scout_03]

forum rules does not permit any help how to hack or bypass legal software .

 

[4745454b]

Scout, what is he trying to hack or bypass? Looking at the vids (though I admit I didn't fully watch both.) neither seems to be trying to hack or do anything illegal. As long as MS chooses to allow unactivated copies of win10 to function this will work. It's up to MS to close this down, not you or I.

The only thing I can think of is the programs on the USB stick is not detecting Windows 7 or above.

If this is an XP era machine that would be my guess as well. Boot from USB wasn't very common then. If you burn the creation tool to a DVD that should work. Assuming you have a DVD player around.

Another thing. I have several Windows 10 USB recovery drives for my wife's laptop, her cousin's computer and maybe a couple of others. As long as all of these computers have Windows 10 on them, can I get away with using a single recovery stick? Or does it have to be specific for that computer

The hardware between those machines are different. So using the different sticks is easier. It's probably possibly to use one and get another going, but getting the drivers loaded might be a PITA. The different sticks will have the correct LAN, sound and other drivers.

 

[turbofiat124]

forum rules does not permit any help how to hack or bypass legal software .

I didn't know this was considered an illegal hack. You can download the recovery tool to do this directly from Microsoft's website..

 

[turbofiat124]

Scout, what is he trying to hack or bypass? Looking at the vids (though I admit I didn't fully watch both.) neither seems to be trying to hack or do anything illegal. As long as MS chooses to allow unactivated copies of win10 to function this will work. It's up to MS to close this down, not you or I.

The only thing I can think of is the programs on the USB stick is not detecting Windows 7 or above.

If this is an XP era machine that would be my guess as well. Boot from USB wasn't very common then. If you burn the creation tool to a DVD that should work. Assuming you have a DVD player around.

Another thing. I have several Windows 10 USB recovery drives for my wife's laptop, her cousin's computer and maybe a couple of others. As long as all of these computers have Windows 10 on them, can I get away with using a single recovery stick? Or does it have to be specific for that computer

The hardware between those machines are different. So using the different sticks is easier. It's probably possibly to use one and get another going, but getting the drivers loaded might be a PITA. The different sticks will have the correct LAN, sound and other drivers.

The machine I was trying to install Windows 10 on was a 32 bit machine. I'm pretty sure I selected the 32 bit version from Microsoft's website.

I don't know how much of this is true but from what I've read Windows 10 is supposed to be the final version of Windows. Instead of coming up with newer versions of Windows, Microsoft is going to give their operating system away for free and just issue updates every 6 months instead of a new operating systems every 2 or 3 years.

So how are they going to make money doing this? From what I've read they are going to give away the base operating system then you will buy "packages" so to speak by downloading them from Microsoft. Like packages to run games with, office programs, etc.

They said that Google or Android was going this route and making money at it so Microsoft thinks it's the wave of the future.

Also it maybe like I said. Windows 10 won't run on anything older than 3 to 5 years old. So any new computers built in the last few years already has Windows 10 installed on it. Although there are some videos showing Windows 10 running on an old Emachines like I have that was built in 2006.

I am still curious if a recovery USB stick is compatible with any computer with Windows 10 on it. When you make a recover USB stick is it specifically for that computer or any computer with Windows 10 already on it? Like I said you can download the recovery tool directly from Microsoft's website. I'd like to free up some of these USB sticks I have.

 

[4745454b]

The "bitness" does matter, but even many/most XP era machines could handle a 64bit OS. At the time there just wasn't any good 64bit windows.

I've heard the same rumors. I doubt windows 10 will be the "final" version, but whatever makes them happy. I can see major updates like Android. I call the major upgrades different versions, even Google does too a bit by calling them something else. Big difference between 4.4.4 and 5.1, etc. They aren't really the same OS in my mind. Same with windows. Final? It will continue to be upgraded.

Microsoft is going to give their operating system away for free...So how are they going to make money doing this?

MS "official" stance is that you are still supposed to buy a license. You are supposed to buy one, we are supposed to tell you to buy one. As I said above it's unknown how long MS will allow you to use it "free".

Also it maybe like I said. Windows 10 won't run on anything older than 3 to 5 years old

Don't really agree with this. New stuff doesn't run on anything older, but that's due to a lack of drivers. Win10 should run on any "current" system, 3-5years shouldn't be an issue AFAIK. I'm sure win10 has lots of drivers.

 

[USAFRet]

Also it maybe like I said. Windows 10 won't run on anything older than 3 to 5 years old. So any new computers built in the last few years already has Windows 10 installed on it. Although there are some videos showing Windows 10 running on an old Emachines like I have that was built in 2006.

Incorrect.
I have a 2009 era Toshiba L305 laptop. Now 9 yrs old.
2.2GHz Celeron CPU, 2GB RAM.
Running Win 10 Pro 64bit just fine. Has been running Win 10 since literally the first day of the initial Tech Preview.

Was first dualbooted with the original Win 7, then dual with 8/8.1, and now Win 10 only.

This is my test box, and secondary vacation laptop.

 

[turbofiat124]

Also it maybe like I said. Windows 10 won't run on anything older than 3 to 5 years old. So any new computers built in the last few years already has Windows 10 installed on it. Although there are some videos showing Windows 10 running on an old Emachines like I have that was built in 2006.

Incorrect.
I have a 2009 era Toshiba L305 laptop. Now 9 yrs old.
2.2GHz Celeron CPU, 2GB RAM.
Running Win 10 Pro 64bit just fine. Has been running Win 10 since literally the first day of the initial Tech Preview.

Was first dualbooted with the original Win 7, then dual with 8/8.1, and now Win 10 only.

This is my test box, and secondary vacation laptop.

Interesting. I'm not sure why I get a flashing "_" when the computer tries to boot off a W10 USB recovery stick on these particular computers. Were you using an actual CD/DVD to install Windows 10? If you used a USB stick (U.K.: pen drive?), then how did you manage that? One thing I found that tends to hang computers up when trying to boot off a USB drive is the "secure boot" needs to be disabled. Seems not only booting but installing Windows 10 from a USB stick is hit or miss.

Here is an update on something I did over the weekend.

Windows 10 on my wife's older Dell Inspiron laptop was messed up and was in the closet and I asked my wife if I could play around with it and have a bit of fun. Initially I tried to do a recovery on it but failed. Every time I'd select language and the computer would reboot, it would go round and round in circles.

So I installed CloudReady on it. I don't know if this program actually wipes any traces of Windows 10 or not during the installation. But there were times I really needed a laptop with Windows on it.

I tried using the "universal" recovery USB stick I downloaded from Microsoft. The one that I talked about initially. For some reason, this Dell laptop would not recognize the USB stick as having anything bootable on it whether I went into boot menu or into the BIOS. Yet the Gateway desktop machine recognized it just fine. ????

So I decided to use the recovery stick I made for my wife's newer Dell laptop. If you are wondering why she has so many Dell laptops, well the thing is these computers literally fall apart. The screws back out of the bottom then I guess this causes stress cracking on screen hinge. One was so badly broken I couldn't glue it back together. The tabs that holds the keyboard in place broke when I pried it apart (carefully). I ended up pulling the 1 TB hard drive out of it and using it in an old Gateway desktop using an SATA adapter.

I managed to epoxy the corner on one of her older Dells I am using now back together without having to take it apart.

Getting back to Windows 10. I had previously went to Dell's website and downloaded the recovery tool for her "newer" laptop using the service tag number on the bottom of the computer.

So I decided to see if this same recovery USB stick I made for my wife's "newer" Dell would work on her "older" Dell. This time to computer recognized the USB stick has having bootable material on it and it loaded Windows 10 without even asking for the product key.

It worked just fine. I am currently using this laptop to type this post.

Not trying to say this is any sort of hack. Because I really didn't do anything other than use a recovery USB stick I made from one Dell to another Dell. Since the older Dell originally came with Windows 8 or Windows 10 (with free upgrade), I just restored it using a recovery USB stick I made from another computer.

I'm not sure why restoring Windows 10 seems to be hit or miss. You would think it would be straight forward.