Steps

1. Prepare a USB stick

   • Use a USB drive (at least 8 GB). Back up its content if anything important is on it.

2. Open “Create a recovery drive”

   • On Windows 10/11: type “recovery drive” in Start → select “Create a recovery drive”.

   • Check “Back up system files to the recovery drive” (this lets you reinstall Windows). Click Next.

3. Select USB drive

   • Choose your USB stick from the list and click “Create”. Wait: this will download system files and prepare the USB (may take 15-30 mins).

4. Label and store the USB

   • Label the stick “Windows Recovery”. Store it somewhere safe but accessible.

   • You may update it yearly (repeat the process) to have recent system files.

5. Using the rescue USB if PC won’t boot

   • Insert the USB into the dead PC, power on and press the boot-menu key (often F12, ESC, F9) to select USB boot.

   • Once booted: choose “Troubleshoot” → options like “System Restore”, “Startup Repair”, “Command Prompt”, “Uninstall Updates”, or even reinstall Windows while keeping files.

Troubleshooting & notes

• If your PC uses UEFI and Secure Boot, ensure the USB is created as UEFI-compatible (Windows tool handles this).

• Keep the USB updated because OS versions change. An old recovery drive may not match your installed version.

• This doesn’t replace backups — you still need file backups because reinstall may succeed but you could lose data.

• For extra power: you can add tools like antivirus scanners (bootable) on the USB or a Linux Live USB for file rescue.