How to Revive Windows 10 with a Recovery Drive

If your Windows 10 PC is experiencing major issues and won’t boot up, a recovery drive can be a lifesaver. This handy tool allows you to restore your system to a previous working state or even reinstall Windows 10 entirely. Here’s how to use a recovery drive to repair and revive your Windows 10 computer.

Restore from a System Restore Point

Restore from a System Restore Point

If your Windows 10 PC is having problems, but you still have access to it, you can try restoring it to a previous system restore point. This will revert your system to an earlier state without affecting your personal files, but it will remove any recently installed apps, drivers, and updates that may be causing issues.
To do this:

Connect the recovery drive to your PC and turn it on.
Press Windows logo key L to get to the sign-in screen, then press Shift Power > Restart to boot into the Windows Recovery Environment.
On the “Choose an option” screen, select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > System Restore.
Follow the prompts to select a restore point and complete the system restore process.

Reinstall Windows 10

Reinstall Windows 10

If restoring to a system restore point doesn’t fix the problem, you can use the recovery drive to completely reinstall Windows 10. This will remove all your personal files, apps, and settings, so be sure to back up any important data first.
To reinstall Windows 10:

Connect the recovery drive and turn on your PC.
Press Windows logo key L to get to the sign-in screen, then press Shift Power > Restart to boot into the Windows Recovery Environment.
On the “Choose an option” screen, select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Recover from a drive.
Follow the prompts to select your recovery options and complete the Windows 10 reinstallation.