Build The Ultimate Windows Repair Disc

Turn panic into minor irritation by crafting your own customized recovery disc with Nick Peers.

- Nick Peers

One of the most stomach-churning moments in any PC user’s life is when you switch on your computer to do some work or let off some steam, only to find Windows won’t boot. You may get lucky—Windows 10 is smarter than previous versions, and can resolve certain issues on its own, but in many cases, you’re left in an endless reboot loop. Assuming Windows even gets that far.

If Windows can’t fix itself, what next? Do you have a recent backup of your data? What about Windows itself? Of course, it’s perfectly possible to reinstall Windows from scratch, but that’s the best part of a day lost to restoring your PC. And did we mention your data?

The solution lies in creating a bootable recovery disc—one that gives you the tools to repair most Windows woes, remove malware, and lets you pull data off the drive in case you’re forced to bite the bullet and reinstall. In an ideal world, you’d be able to build a single rescue disc to cover all your needs. Linux users can smirk at this point, and bring out their Live CDs, giving them full blown access to the OS they know and love. Wouldn’t it be great if you could do the same in Windows?

The answer is: you can. In this feature, we’ll show you how to create all the recovery media you’ll ever need. The first disc will give you access to basic Windows recovery options, plus allow you to reinstall Windows if all else fails. The second offers more quick fixes to resolve common boot and loading problems, plus provides opportunities to recover files and back up or restore disk images. The final disc gives you the closest thing to a Linux Live CD: a fully functioning Windows-like environment to work in, with tools to help you troubleshoot problems, get online, and even add your own custom apps to beat malware and perform other tasks.