Most of the modern machines, like the HP streams do have crapware that does have this and gets duplicated in a windows 10 upgrade, with reminders but I often think it would be good if they provided a flash drive to do it, without I think the reminder will just get ignored.
What I always do for users I handhold is get them to add a calendar entry every month to make a backup to the flash drive or other, with the calendar entry containing easy instructions or in some cases to contact me to login and do it for them.
But Im also encouraging many to use the cloud now for saving all their docs and photos (with caution for anything sensitive), takes a little to move them away from their 'My Docs' as they all love to call it. But it saves a lot of hassle for me and them. In fact, they are all taking to it very well, I have been impressed.

Recovery Drive or Built-in Reset allows keeping of Files only, during re-install.

Media Creation Tool Installation DVD / Drive can be run from Windows for In-place Upgrade / Repair Install, allowing keeping of Files, Apps and Settings.
Also, able to Clean Install by booting from it, on standard computers and devices.

I think it is important to make and keep both.

Refresh doesn't exist, as a named item, any more. The Custom Refresh feature, available in W8/8.1/10 Preview, has been removed.

=-=-=-=

To make a backup of a bootable Recovery Drive, I found that Easeus Todo Backup Free (Disk/Partition option) was easiest.

[Macrium won't do it. Also, only one Flash drive plugged in at a time. Don't try with SD card]


There are some other free 3rd party utils but they make non-standard images and may be otherwise flaky (non-bootable backup).

Imgburn also works to make a bootable iso from Recovery Drive. I used x:\boot\boot.sdi as the Boot Image (etfsboot.com is not present). Also relaxed Advanced restrictions and set other options to be easygoing. May be confusing for some.

=-=-=-=

In spite of using PowerShell to backup 3rd Party drivers, I am wary of not backing up MS drivers. Should a dodgy Windows Update come along, with a broken driver, it's easier to have them all easily accessible.

Double Driver will do this.

Making an additional full Partition Backup using Easeus Todo or Macrium Reflect Free provides a 'final' safety measure.

Easeus settings Tools allows Enable/Disable preOS
Macrium Other Tasks allows Add Recovery Boot Menu (to add and remove the boot menu item)


Accidental damage, Fire, flood, burglary, police confiscation or other loss can still cause big problems, data wise.

Using the Cloud can be slow, a little space-limited or with monthly free limits, but using OneDrive, Google Drive and others, it is certainly possible to keep files, folders and a copy of Recovery Drive in the Cloud.


Full System Images probably not practical just yet.

(MEGAsync has an attractive 50GB limit, but capped to 10GB/month free)


Note that a single Cloud service account is not to be considered 100% secure either.
Providers can lose data or lock an account, without notice, or user may forget login details.

Password Managers (eg LastPass) can also be very useful.

This Onedrive thing, Well you have flash drives for that also these days.

Handy to know Easus todo will back up recovery drives, but tbh, I just normally create an iso with imgburn, or if being really lazy just a zip file.

Re drivers - will try double driver but don't expect to have to call on it but always good to have a get out of jail card.

Microsoft today announced expanding the Surface Pro options for the Enterprise via Dell, HP and Avanade along with enterprise features for Windows 10, ahead of the Apple iPad Pro announcement, apparently not coincidental;

http://www.zdnet.com/article/dell-hp...e-pro-tablets/

https://www.thurrott.com/mobile/micr...the-enterprise

Er?
Confused I am.

HP make their own Surface clone, so I don't see how that will work somehow.

Do they?

Lenovo announced the Miix 700 at IFA, I thought that was the first Surface clone.

I imagine in the Enterprise, a lot of HP's money is made on service contracts rather than sale of hardware necessarily. Microsoft might also be licensing Surface manufacture to these guys too as well as the sales and after-sales support.

I was thinking of the HP Spectre x360
http://www.engadget.com/2015/04/03/h...e-x360-review/

Seems that UK gov want rid of the .doc fornat too.
We sometimes forget that every new release of Office made the latest doc format incompatible with the prior version.

However like Munich, embracing ODF may as much be about not relying on Windows too.
http://arstechnica.co.uk/business/20...cument-format/

MS version of open document is naff anyway, Try opening a Libre Office write file in MS word,

More from the HP blog on what HP will offer with the windows 10 Enterprise initiative and the Microsoft surface 3;


http://h20435.www2.hp.com/t5/The-Nex...7#.VfFrufRPLpd

It surly docx now? Even through I like formats that can go on any word browser these days.

Wrong thread?

That's definitely not a Surface clone though it is a hybrid. It's maybe a Yoga 3 Pro clone.

So MS is pushing Windows 10 down even if you did not register a interest and yet when I said I had window ten files on my computer and I did not register, people said I must have registered as MS do not do these things.

Well, they do and they have

It's actually co-designed by Microsoft, but you're right, the form factor is different.
http://www.engadget.com/2015/04/03/h...e-x360-review/

Getting seriously fed up with my audio stopping working for no reason, the only remedy is a restart, I have tried updating drivers etc but nothing works.

Indeed.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/09...rced_download/

Maybe Microsoft are wooing the networks with the possibilities of massive increased revenues through high data needs. I bet they will even outdo Chromebook clould computing in this aspect!
6GB could even spell semi-bankruptcy for some unaware tetherers. I can see the headlines in the DailyMail very soon coming on this one.

Do you mean you checked for updated drivers or reinstalled original drivers (from manufacturers website)?

Create a Restore Point if messing about (Win+R systempropertiesprotection )

When Windows wants to perversely overwrite any driver again, see https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/kb/3073930

You must download Windows 10 even if you don't want to is there attitude these days.

Not sure if you are being a bit sarcastic.

6GB is a fair chunk of data even in this day and age. What about people who got a limited connection or a small drive?



I see people have not come back and say, oh you was right after all, MS is pushing the download of Windows 10 onto people.

You need to have automatic updates on for it to happen. Which everybody's moaning about that they can't be turned off in W10, so I'd assume they don't have them on in W7 or W8.1.

Yes but auto used to download only the things you need, so W10 is now deemed a compulsory need.

I sense it being a, dodgy as hell, way of impressing people with a faster install.