Have I been naughty or nice?

[Scott]

Something else that's just popped into my head. Another reason why USB sticks aren't often recommended as recovery media...... the OS changes with new updates quite frequently. When downloaded from M$ themselves, you are guaranteed to have the latest stable version of the OS with all the updates in it. Installing from a USB you have had for a number of months/years would be ill advised for anything other than an emergency situation. A fresh download from M$ would always be recommended, even on a system that's mere weeks old, as you have no idea how old or which version of OS you are receiving.

 

[shagly]

Windows 10 OS can be downloaded direct from M$ themselves. It's available publicly to anyone.

You know that, I know that and lots of other people know that but for those that don't, I thought it worthwhile posting it somewhere so that they might find it.
In fact, I managed to become a "published author" (no autograph requests please ) when Computer Active printed a "letter" of mine, containing the information I came across while still contemplating doing a self-build.
When MS released 10 in 2015 they (surprisingly for MS) offered a free “upgrade” which officially ran out in 2016. Although that didn’t really happen, it was planned to stop “exceptions” at the end of 2017.
Since then though, it has still been possible to use a Windows 7 key for 10.
I was later thanked in a readers “letter” after they had tried without success to install a working (new) copy of 10 but had done it easily using their 7 key.