5 things to do before installing Windows 10 Fall Creators Update

Since Windows 10 was released in 2015, we have received major updates every 6 - 8 months plus a series of small updates between each timeline.

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Windows Update sometimes runs so smoothly that you don't even notice an update process has occurred. But often or not, updates occur in the most inopportune time or bring unwanted annoyances. Therefore, before you launch Windows Update to download and install the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update , you should do the following to avoid headaches and complicated sessions.

1. Wait for the right time

Because a new update is released doesn't mean you have to download and install it right away. If you are experiencing system instability and the new update claims to solve that problem, then wait no longer, but launch Windows Update ASAP now. But if your system is working well then you should ask yourself whether you really need anything that the next update adds or not.

If it is a security update then you should probably install it. If it's a printer patch and you don't have one, skip it. Look at the KB number of the patch (for example KB4041676) to learn more about the intent of each update. But more importantly, check online to see if those who update early have complained about bugs or instability.

2. Create a Windows Recovery Drive recovery hard drive

The worst case scenario for any Windows update is that the operating system fails and doesn't start. If this problem occurs, you will need to reinstall Windows and to do so with a non-booting system, you will need a recovery drive.

Instructions to create a recovery drive on Windows 10

Windows 10 comes with a built-in recovery drive creation tool. You follow the instructions below:

• Connect an empty USB with at least 8GB free space.
• Open the Start Menu and search for recovery drive .
• Select Create a recovery drive.
• Follow the Recovery Drive Cteator Wizard instructions.

You can also choose to create an installation drive from scratch using the Media Creation Tool , which is not included with Windows 10, and must be downloaded.

3. Find and note the product key

If you decide to install Windows from scratch, you will also need your Windows product key. You probably don't have it, especially if you buy a digital copy of Windows. Fortunately, recovering the product key is as simple as using a free software tool: ProduKey .

ProduKey is a portable utility (no installation required) that scans your system for product keys of notable applications, including Microsoft Office 2000 to 2010, Adobe and Autodesk products and most Windows version (not all Windows 10 licenses).

If you need something more powerful then try Recover Keys . It costs $ 30 and can find all the license keys belonging to more than 9000 different applications and products.

4. Activate System Restore

Before Windows applies an update, it backs up many parts of the system, including the Windows Registry . This is a way of protecting against minor errors, if the update causes minor instability, you can return to the restore point of the previous update.

Create Restore Point on Windows 10

To create a restore point on Windows 10, press Windows + Q , type restore and select Create a restore point to open the System Protection control . Set Protection to On for your system drive. Then, click on Create ... to create a new restore point.

System Restore can use quite a bit of uneven disk space (up to hundreds of megabytes per restore point), so disabling it makes sense on systems that don't have a lot of free space. However, you should still create a restore point before installing any updates. You can then disable it again to free up used space.

5. Backup data

System Restore will not save your personal files, so if an update fails and your system is deleted, you may lose any unsaved data.

For a more comprehensive solution, you might consider creating an ISO image of the system. This allows you to restore the entire system if needed in the future.