Reason to use Media Creation Tool?

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My Dell XPS 8930 system includes Dell’s SupportAssist OS Recovery.  I have used Windows own facilities to create a recovery drive on a USB flash drive.  I also used Macrium Reflect to Image the SSD on which Windows 10 20H2 is installed.

Is there a reason to use the Media Creation Tool to create an ISO and/or burn a DVD?

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Keeping on hand an ISO of your current Windows version is less important now that versions 2004/20H2 and later have a Cloud Reset option:

You can now refresh Windows 10 from the cloud if your local OS image isn’t available or working right.

You’ve run into a problem with a Windows 10 computer and you’d like to try resetting it to see if that fixes the issue. With past versions of Windows 10, you were forced to reinstall Windows from your PC. Normally, that process should work fine, but if the local Windows image ever got damaged or corrupted, you’d be out of luck.

With the Windows 10 May 2020 Update (aka Windows 10 version 2004), you can reinstall Windows from the cloud as an alternative to a local reinstallation. As this option downloads a fresh copy of Windows from the cloud, you don’t have to worry about reliability issues. Let’s cover the steps.

How to reinstall Windows 10 from the cloud

Cloud Reset works from the Recovery Menu too:

How to Cloud Reset your Windows 10 PC from Recovery Menu

In addition to performing a cloud reset within Windows 10, you can also do so from the Windows 10 recovery menu.

If you start Windows in Advanced Startup and then select Troubleshoot, you will be able to Reset the PC while not in Windows.

This process also allows you to select a “Cloud download” or “Local reinstall” as shown below.

Windows 10 Gets a Cloud Reset Feature, Here’s How it Works

Windows 11 Pro version 22H2 build 22621.1778 + Microsoft 365 + Edge

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Better an ISO at hand than ISO in the cloud.

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So that you need to download it a few times each year instead of just when you need it, or why specifically?

Windows 11 Pro version 22H2 build 22621.1778 + Microsoft 365 + Edge

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The cloud is not reliable and may fail when needed, run repair, clean install offline…

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I’ll report that cloud unreliability to the creator, Al Gore. I thought he said we could rely on this interwebs thingy for all kinds of stuff these days? 😉

Windows 11 Pro version 22H2 build 22621.1778 + Microsoft 365 + Edge

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Al Gore was wrong.

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And yet here we are conversing across oceans in real time!

Windows 11 Pro version 22H2 build 22621.1778 + Microsoft 365 + Edge

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Who knows who is harvesting our conversation.

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Nah, we’re safe. The cloud’s too unreliable for eavesdropping. /s

Windows 11 Pro version 22H2 build 22621.1778 + Microsoft 365 + Edge

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When it comes to backup and recovery I’ll opt for overkill any day.  I’d rather have an ISO/DVD ready if and when its ever needed.

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I like inplace repairs over resets.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady

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RockE

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I usually use an ISO for version upgrades and the Catalog for regular updates.  ISO’s have never failed but are kinda overkill for plain old updates.  ISO’s give you an option to upgrade without affecting any of your files or programs; that’s not available in the Recovery options unless it’s buried somewhere in the blue thing.

If you’re updating a computer with a really old version of Windows 10, ISO’s are the only way to go.  It’s very possible to get a mix of every update issued since the old OS was current and those needed with the new version.  Your device goes to the manufacturer’s site, too, to try and install hotkeys, switches, etc. needed for it to operate completely unless you’ve wiped all the boot partitions.

ISO’s change every so often, so you may have to do some updates after using an ISO.  Use an ISO offline; install Catalog updates offline.  Staying online, especially with Windows Update active can make an unreal messs.

Windows Update is a cr*p shoot; you can do fine for a long time, then blammo!

Regardless, creating regular manual restore points is an excellent practice.

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EricB wrote:

Is there a reason to use the Media Creation Tool to create an ISO

No. Your backup will save you from disaster – assuming you have created an MR rescue USB – and if you need to repair you can download an ISO later.

cheers, Paul

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When it comes to backup I’m a belt and suspenders kind of guy.

I used the tool to create a Windows 10 20H2 ISO and burned it to DVD.  I may never need it but it didn’t cost me anything to create it.  And now I know that my optical drive works properly 🙂

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But, the download is no use if you later update Windows and need to perform an over the top repair. You need the correct version for that.

The installation media (ex: ISO or USB) must be the same edition and same or newer build

cheers, Paul

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