Installing Windows like an OEM

DeltaXi1867 · May 27, 2015

Hello Everyone,

So I have a question after some quick googling I could not find an easy answer. I work on a lot of family/friend computers and this is always a pain for me. Basically I run the install for Windows 8.1 and then I have to call and get the person's Microsoft account and sometimes they do not have one so I have to set it up. Then I have to go through the whole install process and then add all the programs the user needs.

In any case what I want to do is install Windows 8.1 like an OEM. I want when they boot it up it takes them through the Windows 8.1 setup instead of me but I am not sure how to make that happen. It is kind of hard to explain this but what I want is for the user to see the screen in the link below when they first start the computer.

https://youtu.be/o3UbKWOzXRI?t=5m53s

The other piece of this is I would like to install software on this machine prior to it starting windows things like the chrome browser and maybe Microsoft office. I am not sure this is possible as a user and i figured you may need a special OEM licenses or something but I wanted to see if any one here knew how to get this done.

Basically I want to go in and setup the computer with all necessary drivers and software and have the end user setup Windows 8.1,

Thanks for all your help

brandishwar · May 27, 2015

What you're wanting is the Windows Pre-installation Environment, or PE. I've never used it myself, but I know that is what you'll need. You can find information about it online, or someone may come by to give you a little overview in how to get it going.

May 27, 2015

So you're wanting it to take you through the account setup process?

Altecice · May 27, 2015

Hello Everyone,

So I have a question after some quick googling I could not find an easy answer. I work on a lot of family/friend computers and this is always a pain for me. Basically I run the install for Windows 8.1 and then I have to call and get the person's Microsoft account and sometimes they do not have one so I have to set it up. Then I have to go through the whole install process and then add all the programs the user needs.

In any case what I want to do is install Windows 8.1 like an OEM. I want when they boot it up it takes them through the Windows 8.1 setup instead of me but I am not sure how to make that happen. It is kind of hard to explain this but what I want is for the user to see the screen in the link below when they first start the computer.

https://youtu.be/o3UbKWOzXRI?t=5m53s

The other piece of this is I would like to install software on this machine prior to it starting windows things like the chrome browser and maybe Microsoft office. I am not sure this is possible as a user and i figured you may need a special OEM licenses or something but I wanted to see if any one here knew how to get this done.

Basically I want to go in and setup the computer with all necessary drivers and software and have the end user setup Windows 8.1,

Thanks for all your help

Ok so quickly, You can set up the system without using a Microsoft Account. (you select that you dont have one and then select use a local account).

Now to do what you want, this is referred to as OOBE mode or (Out Of Box Experience).This is what you are referring to when you say you want the computer to run though account creation like an OEM does.

You require use of a tool built into Windows called SysPrep, this can set the computer into OOBE mode for you after you have done your initial configurations and got it up and 'running'.

Look here for some more info about Sysprep:

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-GB/library/hh825209.aspx

http://www.smattie.com/2013/12/16/how-to-sysprep-with-windows-8-1/

Grrizz · May 27, 2015

When you get to the "personalize" screen press Ctrl+Shift+F3 that will skip you to the start screen in a temporary admin account without needing to create/use a MS or local account and when you go to the desktop Sysprep will automatically open allowing you to set the state you want it to be in after a reboot (in your case "Enter system OOBE").