Selling an old PC that has Windows 10, how to keep drivers while keeping the OS in the "Out of Box Experience" state?

[Guest]

I have done a "reset this PC" on a PC that I am wanting to sell and am currently in the OOBE state on Windows 10 where it asks for username, password, Microsoft account and everything else that you need to setup. Problem is, since I'm not in the OS I can't install the drivers needed, and I don't want to sell the system with no drivers - that seems kinda scummy to me.

 

So is there a way to keep it in a "fresh state" ready for the new owner to set up everything their way whilst pre - installing drivers?

[iamdarkyoshi]

I usually just setup a user account with the PC's make (IE "Dell") as the username.

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, iamdarkyoshi said:

I usually just setup a user account with the PC's make (IE "Dell") as the username.

Hmm okay, I guess I could just set it up for the new owner. I'll ask her if she's okay with it.

[iamdarkyoshi]

1 minute ago, Celios said:

Hmm okay, I guess I could just set it up for the new owner. I'll ask her if she's okay with it.

Other than dicking around for two hours to make a custom image, IIRC it can be done but its not easy, I'd just sell it with a user account setup...

[Guest]

Just now, iamdarkyoshi said:

Other than dicking around for two hours to make a custom image, IIRC it can be done but its not easy, I'd just sell it with a user account setup...

Ugh, okay. I thought it was something simple - I guess not.

[Lurick]

You can boot into Audit mode as mentioned here:

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/hardware/commercialize/manufacture/desktop/boot-windows-to-audit-mode-or-oobe

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Lurick said:

You can boot into Audit mode as mentioned here:

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/hardware/commercialize/manufacture/desktop/boot-windows-to-audit-mode-or-oobe

Thank you.

 

I also have an unrelated question that I don't think is big enough to warrant a whole new thread - How do I get the Windows.Old folder when doing a fresh install of Windows 10? In the past when I have done a fresh install of Windows I delete all partitions and format the drive before installing but I was wondering what would I need to in order to get the Windows.Old folder? What would I have to keep and what would I have to delete?

[Lurick]

11 hours ago, Celios said:

Thank you.

 

I also have an unrelated question that I don't think is big enough to warrant a whole new thread - How do I get the Windows.Old folder when doing a fresh install of Windows 10? In the past when I have done a fresh install of Windows I delete all partitions and format the drive before installing but I was wondering what would I need to in order to get the Windows.Old folder? What would I have to keep and what would I have to delete?

So you want the Windows.Old folder to stay?

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Lurick said:

So you want the Windows.Old folder to stay?

Well that was question was unrelated to this topic really, it has nothin to do with the PC I'm selling. I was just wondering how I would be able to get the Windows.Old folder if I ever wanted to in the future.

 

[Lurick]

Just now, Celios said:

Well that was question was unrelated to this topic really, it has nothin to do with the PC I'm selling. I was just wondering how I would be able to get the Windows.Old folder if I ever wanted to in the future.

 

 

Ah!

It goes away after 30 days but it's located right under C:\ as Windows.Old

You can just copy it somewhere off the device.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Lurick said:

Ah!

It goes away after 30 days but it's located right under C:\ as Windows.Old

You can just copy it somewhere off the device.

But how do I get it? Doesn't deleting and formatting the drive before reinstalling Windows get rid of the Windows.Old folder?  Any specific partitions I need to keep?

 

Thanks for the response! 

[Lurick]

Just now, Celios said:

But how do I get it? Doesn't deleting and formatting the drive before reinstalling Windows get rid of the Windows.Old folder?  Any specific partitions I need to keep?

 

Thanks for the response! 

Yes, reformatting will delete the Windows.Old folder, don't keep any partitions, delete them all and then let Windows handle it from there.