How hard would it be to install windows 10 from scratch?

[Ndog-ray]

I'm thinking of buying a cheap laptop from a charity shop but it dosent come with any OS. How hard would it be to install Windows 10 and how would I actually do it? Also do you need to pay for a Windows licence?

 

Thanks

[Tristerin]

You can go to Windows 10, with a license in hand, and get an ISO download on a thumb drive that will allow you to install Windows 10.  The cheapest form of license available would be found on Ebay, and are typically 1 shot keys - meaning once you use it, its only meant for that hardware configuration and wont be able to be applied in the future (OEM keys)  

(this is how its supposed to work, tbh I have my own ISO and haven't gone this route before personally)

Or you can buy a Windows 10 license from Newegg for around $80-120.

 

How difficult?  Not at all.  Literally step by step setup and directions.  You boot computer, go into BIOS, tell it to boot from USB (with ISO on it) and it boots from USB that then directs the install to the hard drive.

[Sir0Tek]

You may have a look at the bottom of those cheap laptops, they often come with some sort of license-sticker for Win7 or Win8. You can use this number even if your installing Windows 10 from an image. You don't want to have a laptop older than that, I guess?

If the laptop supports uefi the only thing you need to do is to extract the contents of the windows10 install iso (dmg?) on a usb stick or drive, and it is ready to be used for installation.

 

I still prefer Linux on these - uhmmm - slow laptops due to its low overhead.

 

[Sauron]

14 minutes ago, Ndog-ray said:

How hard would it be to install Windows 10 and how would I actually do it?

Not very hard at all. Download the installation media creation utility from Microsoft and use it on a pendrive, boot from the pendrive and follow the instructions. You don't need a license to install it but you do need a license to activate it.

11 minutes ago, Tristerin said:

The cheapest form of license available would be found on Ebay, and are typically 1 shot keys - meaning once you use it, its only meant for that hardware configuration and wont be able to be applied in the future (OEM keys)  

(this is how its supposed to work, tbh I have my own ISO and haven't gone this route before personally)

Those are almost certainly stolen, which means it's no different from piracy - and if you're going to pirate something paying for it seems a bit silly.

[Tristerin]

Just now, Sauron said:

Not very hard at all. Download the installation media creation utility from Microsoft and use it on a pendrive, boot from the pendrive and follow the instructions. You don't need a license to install it but you do need a license to activate it.

Those are almost certainly stolen, which means it's no different from piracy - and if you're going to pirate something paying for it seems a bit silly.

Buying a key, from a person who has a key, regardless of how THEY obtained it, is not piracy.  Automatically assuming something is stolen goods is...odd.  With that logic, I could assume everything on Ebay "fell off the back of the truck".

 

Piracy would be going to a pirating website, downloading an ISO with a key generator and cracking the Windows security.  

 

For some people (not me) they don't feel comfortable with that, so buying a $3 to $5 key is very much an option, and not at all Piracy.

 

We can debate this till we are both blue in the face, Im all up for it, but lets take it to one anothers wall, Id hate to hijack this thread.

[Sauron]

12 hours ago, Tristerin said:

Buying a key, from a person who has a key, regardless of how THEY obtained it, is not piracy.  Automatically assuming something is stolen goods is...odd.  With that logic, I could assume everything on Ebay "fell off the back of the truck".

Well no, because single use licenses aren't used or refurbished as a physical good might be - they're being sold at less than market price because someone got them at less then market price, and the only way to do that is to steal them or breach the agreement you had with MS about getting them at a lower price. Microsoft definitely makes no money from that resale and the key is being used outside of the intended target, so for all intents and purposes it's identical to piracy - except you're paying.

12 hours ago, Tristerin said:

Piracy would be going to a pirating website, downloading an ISO with a key generator and cracking the Windows security.  

A key generated by a keygen is indistinguishable from a bought one. It doesn't even count as breaching DRM. The only difference is that Microsoft got no money for it, same as buying one from a reseller on ebay.

12 hours ago, Tristerin said:

We can debate this till we are both blue in the face, Im all up for it, but lets take it to one anothers wall, Id hate to hijack this thread.

I mean I don't particularly care about convincing you of this, I just want the OP to hear my side of the argument before buying a key off ebay without a second thought.

[LogicalDrm]

Installing is easy, but requires bit of preparation. You need to have installer USB (or DVD) ready. Windows10 has trial with watermark, but to be actually good person you need to buy key for it.

 

As this will be cheap laptop, I would recommend looking at Linux option instead. Unless this is going for someone else or you actually look on gaming with it. But I would say Linux is better option unless you have software that would be hard to get working on Linux.

[homeap5]

16 hours ago, Tristerin said:

Buying a key, from a person who has a key, regardless of how THEY obtained it, is not piracy.  Automatically assuming something is stolen goods is...odd.

You know that if you buy stolen car, no matter if you know it or not, police can get this car, return it to legal owner and you may have problems? Just an example of that odd logic.

 

OP: installing system is easy. Lot of people here, on this forum, will help you.

[The Torrent]

16 hours ago, Ndog-ray said:

I'm thinking of buying a cheap laptop from a charity shop but it dosent come with any OS. How hard would it be to install Windows 10 and how would I actually do it? Also do you need to pay for a Windows licence?

 

Thanks

download a thing from microsoft website

insert 8gb usb stick.

click 'create media' on microsoft software

plug into new pc - boot from it

enter code bought of ebay for £1.50 which is 100% legit

 

that easy

[Tristerin]

5 hours ago, homeap5 said:

You know that if you buy stolen car, no matter if you know it or not, police can get this car, return it to legal owner and you may have problems? Just an example of that odd logic.

 

OP: installing system is easy. Lot of people here, on this forum, will help you.

How did they get the title?
 

Oh wait, you bought a (albeit, stolen) car without a title.  So you broke the law to get the item (Missouri state law requires vehicles sold with Title, not sure about your state).  Got it.  Not same logic at all.  You don't break a law then claim its okay.  When you go to buy a car, and someone says, hey man I ll sell this cheap to you but not title.  Now you should use that logic.

 

 

 

To all in thread, I thought you had to have a valid key to download the ISO from Microsoft?

[GoodBytes]

On 2/19/2020 at 6:53 PM, Ndog-ray said:

I'm thinking of buying a cheap laptop from a charity shop but it dosent come with any OS. How hard would it be to install Windows 10 and how would I actually do it? Also do you need to pay for a Windows licence?

 

Thanks

In most cases it is easy. Although, I did experience Windows powered tablets without bootable USB support... no USB in fact, only micro-USB for charging, and did encounter laptops without USB boot support, nor has optical drive. The good news is that those are very rare, and despite brand names, these were ultra budget system (probably aimed to be tossed away systems too for those who are not technically incline (and skillful in the case of the tablet as you near to open it up) to restore it.

 

In most cases, it is easy. All you need is a 4GB or greater USB flash drive (or disk, but I recommend USB flash drive).

1. Connect the USB flash drive a difference working system.
2. Get Microsoft's Media Creation Tool (https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/software-download/windows10 - click on "Download tool now" blue button) 
3. Run it and follow the wizard. It will ask you if you want to install Windows 10 on this system or another, pick another, then at some point it will ask you if you want to have Windows 10 downloaded on a USB key or download just the ISO, pick USB flash drive, and make sure you pick the correct drive letter. The tool will format the USB flash drive, download Windows 10, extract it to the USB flash drive, and make that drive bootable.
4. Unplug the USB flash drive, and connect it to your newly aquired laptop
5. Start the laptop, and figure out the key to go in the BIOS/UEFI
6. Make sure the BIOS/UEFI deepening on the age of the system and well the system, some options listed may not exists. Please note that manufactures tend to use different exact naming. So if they don't match exactly, assume it is the same. Ensure that everything is setup correctly:
   1. Date & Time are correct
   2. UEFI mode is enabled
   3. CSM (compatibility Support module) is disabled
   4. "Windows 7/8 mode" enabled (this option really is option 2 and 3 above put together.. so even if you'll install Windows 10, set it to enabled, and it will set correctly 2 and 3)
   5. SATA controller is set to AHCI mode
   6. HPET is enabled and set to 64-bit mode (select Intel CPUs only may have this option)
   7. Virtualization related features enabled.
   8. Turbo Mode enabled
   9. All cores enabled
   10. Secure Boot enabled
   11. Enable Fast Boot
   12. Enable USB booting (if you might not have that option, if you don't, don't worry, it is probably supported and will work)
7. Boot to your USB flash drive. Usually there is a special menu that you pop-up with a special key when you start the system, else go in teh BIOS/UEFI and change the boot order. If you do that, don't forget to return the option back.
8. Windows 10 setup will start.
9. Once it started, pick Language, Then pick Install.
10. Then pick "Custom install" (the option is upgrade).
11. Then just follow along the wizard
12. When you'll get to the screen asking you for the product key pick "I don't have one", then it will ask you which edition you want to install. It is important to pick the right edition. If the laptop has a Windows 7 product key under it, you can install Windows 10 to the closest edition (Windows 7 Home Premium -> Windows 10 Home, Windows 7 Pro/Ultimate, Windows 10 Pro, if it has "N' in the edition name, you have to pick the one with the "N" under Windows 10). This will allow you to take advantage of the free upgrade offer of Windows 10 passing Windows 7/8 to Windows 10. You'll enter your Windows 7 product key under Start > Settings (gear icon) > Update & Security > Activation. A phone activation might be required. Most Windows 8 system has the OS product key stored in the UEFI. Windows 10 should be able to detect it, and if the edition matches, it should activate it automatically once Windows 10 started for teh first time and connected online
13. Once Windows 10 is installed, you'll get to the OOBE. Another wizard which will help you connect online, make your account, etc.
14. Once that is done, you'll login to your account and Windows 10 will continue to setup on the back. It will automatically start fetching drivers an updates from Microsoft servers, and fetch updates to apps. You'll know when everything is done once you no longer have the down arrow tiles on the Start menu, and Windows Update (Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update is complete. This process is lengthy. I would suggest to let the system take it's time, and do it's thing before starting doing anything. It will most likely ask you to restart, and may have more things to finish off once it restarted. A trick, is that you can disable Windows form putting your system to sleep, and put the system aside so it can finish everything without being paused by sleeping.
15. Once all done, now you check for updates again, if all is good then Open Device Manager (Right-click on the start button > Device Manager) and make sure everything is found, if not, go to the manufcature website and get the Windows 7/8/10 drivers (which ever is the latest OS found for the system) and install those. You may need to run the setup under compatibility mode (right-click > Properties > compatibility tab) to by-pass the OS check.
16. If all is good, then you are ready to install your programs and enjoy the system.

It is easy, but lengthy.