How to install Windows without an optical drive

[Richiev4]

Hi All

 

I'm new here so wasn't really sure where to ask this.

 

How do I install windows if I have a physical copy but I didn't put an optical drive in my new PC?

 

I do have a laptop with an optical drive.

 

Thanks

Richard

[Grabhanem]

If you have a blank flash drive large enough (8GB I think?) you can get a windows installer on that, and just use the code from your DVD copy.

[WhitetailAni]

1. Make an image from your disc via ImgBurn.

2. Use Rufus and a large enough flash drive to make a bootable USB of that.

3. Boot from the USB and install Windows from that.

4. Use the product key from your disc box and activate Windows.

5. Use Windows.

[Grabhanem]

Just now, ragnarok0273 said:

1. Make an image from your disc via ImgBurn.

2. Use Rufus and a large enough flash drive to make a bootable USB of that.

3. Boot from the USB and install Windows from that.

4. Use the product key from your disc box and activate Windows.

5. Use Windows.

You can just download the OS image installer from Microsoft, no need to go through the fuss of ripping it off the disc.

[WhitetailAni]

He didn't say whether it was Windows 10 or not, and I don't think Windows 10 comes on discs.

[Avocado417]

2 minutes ago, ragnarok0273 said:

1. Make an image from your disc via ImgBurn.

2. Use Rufus and a large enough flash drive to make a bootable USB of that.

3. Boot from the USB and install Windows from that.

4. Use the product key from your disc box and activate Windows.

5. Use Windows.

rufus is not necessary for windows iso files. 

[Richiev4]

Hi

 

It is windows 10, and thanks for the quick replies

[keskparane]

Download from MS because then it has all latest updates applied. A disc will most likely be outdated.

[keskparane]

https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows10

[Euchre]

BTW, 8gb is basically the minimum flash drive size, but if you want to get 32 and 64 bit, Home and Pro versions, get at least a 32gb flash drive. It'll make it so you have a handy way to reinstall to any system you want.

[bruhsfx2]

15 minutes ago, Euchre said:

BTW, 8gb is basically the minimum flash drive size, but if you want to get 32 and 64 bit, Home and Pro versions, get at least a 32gb flash drive. It'll make it so you have a handy way to reinstall to any system you want.

Windows 10 Pro could easily fit into 8GB of USB drives. The biggest file "install.wim" only exceeds 4 GB in the latest few versions and it is the single file needed. You don't need a separate Home and Pro version of ISOs. File downloaded straight from MS includes both versions in single ISO (it's basically a Pro version) unless you run scripts from UUPDUMP to exclude the Home version. If you opt to install Home the installer will just ignore Pro-specific files from install.wim. Also nowadays no regular home user should install 32-bit Windows. 

 

To OP, just download the ISO straight from Microsoft https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/software-download/windows10ISO. You do need to use a non-Windows OS (or change the browser User-Agent to non-Windows ones) so that MS website provides the prebuilt ISO link. Otherwise it only provides a Media Creation Tool, and it sucks. It downloads necessary individual CAB files and assembles those into an ISO on your machine, which takes longer and uses CPU. 

[LogicalDrm]

-> Moved to Windows

[Jarsky]

Windows 10 Media Creation Tool: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=691209

You dont need to go through using third party apps like Rufus etc...