How to Install Windows 10 Pro on a new PC

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Fluid
August 25, 2020
Business Operations

Since the start of 2019, Fred’s Appliance and Fluid Services are both 100% remote operations.   Every single employee is working from their homes.  We have been getting a lot of questions on how we set up our own team to work from home.  This article will be one of many that will cover specifics in getting your operation set up to work from home.  COVID has made working from home mainstream but we’ve been striving to go 100% remote before COVID.  Our productivity and employee morale has increased with this push to working from home leading to happier customers and more business.  

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Once you’ve got your BIOS settings in order, install the operating system.

Windows 10 Pro can be purchased as a DVD, a USB installation flash drive, or as a 25-character activation key.

If you only have an activation key, you will be required to create your own installation flash drive with Windows Media Creation Tool.

Check out how to make one at Dexa’s The Mind Vertex.

Step by Step Instructions on Windows 10 Pro Setup

Shut down the computer. 

Make sure the computer is connected to a wired internet connection.

If a wired connection is not available, Windows will ask you to connect to a wireless connection during installation.

(If you used our recommended MotherBoard option, Wifi will already be installed.)

Insert the USB installation drive into a USB port on the computer. 

Installation goes faster when a USB 3.0 (blue) port or USB 3.1(red) port is used but a USB 2.0 (black) port will work. 

Windows setup will boot from the USB drive after the BIOS posts, displaying the following screen.

Note: Computers with older BIOS may rely on Windows for drivers to use USB 3.0 and higher so if setup does not boot, switch to a USB 2.0 port.

Set the Language, Time and currency format, and Keyboard or input method, then click Next.

Click Install now. 

Setup will start and then request the activation key. 

Enter the 25-digit key, double-check that it was entered correctly, and click Next. 

Read the Applicable notices and license terms. 

Check the box next to “I accept the license terms” and click Next.

On the next screen, choose Custom: Install Windows only (advanced).

Setup will ask where you want to install Windows. 

A Master Boot Drive partition needs to be created. 

Select the Unallocated drive from the list (50.0 GB in the example) and then click on New. 

Setup will ask for a drive size and put the largest partition size in by default. 

Click Apply and then click OK when Setup says Windows might create additional partitions. 

When the partitions are finished being created, click Next. 

Setup will begin installing Windows. 

After the last item on the list is checked, the computer will restart.

Windows will continue to install and will restart multiple times.

It will display screens with rotating dots between these restarts.

Windows will ask you to connect to a wireless network if you were unable to connect to a wired internet connection prior to installation.

Select the appropriate wireless network from the list and click Connect.

Windows will prompt you for the network key or password if it is a Secure network.

If you are unable to connect to the internet at all, select “I don’t have internet” in the bottom left corner.

Windows will tout the benefits of connecting to the internet on the next screen.

Click “Continue with limited setup” in the bottom left corner.

In the next section, Windows will ask for answers to set up Basics. 

Set the region to the United States and click Yes. 

Set the keyboard to US and click Yes.

Click Skip when it asks to add a second keyboard layout.

A Windows user will be created from the next set of screens.

Select Set up for personal use and click Next.

Choose Offline account from the bottom left on the next screen.

Choosing this option will not affect access to the internet.

Microsoft attempts to persuade you to try an online account after this.

Click on “Limited experience” on the bottom left to proceed.

Pick your username when the next screen appears.

This can be your real name but does not have to be.

Click Next when you are satisfied with your new name.

You’ll be prompted to create a password next.

Type in a secure password that you will remember and click on Next.

You can also just click Next if you do not wish to create a password at this time.

Windows will prompt for confirmation to some initial privacy settings.

Leave the “Location” setting On.

Change the “Online speech recognition” setting to Off.

Change the “Find my device” setting to Off.

Change the “Inking & typing” setting to Off.

Change the “Advertising ID” setting to Off.

Change the “Diagnostic data” setting to Basic.

Change the “Tailored experiences” setting to Off.

Click Accept to proceed.

Choose No on the next screen when asked to send your Activity History to Microsoft.

Choose Not now for Cortana since an offline account was set up.

Windows will go into the last processes for set up after this selection.

You will be greeted and reassured by words on a black screen that things are being made ready.

A blue screen will fade in and say that it might take several more minutes.

Don’t turn off your PC.

After all that, the Windows Desktop will load and Windows 10 Pro will have finished installing.

At this time, install any display drivers needed for graphics cards, if applicable.

Credit to Dexa for creating this guide.

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