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EdaDorcey

Thank you for the detailed installation information.
After install, the big problem is Blu-ray movie playback which already exists in both Windows 7 and Windows 8. The best solution I’ve tried is Macgo Blu-ray player. No Blu-ray menu and 3D effect support but perfect Blu-ray support. Works fine currently on the new Win 10.

Ciprian Adrian Rusen

We’re glad we could help.

Bob

The best, most detailed installation guide on the net. I reached a point in installation that had just one button; Install. However, up to that point I had not been asked where I wanted to install it – I had 2 internal disks (7 and XP) and added a clean 3rd specifically for 10, and so I aborted, and began searching. Finally found the answer here – choice comes later. Fine.
Thanks very much. Clarity and detail are always appreciated.
Good clear Captcha, too.

richard christensen

How does it work to reserve Windows 10 if you already have windows 10 technical preview installed on your PC? I do have windows 10 technical preview and I do not see the white flag on the taskbar you are supposed to click on in order to reserve the Windows 10 when it officially arrives.

Codrut Neagu

You don’t necessarily have to reserve Windows 10. After July 29, you can simply download an ISO and do a clean install. If you were to reserve your copy, than the update files would download over time, so on July 29 you would simply get a notification and start updating, without having to make the ISO download.

David Brand

Do you know if there is a way to get the new Windows 10 licence key or ‘approval’ before doing an upgrade? It looks from my research that you must do an in place upgrade first? I want to do a clean install without upgrading!

Codrut Neagu

Unfortunately, you must do the upgrade. There’s no way to get the license key before doing it.
What I did, and I believe it’s the closest way to a clean install, was to:
– clean install Windows 8.1
– upgrade 8.1 to Windows 10 (with nothing kept)
– activate Windows 10
– used CleanDisk to get rid of the Windows.old folder and anything left.

Robert D'Souza

I have windows 10 on my usb drive and i want to install . Help please !

Uday

Hi,
I have windows 8.1 which was pre-installed when i got my pc. And i don’t know key which is used on Windows 8.1. I have downloaded ISO file of windows 10, but then can i skip activation key and install like that. Will my windows 10 be a activated one if get connected to the internet??

John

Your instructions are excellent, thank you. A word of caution. I loaded W10 and automatically (within the first 10 minutes) got an update which followed with W10 locking up so that I could not reload windows. I had to copy all files to a backup drive using DOS commands and then re-install W8. I am not the only one to have this problem. W10 looks cute, but does little you cannot do for yourself. A lot of its supposed power is connecting you to the cloud for notes and calendars as well as reminders and then linking you to a bunch of FREE trials and pay for services. If you don’t want cloud services and don’t need radio, TV and Calendar at your finger tips stay with W8.1 at least it is stable and asks if you want an update. With W10 updates are forced on you… and if you crash Microsoft is not their to help pick up the pieces. Windows Edge does appear to be faster then Windows Explorer.

At the least backup your system and set a restore point before venturing into W10. And then be ready to install W8.1 if it crashes. For me it was a costly experiment in time on a machine I use professionally.

Ken Durell

Please explain:

1. You state “have the product key available”. If doing an upgrade from Windows 7, where do we get the key when doing the upgrade from a download?

2. Please explain the “Microsoft Account” sign in. I.e., I have Windows on my computer, but am unaware of a “Microsoft Account”.

Codrut Neagu

If you’re doing an upgrade you don’t need a product key. The product key is required only if you do a clean install, from scratch, using a DVD or a USB stick.
If you’re doing an upgrade, Windows 10 migrates your Windows 7 (or 8.1) product key directly, so it won’t ask you for a new one. For upgrading, check this article: https://www.digitalcitizen.life/how-upgrade-your-windows-81-or-windows-7-pc-windows-10-right-now/
A Microsoft account is an email and a password you use for any Microsoft services. If you have an Outlook.com email account, an Xbox account, a Windows Phone etc. then you already have a Microsoft account. There are details here: https://www.digitalcitizen.life/what-is-microsoft-account/

Raj Dev

Sir, I am using Windows 7 Home Basic 64 bits. I downloaded “Media creation tool” but when I launched it, after a while, it showed an error (a msgbox) “Something Happened”. Can you please help me? 🙁

Cherry

It is a good article for installing Windows 10. It’s good for me because I just want to upgrade my system, and after reading it, I’m planning to use the ISO image and download Windows 10 here. Yesterday, I download a backup software AOMEI Backupper, I intend to backup my old Windows 7 before I upgrading it to Windows 10. I was thinking that this software adjust to Windows 10 too, and I can use it to backup my computer after I installing Windows 10. And I suggest you guys before you upgrade your Windows, back it up first, it can save a lot of troubles. You can see how to backup computer using this software. http://www.backup-utility.com/features/disk-backup.html

Pranav Patel

Do we need to have data backup for all the drives before installing windows 10 coz there is no information about the partition and formatting of windows 10?

John Markham

My neighbor runs a commercial cleaning service and he gave me a nice Lenovo laptop from an abandoned office. One AC adapter later, I have a computer with Windows 7.

But no: BITLOCKER!

My Win10 updrade iso-file on DVD runs but gets to the point where I select a partition and chokes. One partition is far too small and the other is Bitlocker-protected.

Will the retail edition install? (I recall the bad-old-days of FDISK and FORMAT. they might be salvation.)

John Markham

FOLLOW-UP: The answer to my question is Yes but Microsoft saved me the cost. Surprise!

I live in San Diego, where we have a Microsoft Store. The tech burned me a Win-7 DVD which would load over the top of the existing Bit-locked partition. The load isn’t really a functional Win-7, as it has no notable drivers but it worked like a charm to format that troublesome Bit-locked partition.

I have a second snag, which time will resolve. I need an original Lenovo 170W AC adapter. The 135W adapter triggers a warning that it’s not the right adapter, so I can’t do the (required) BIOS update. I ordered the adapter from Lenovo.

tom cossari

I Downloaded my free windows 10 worked for A while but now i lost my start men u and corrina also doesent work.Also i think i removed windows eight.how can i get my stat menu and task bar back

Lukasz

I got my Win7 Pro upgraded to Win10 but I’d rather install Win10 from the scratch. Can I do it with my Win7 key or do I need to purchase a key for Win10?

Alice

I have 8.1 installed on my pc….can I buy a retail copy, and install 10 over 8.1, or must I wipe the hard drive clean?

mark

thanks so much very helpful

Ciprian Adrian Rusen

Glad to help.

lgdoc

Very nice tutorial, but i’d like to find such a good tutorial about what to do (with dfferents steps) when upgrading from W10 1703 to W10 1709?
Did you already write somewhere.If not where couls I find it?
Thanks and congratulations!

Adib

Dear,
Non of the above worked on my PC.
I do not know what to do?

anonymous

thanks for this information

Cordell

After downloading windows and restarting it just goes back to step 1 what do I do?

James

I do not like to have to use a pin number ,getting t old to remember all the pins and passwords. Don’t like to have to sign on at all with password or pin ,my computer never leaves my house or other users.

George Marshall

.Best way to find/gat the existing product key (Win 10).

David W.

This is a very informative tutorial, I just wanted to ask a question though, do you need to have ‘usb’ showing as the first option in the boot order menu ? I currently have mine set to cd rom option ?
Thanks

Andre kimamorin@gmail.com

does clean install mean my files and previous files saved are deleted?

Dave

Hi.

can i Run the Windows 10 SETUP

from Windows2000 or from WindowsXP

and do a CLEAN INSTALL of Windows 10

to an EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE ?

Arturo

All good so far… after wiping the disc etc as shown. Part way through the Windows 10 re-install I was asked to put in my email address and Microsoft password (As shown in your tutorial). Did this (no other option). Now on completion, before I sell my computer I want to get rid of this final piece of dater so that the buyer will be able to put his own name and email address into the computer.
I hope I have made some sense with this.
Thank you for your assistance in advance. Arturo.

Dave

Hi.

if i Copy the Windows10 iso file to a Blank USB Flash Drive,

will that USB Flash Drive become instantly Bootable ?

in other words,

will the ISO FILE on the usb flash drive be BOOTABLE ?

Dave

Hi.

can Windows10 be installed from versions of Windows

that are EARLIER than Windows7 ?

——————–

For Example,

can i Run the Windows10 Setup

from Windows2000 or WindowsXP ?

Dave

Okay.

if i am Running a Version of Windows that is

EARLIER than Windows7,

can i Open the Windows10 SETUP and do a CLEAN INSTALL

of Windows10 to an EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE ?

———————————–

For Example,

can i Run the Windows10 Setup

from Windows2000 or WindowsXP

and do a CLEAN INSTALL of Windows10

to an EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE ?

Flemming

Hi!
Can you help my Windows 10 Pro clean installation from DVD crashes when I create PIN on user / account – the screen goes black and nothing happens anymore – PC still turned on.

I can see on my Microsoft account that there is a hole through with a message if Windows is not updated – here tried with an offline user without codes and the same thing happens.

Regards Flemming

Frik Becker

I tried the USB boot and install with the update but the steps you show above and the steps my laptop follows are not the same. It started a (fixing :(C:) :Stage 1:……. It got to stage 2 49%, then shut down. When I restarted it, it asked a quick message if it should check the disc’s or press any key to skip, I’m not sure what to do. Should I skip or not? So it decided to check it anyway. Now I am waiting and it’s at stage 2 again 22%… I did not see any of this in your steps?

Frik Becker

Should I enable or disable secure boot in uefi

Ciprian Adrian Rusen

Secure boot should be enabled.

Jack W Moore

Really liked Windows 7 Ultimate but finally had to upgrade to Windows 10. Went smoothly and is running smoothly now. However, my Windows 7 product key would not activate Windows 10. I ordered Windows 10 pro on DVD.
Is there any way I can activate Windows 10 pro with the new product key without having to do the installation again?

Ciprian Adrian Rusen

Yes, activate Windows 10 with your key, from the Settings app.

Ken Hares

First, I liked you article, it helped me very much, Thank you.
I had an issue reinstalling Win 10.
When it came to “Where do I want to install Windows?” (Which hard drive?)
I was reinstalling with a Custom install. The drives, 3, were all ready partitioned, I assumed by Win 10 during the prior install so I thought win 10 might use them again, but no! A line of text told me I could not install to the drive I had checked, nor would it install to any other drive. I had been told I had wipe the drives clean to use them. So I formatted those partitions that allowed me to do so, and erased the partitions that allowed me to do so. I could not erase all of the partitions, but went ahead with the install. The install put C drive on my 10TB storage drive not my SSD. The other drives were not given a letter ID and had all the old partitions.
How do I scratch all those partitions when the install program does not allow me to do so? And how do I get those drives ID’ed? I will re-install again.
Some words on this stuff would be very help full.
Thank you
Ken Hares

vlloyd

I have tried these steps several times, but when i get to the page about setting up the internet it hangs up. The only way forward is to click “I don’t have an internet connection”. I see that many others have had the same problem. So, after trying several”fixes” I still cannot go on-line.

Ciprian Adrian Rusen

Windows 10 doesn’t have the drivers for your specific network card. Can you search for them online?