Installing Windows 10

This guide is designed to help users who just built a new desktop PC install windows 10
for the first time. You can expect this process to take about an hour, depending on the speed of
the drives used.

What you need TIP

1. A USB Drive with at least 8GB of storage. IF YOU NEED TO BUY A COPY
2. A Computer already running Windows. If you do not have one OF WINDOWS STILL, YOU CAN
BUY AN OFFICIAL COPY FROM
available, you can do one of the following.
MICROSOFT HERE:
a. Purchase a Windows 10 USB Key; this also will satisfy the #1
requirement.
b. Use a Friends or Family computer for the first step of this
process.

Setting Up Your USB Drive

If you bought a Windows 10 USB Key, this section is not needed.
1. Insert your USB drive into the computer with Windows already
TIP
running on it.
2. Make sure your USB Drive contains no files and is at least 8GB in THE LINK TO THE
size. INSTALLATION DEVICE
 This can be done by going to the File Explorer, clicking on CAN BE FOUND HERE:
‘This PC’ in the left menu, and looking in the ‘Devices and HTTPS://BIT.LY/2ZK37HZ
drives’ section.
3. Go to the following link and click ‘Download tool now’ right below
where it says, ‘Create Windows 10 installation media’.
4. Run the file and accept the License Agreement once prompted.
5. Select ‘Create installation media….’ When prompted with ‘What do you want today?’
6. Now select your desired language. If your desired language is English (United States),
you can leave ‘Use the recommended options for this PC’ selected and click Next.
 If you are not sure what architecture you want, leave it set to 64-bit, but if you
know you need 32-bit, select that instead.
 7. Make sure ‘USB flash drive’ is selected at the next page and click Next.
8. Now, select your USB Drive and click Next.
 If you do not see your USB drive, try a different port, and then click refresh list.

9. Select ‘Finish’ on the bottom right once told that the drive is done downloading
Windows 10.
The page should now close, signaling that your USB drive has successfully been set up.

Installing Windows
1. Now you can take your USB drive and plug it into your new PC.
2. Once you turn on your PC you will be asked to either enter setup, select a boot drive, or
something similar. Follow the computer’s instructions until you arrive at the BIOS.
a. The BIOS is the base software that your computer will have, it will look very
basic, but can be very dangerous if you do not know what you are doing.
3. Once in your BIOS you now need to find your Boot Option/Boot Priorities section. (See
image below.)
a. This varies between manufacturers, but here are a few of the more common
locations.
i. On the right side of the first page.
ii. Somewhere on the screen, an indicator for an Advanced mode, in which
you can find the boot priority.
b. If it was in neither of those locations, search around the menus at the top until you
find it.
Image 1: Sample BIOS Boot Option/Priorities Menu
 TIP

When it comes to finding

your boot order list, some
manufacturers use a slider,
and if so, you need to slide
the USB to the top.
Also, sometimes a USB Drive
can also be called a Flash
Drive, so check for that too.

4. Next go to Boot Option/Order #1 and select your USB Drive.

5. Choose your language, Time, and Keyboard, then select next.
6. Click install now and then insert your product key.
 This can be found either in the packaging or in the purchase email
7. Accept the terms and conditions of the following page.
8. Next, you want to select ‘Custom: Install Windows only’ to install Windows.
9. You will now be asked which drive to install windows onto. If you have more than one
drive you want to install it onto whatever drive is faster, which is usually the SSD if you
have one.
 SSD stands for solid-state drive, and it serves as a faster alternative to hard drives.
10. Select your preference for region, keyboard layout, and internet connection, skipping the
network step if you would like.
11. Sign in or create your Microsoft Account.
12. Now fill in your personal preferences for the remaining questions.

Conclusion
Congratulations on getting Windows on your new PC! You will now want to install the
various programs, such as Google Chrome, to make your new PC truly yours. Good Luck!