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Installing Windows 10 on a blank laptop

  • 02-02-2017 01:03PM
    #1
    faceman
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 16,682 CMod ✭✭✭✭


    I've had to get my hands on a laptop for a project I'm working on for the next 2 years as a tablet won't cut it and my desktop iMac at home doesn't fit in my manbag! :D

    Looking for some advise about Windows please.

    I got my hands on a second hand Fujitsu U772 for next to nothing. (Purchased through a work scheme)

    The downside of the purchase though is the laptop comes wiped so there is no OS system on it so I guess i will have to purchase Windows from scratch.

    Do I need to buy a USB version of Windows 10 or can I download Windows 10 to my Mac and copy it across? Presumably I need a bootable drive?

    Any advice on how to proceed?

    Also where is the cheapest place to pick up a copy of Windows 10?

    Thanks for your help!


Comments

  • #2
    ItHurtsWhenIP
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 2,305 ✭✭✭ItHurtsWhenIP


    You can go here to download Windows 10 Media creation tool, which you'll need to do an a windows machine. This will download and create a bootable USB stick, which you can use to install the blank laptop.

    As for the licensing...
    • Others will probably chime in that you can get Window 10 for nothing by never activating it. There are some minor restrictions and a watermark in the corner of the screen. It's up to you if that's OK or not. If its for a work project, you might need to be legitimate though. So...
    • More may say you can pick it up for €10 on some purchasing platforms (won't name them), but these are illegally distributed license keys which could be revoked by M$FT at some point.
    • Your cheapest bet to buy a Win10 License key is probably from the hor$e$ mouth - M$FT.


  • #3
    faceman
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 16,682 CMod ✭✭✭✭faceman


    ItHurtsWhenIP wrote: »
    You can go here to download Windows 10 Media creation tool, which you'll need to do an a windows machine. This will download and create a bootable USB stick, which you can use to install the blank laptop.

    As for the licensing...
    • Others will probably chime in that you can get Window 10 for nothing by never activating it. There are some minor restrictions and a watermark in the corner of the screen. It's up to you if that's OK or not. If its for a work project, you might need to be legitimate though. So...
    • More may say you can pick it up for €10 on some purchasing platforms (won't name them), but these are illegally distributed license keys which could be revoked by M$FT at some point.
    • Your cheapest bet to buy a Win10 License key is probably from the hor$e$ mouth - M$FT.

    Cheers for this. Yeah I have to use a legal version of Windows.


  • #4
    d31b0y
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,028 ✭✭✭d31b0y


    ItHurt$WhenIP wrote: »
    You can go here to download Window$ 10 Media creation tool, which you'll need to do an a window$ machine. Thi$ will download and create a bootable U$B $tick, which you can u$e to in$tall the blank laptop.


    A$ for the licen$ing...
    Other$ will probably chime in that you can get Window 10 for nothing by never activating it. There are $ome minor re$triction$ and a watermark in the corner of the $creen. It'$ up to you if that'$ OK or not. If it$ for a work project, you might need to be legitimate though. $o...
    More may $ay you can pick it up for €10 on $ome purcha$ing platform$ (won't name them), but the$e are illegally di$tributed licen$e key$ which could be revoked by M$FT at $ome point.
    Your cheape$t bet to buy a Win10 Licen$e key i$ probably from the hor$e$ mouth - M$FT.

    Man, you missed a load of opportunities for swapping s with $ so I updated your post. Hope I helped!


  • #5
    nava
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,739 ✭✭✭nava


    faceman wrote: »
    Cheers for this. Yeah I have to use a legal version of Windows.

    For legal version check in Adverts, some sellers sell license starting from about €7, as usual check feedback, I got an office 2016 from a seller in advert with no issues and genuine, you get code soon after paying.


  • #6
    ItHurtsWhenIP
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 2,305 ✭✭✭ItHurtsWhenIP


    nava wrote: »
    For legal version check in Adverts, some sellers sell license starting from about €7, as usual check feedback, I got an office 2016 from a seller in advert with no issues and genuine, you get code soon after paying.

    Those may be genuine keys, but they are not legal as they are not allowed to be sold that way, and M$FT could kill them at any time.


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  • #7
    nava
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,739 ✭✭✭nava


    ItHurtsWhenIP wrote: »
    Those may be genuine keys, but they are not legal as they are not allowed to be sold that way, and M$FT could kill them at any time.

    Not sure how they get them but sounds like they generate/buy them as someone buy them on Adverts from what seller said to me. In my case, with the MS Office I went with the code to https://setup.office.com/ to download office from there.


  • #8
    _Kaiser_
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 29,739 ✭✭✭✭_Kaiser_


    As it's a branded machine, check on the bottom or under the battery for an existing license key. A quick Google suggests this is a 2012 model so it more than likely shipped with Win 7 or 8 if it was originally a business purchase.

    If it has a 7 key, just clean-install Win 10 from the ISO and use that 7 key to activate.. this supposedly ended last year but I can confirm it still works.

    If 8/8.1 shipped with it, then the key will be embedded in the BIOS. You can use Product Key Finder apps (search Google) to retrieve this, or I THINK 10 will activate automatically if you again clean install

    Hope this helps :)


  • #9
    _Kaiser_
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 29,739 ✭✭✭✭_Kaiser_


    nava wrote: »
    Not sure how they get them but sounds like they generate/buy them as someone buy them on Adverts from what seller said to me. In my case, with the MS Office I went with the code to https://setup.office.com/ to download office from there.

    They're Volume License keys that their company would have purchased from Microsoft. Some need activation (and occasional validation) against a local KMS server that the company would have, but they will also have some Retail keys which are the same as ordinary punters buy.

    There's also some multi-activation keys which allow x number of machines to use the same key. Of course once these are used up, you may run into issues if you ever need to reactivate.


  • #10
    faceman
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 16,682 CMod ✭✭✭✭faceman


    _Kaiser_ wrote: »
    As it's a branded machine, check on the bottom or under the battery for an existing license key. A quick Google suggests this is a 2012 model so it more than likely shipped with Win 7 or 8 if it was originally a business purchase.

    If it has a 7 key, just clean-install Win 10 from the ISO and use that 7 key to activate.. this supposedly ended last year but I can confirm it still works.

    If 8/8.1 shipped with it, then the key will be embedded in the BIOS. You can use Product Key Finder apps (search Google) to retrieve this, or I THINK 10 will activate automatically if you again clean install

    Hope this helps :)

    You are my hero! This worked! You've saved me the cost of purchasing Windows outright!


  • #11
    _Kaiser_
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 29,739 ✭✭✭✭_Kaiser_


    faceman wrote: »
    You are my hero! This worked! You've saved me the cost of purchasing Windows outright!

    No worries, glad to help :)


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