Installing Win10 from a USB Drive given by the PC maker...

[javierdlm001]

From 2 years ago. Is this the best alternative I have today?
I'm concerned about cluttering with all the updates that version would need to catch up.
Or that should not be a concern?
Or there's another way to do it?

About this USB Drive given by the PC maker: it's called USB System Recovery Drive. But it didn't come with it's own Windows 10 key number. So I can't just get an updated Win10 installer and use its key number with it.

Thanks guys!

 

[strongm]

> it didn't come with it's own Windows 10 key number

Are you trying to reinstall, or do a fresh install on a new PC? If the latter, which version of W10 have you got? Full retail or OEM (the fact that have a System Recovery Drive from your PC Maker suggests OEM, which means you are not allowed to do an install on a new PC. And if you are reinstalling on the original PC, then no product key is needed. All the activation info is held on Microsoft's activation servers. You can, however, download the latest ISO to burn to DVD and avoid a lot of the patching.

 

[javierdlm001]

Thanks strongm.
But if I download the latest ISO wouldn't I need a Windows key number?

 

[strongm]

Not if you are doing a reinstall. Hence my question.

 

[hairlessupportmonkey]

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

ACSS - SME
General Geek

 

[javierdlm001]

strongm,

Yes, I was thinking of going with a fresh install. I have a space issue in my 125 Gb SSD drive. Reason why I'm seriously contemplating to remove Win10 from that small drive, and install it in my 1 Tb HD drive.
For some reason I keep running out of space. The system was notifying me of low space every other day. Believe me when I say I have tried just about everything. In fact, other than the apps Windows 10 came with, I am only keeping a few apps that are not larger than 75 Mb in C (SSD). All the other larger apps (Gimp, Blender, LibreOffice, Astroneer, Dying Light, L4D2.) I keep them in the HD drive. Of course, all media (videos, music, and photos) are all in the HD drive too (and backed up in an external HD). I already did the Disk Cleanup in the Properties window too. Oh, And I have checked that box for compressing the C drive, and still I have only just below 8 Gb left.
If I do reinstall, would I be able to choose a different drive?

 

[javierdlm001]

hsm, thanks for the link

 

[gbaughma]

If it's a Dell that came with Windows 10, the activation is built into the BIOS somewhere. Just do a fresh install, say "I don't have a product key", and when it finally boots, it will activate itself.

I know Dell does this (I do it almost daily) but I don't know about other vendors. Anyone have any others that do this?



Just my $.02

"What the captain doesn't realize is that we've secretly replaced his Dilithium Crystals with new Folger's Crystals."

--Greg

 

[javierdlm001]

That's neat!
This is an Acer Predator G3-710
I'll try to chat with an Acer rep

 

[javierdlm001]

Unfortunately my pc is out of warranty already.
I guess I'll have to use the old USB System Recovery Drive I have, and install all the numerous updates ahead of me.

 

[Oliver Powell]

Yes, if you don’t have an activation key, then the best solution is to use your old USB System Recovery Drive.

Also, you can go through

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...stalling/58df9c7d-84de-4652-9952-8bac34abc6c5

to understand that how you can create a recovery drive for reinstalling.

Good Luck!

 

[strongm]

>I'll try to chat with an Acer rep

You should not need to. If Windows 10 was previously activated on your PC, then a digital licence will have been issued for that particular version of Window 10 - Home, Pro. etc) and linked to a unique fingerprint for your PC on Microsoft's activation servers. When you reinstall you don't need a product key at all (if you provide one, either through the OEMs UEFI BIOS or by manually entering one, all it really does is select the correct version of W10 to install). Once the OS can connect to the internet it checks of there is an existing digital cert issued against the fingerprint and - assuming there is - uses that to automatically activate your copy).

SO you don't need a product key (whether manual, or BIOS-embedded), nor do you have to rely on the System Recovery Drive. You can do a complete, fresh reinstall using the latest ISO. Note that you can't use this to try and install WS10 Pro rather than W10 Home - the version of W10 you install has to match the original.