How To Create Unattended Windows 10 Installation Setup

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This wikiHow teaches you how to install Windows 10 on your PC. To do this, you'll need to hold down a key while Windows is starting up, which will launch a menu that lets you start the computer from either a USB drive or a CD/DVD with the Windows 10 installer on it. The following instructions show doing a clean install, no programs or data will be kept. If your desire is to do an update install (Only from Windows 7, 8, or 8.1), when you follow the instructions below regarding the Windows 10 installation tool, you will be starting the update while already running your Windows. Any programs not supported by Windows 10 may be left out, otherwise the programs will be there, and all your files will remain.

1
Make sure your Windows 10 installation media is connected. In order for you to install Windows 10, your Windows 10 installation file must be loaded onto a disc or flash drive, and the disc or flash drive must be inserted into your computer.
- If you haven't yet downloaded the Windows 10 installation tool, follow the instructions from this Microsoft support page: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10
2

Open the Start menu. Either click the Windows icon in the bottom-left corner of the screen, or press the ⊞ Win key.

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3

Click the power icon. This is the circle with a line through its top that's in the bottom-left corner of the Start window.
4

Click Restart . It's in the pop-up menu above the power icon. Doing so will restart your computer.
5
Press and hold Del or F2 to enter setup. This key may also be a different key—most computers will display a message on startup that says "Press [key] to enter setup" or something similar, so look for this message when your computer restarts to confirm the key you should press to access the BIOS.
- Consult your computer's manual or online support page to confirm your computer's BIOS key.
6
Navigate to the Boot tab. You'll use the arrow keys to select it.
- The Boot tab may instead say Boot Options, depending on your computer's manufacturer.
7
Select a device from which to boot. You have a couple of options here:
- For a USB flash drive, select the Removable Devices option.
- For a disc installation, select the CD-ROM Drive option.
8
Press the + key until your boot option is first. Once either Removable Devices or CD-ROM Drive is at the top of the list, your computer will select your choice as its default boot option.
- On some computers, you'll instead press one of the function keys (e.g., F5 ) to navigate an option up to the top of the menu. The key will be listed on the right side of the screen.
9
Save your settings. You should see a key prompt (e.g., F10 ) at the bottom of the screen that correlates to "Save and Exit"; pressing it should save your settings and restart your computer.
- You may have to press ↵ Enter to confirm the changes.
10

Wait for your computer to restart. Once your computer finishes restarting, you'll see a window here with your geographical data. You're now ready to begin setting up your Windows 10 installation.

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1

Click Next when prompted. You can also change the options on this page (e.g., the setup language) before continuing if need be.
2

Click Install Now . It's in the middle of the window.
3

Enter your Windows 10 key, then click Next . If you don't have a Windows 10 key, instead click Skip in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
4

Click the "Accept" box and click Next . This will indicate that you accept the terms of use.
5
Click Upgrade . It's at the top of the "Which type of installation do you want?" window. This option installs Windows 10 while preserving your files, apps, and settings.
- You can click Custom instead to clean install Windows 10 on your computer. Doing so will prompt you to select a partition to format before continuing.
6
Wait for Windows 10 to install. This process may take anywhere from half an hour to several hours, depending on your computer's previous operating system and processing speed.
- If prompted to press a key in order to boot from a CD, do not press a key.
7
Follow the on-screen setup instructions. Once Windows 10 has been installed on your computer, you'll be able to customize its settings (e.g., your region, your preferred language, location settings, etc.). Once you finish this process, you will be taken to your computer's desktop.
- You can also click Express Settings to set up Windows 10 with the recommended settings.
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Question

Will I lose my data if I reinstall Windows 10?

Based on step 5 above, when it prompts "Which type of installation do you want?", you should select "Upgrade" to keep your files and settings. If you select "Custom", you will have a clean installation and all of the files and settings of your previous version of Windows will be cleaned.
Question

What button do I press for boot options?

This is commonly F12, but can vary, depending on manufacturer. Your system will tell you which key to press upon first turning on the machine.
Question

My laptop has the key embedded in its motherboard, so do I need to enter it again?

It should detect the key if it's on your motherboard. If not, you can re-enter the key.
Question

Will Microsoft Office be available for use after Windows 10 installation, or do I need to separately install it?

You will need to download and install it separately.
Question

If I have 2 hard drives in my PC, must I remove the second hard drive?

Kyle.SaiKiu Lee

Community Answer

No. You can choose which hard drive to install on during installation, so there is no need to remove hard drives.
Question

Can I install Windows 10 without the disk? I only have a USB drive and I am willing to install the Disk image of Windows 10.

You can download the Media Creation Tool from Microsoft's website, and it will allow you to turn your USB drive into a Windows 10 install disk.
Question

I have tried with 16GB USB bootable. Unfortunately, the process is looping to the "Part-2, Step-1". My laptop is HP Probook 4410s Core 2 Duo, 2GB RAM, 120 GB HDD.

AmongUsIsC00l

Community Answer

Your laptop is a bit old for using Windows 10. If you can, consider an SSD and upgrade your system to the maximum of 8GB of RAM. As for the other problem, make sure you are clicking Install and entering a product key (if you choose to) that is valid. If it still has this same problem, try recreating the installer. If it still happens, try another USB.
Question

How do you install Windows without overwriting an existing OS? e.g. If you need a copy of Windows 7
Question

How can you create installation media in Linux?

You cannot. Microsoft does not offer the Media Creation Tool on Linux, and they do not offer ISO downloads for home users. You would have to create the installation media on a Windows computer.
Question

Can I do it on my Chromebook?

There are some ways that you can do it, but it's very difficult, and requires some hardware modification. I would recommend just buying a new computer with Windows 10 on it.

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If you don't enter a Windows 10 activation key when prompted to do so, you'll receive a free trial of Windows 10. After the trial ends, you'll be prompted to purchase and enter an activation key.

Make sure you have enough space on the computer on which you wish to install Windows 10.
Some computers won't be able to run Windows 10 well. If your computer is an older model that runs Windows 7 at an average pace, you shouldn't upgrade to Windows 10.

About This Article

Article SummaryX

1. Insert your installation DVD or drive.
2. Restart the PC.
3. Select the option to boot from the media.
4. Select your language preferences and click Next.
5. Click Install Now.
6. Enter your product key and click Next.
7. Accept the terms.
8. Follow the on-screen instructions.

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