Creating a Windows 10 boot CD

[Craig234]

I'm running one Windows 10 PC and wanting to build a second, for which I have key for the new OS.

I'm running the tool that does this, and it's asking 'USB drive or ISO file'.

What I want to do is put whatever I need to on a USB drive that I can put in the new PC, and install Windows onto the SSD from it.

What should I pick, USB drive or ISO? And any other issues you can anticipate?

 

[VirtualLarry]

Yeah, pick USB drive. Make sure that there's nothing important on it beforehand.

 

[Craig234]

Yeah, pick USB drive. Make sure that there's nothing important on it beforehand.

OK thanks - it's a new 128GB USB drive. There were choices of 'Windows Pro' and 'Windows Pro N', no idea what N was so I picked Windows Pro.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Is your key for Pro? Pro N is without Media Player, for some EU countries, due to sanctions against MS.

You don't need to waste a 128GB drive, a cheap $3 8GB drive works just fine too. Just saying.

 

[Elixer]

You can also get the iso, and use rufus to write it to any device you want (cd/dvd/flash drive).
A 8GB flash drive is more than enough for windows, like VirtualLarry said, save the bigger flash drives for more important stuff.

 

[TheELF]

You can still write stuff to the usb after turning it into an installation media,it's not like you are destroying it or anything,just create a folder to not mess up the system files and off you go.

(Not that he's not gonna re format that usb right after the install is done but just saying)

 

[Craig234]

It's not using up the 128GB drive is it? Just using up about 4GB-8GB of it? Which I can remove as soon as I install anyway?

 

[TheELF]

Yes but it will format the usb before transferring the files so anything on the usb that you don't have backed up will be lost.