fresh windows 10 install

[Bapski]

recently upgraded my BI server to a OPTIPLEX i7-4790 that i bought from ebay.

it has WINDOWS 10 PRO pre-installed and right from the start i thought the OS startup was sketchy and thought the HD was suspect.

my doubt of the HD got confirmed over the weekend when the server crashed and looks like WINDOWS 10 diagnostics found bad sectors on the disk.

i am thinking, rather than have the headache of having WINDOWS 10 fixing, repairing or what not, id do a fresh install on a NEW HD or SSD.

ive read i can download WINDOWS 10 (PRO as well?) and create a rescue disk(?) boot from it and then i should be able to do a FRESH INSTALL(?). how will the licensing work? do i just key in the license number from the sticker attached on the server case and i will be fully activated?

i am done doing things impulsively and very much afraid id be messing up any LICENSING on this server and end up costing me more to get a new license.

any tips and advice as to how to better approach this dilemma will be very much appreciated.

thank you in advance.

 

[Tyyees]

Bapski

Take a look at post, EBay Computer without OS, it touches a bit on what your trying to do. Hope it’s helps a bit.

 

[crw030]

You will want to swap that failing disk out ASAP, I HIGHLY recommend a SATA SSD, as it will drastically improve boot performance and also Blue Iris clip database performance. I have little experience with Microsoft activation, but have had little difficulty even changing my own hard drives out to SSD (typically on OEM licenses that aren't supposed to upgrade). I would think if you have the key on the side of the computer (hopefully its Windows 10 Pro?) I would think you should be in even better shape than say someone that was relying on "System Lock Preinstallation".

 

[Bapski]

You will want to swap that failing disk out ASAP, I HIGHLY recommend a SATA SSD, as it will drastically improve boot performance and also Blue Iris clip database performance. I have little experience with Microsoft activation, but have had little difficulty even changing my own hard drives out to SSD (typically on OEM licenses that aren't supposed to upgrade). I would think if you have the key on the side of the computer (hopefully its Windows 10 Pro?) I would think you should be in even better shape than say someone that was relying on "System Lock Preinstallation".

yes its a WINDOWS 10 PRO but there is no LICENSE KEY on the sticker label just a SERVICE TAG. wonder if LICENSE KEY is on the BIOS and i just do a fresh WINDOWS 10 PRO install and it will just detect the keys from the BIOS?

i dont have much experience with putting in LICENSE KEYs ever from my previous builds.

 

[fenderman]

yes its a WINDOWS 10 PRO but there is no LICENSE KEY on the sticker label just a SERVICE TAG. wonder if LICENSE KEY is on the BIOS and i just do a fresh WINDOWS 10 PRO install and it will just detect the keys from the BIOS?

i dont have much experience with putting in LICENSE KEYs ever from my previous builds.

Yes it will detect the key... Download the Microsoft media creation tool and run it to create a bootable USB

 

[c hris527]

Just make sure that that copy of windows is already activated before you do anything. If it is you will be golden.

 

[Q™]

Yes it will detect the key... Download the Microsoft media creation tool and run it to create a bootable USB

As a result of System Locked Pre-installation - Wikipedia

 

[Bapski]

Just make sure that that copy of windows is already activated before you do anything. If it is you will be golden.

Im almost positive the OS was activated since i got it more than an month ago.

i also checked the warranty status and has PROSUPPORT that is still good until june 2019. initially called CS and was told a replacement SSD is covered (too good to be true! as the unit only has a regular HD.) i just wasn't able to proceed as i was calling from work and they wanted me to run diagnostic tests(f12).

excited to know if i indeed have that much coverage.

 

[bob2701]

Take a look.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change

 

[Bapski]

So Dell sent me a replacement SSD and HD as part of proservice warranty.

They also sent me a USB drive which I thought would speed up my FRESH INSTALL.

after booting to the USB drive, I can't seem to find a Menu that lets me do a fresh install... Should I make another bootable USB drive based off instructions I found here? How to: Perform a Clean Install or Reinstall of Windows 10

 

[fenderman]

So Dell sent me a replacement SSD and HD as part of proservice warranty.

They also sent me a USB drive which I thought would speed up my FRESH INSTALL.

after booting to the USB drive, I can't seem to find a Menu that lets me do a fresh install... Should I make another bootable USB drive based off instructions I found here? How to: Perform a Clean Install or Reinstall of Windows 10

DO NOT USE THE DELL MEDIA. Download CLEAN media from MS.
This is VERY important.

 

[Q™]

Download CLEAN media from MS

Download Windows 10

 

[Bapski]

thank you appreciate your assistance very much.

i made progress and now have installed BI. i am unfortunately unable to activate it because most likely i was unable to de-activate my previous install.

i have sent them email and reply is pretty much slow. i might have to subscribe to for extended support. to get a quicker response from them, looks like i am able to purchase extended support from their website BUT i am not sure how they are able to link the extended support i am purchasing since they are not asking for my license when i do my purchase. would this be a good idea to do?

 

[Whoaru99]

DO NOT USE THE DELL MEDIA. Download CLEAN media from MS.
This is VERY important.

Sometimes a support contract is based on using the OEM image. At least it used to be that way AFAIK. The OP might want to check with Dell if it's under warranty and or service contract.

 

[fenderman]

Sometimes a support contract is based on using the OEM image. At least it used to be that way AFAIK. The OP might want to check with Dell if it's under warranty and or service contract.

This is simply incorrect. It never was and never will be. Keeping the dell image is just about the dumbest thing you can do for a blue iris install.

 

[Whoaru99]

This is simply incorrect. It never was and never will be. Keeping the dell image is just about the dumbest thing you can do for a blue iris install.

Mmmm….well, it was ~20 years ago since I bought a new Dell system (a mighty Pentium II XPS D300, btw, LOL) and had to deal with it so perhaps times have changed.

 

[fenderman]

Mmmm….well, it was 20 years ago since I bought a new Dell system and had to deal with it so perhaps times have changed.

It was never the case 20 years ago. Why would they ever check whether it was the oem image? Not to mention that they could not legally deny warranty coverage on the hardware simply because you used a different image.

 

[Whoaru99]

It was never the case 20 years ago. Why would they ever check whether it was the oem image?

They told me it was to do with troubleshooting/support assistance, as I recall. It's not that it would have voided the hardware warranty or anything like that, just mucked up something about their support option.

 

[fenderman]

They told me it was to do with troubleshooting/support assistance, as I recall. It's not that it would have voided the warranty, just mucked up something about their support option.

Why would you ever call dell for troubleshooting. No one here needs help with windows.

 

[Whoaru99]

Why would you ever call dell for troubleshooting. No one here needs help with windows.

The OP seems to need some help, and has been in contact with Dell.