New to BI- Windows install questions

[Neftci]

I am brand new to Blue Iris and putting together a system. Have a few questions regarding a fresh Windows install on a recently purchased ebay refurbished HP EliteDesk 800 i5-8500. I have already used the media creation tool to download Windows 10 on a USB but that is as far as I have gotten so far.

• The HP EliteDesk 800 has an August 2021 download of Windows 10 Pro installed. It has a digital license.
• I assume regardless of whether the download is new, I should do a fresh install to make sure I do not have bloatware?
• I do not see an option to download Windows 10 Pro on the Microsoft site so is that even an option?
• Does the digital license cover just Windows 10 Pro or Windows 10 as well?
• If 10 Pro is an option, should I do a fresh install of Windows 10 Pro or Windows 10?
• This is a dumb question, but is there anything else to do besides uninstall the existing version of Windows 10 before I install? I am following these instructions: Download Windows 10 (microsoft.com)

Thanks in advance for replies.

 

[wittaj]

You want PRO. It will allow you to turn off windows updates and use RDP to remote in to the computer.

Yes, you want to get that bloatware out of there.

The Win license is in the BIOS so it will pull the license when you reinstall.

Go to the reset this PC option and select the option to reset everything and I think at some point it will give you the option to either pull the media creation online or the option to use the USB.

 

[Neftci]

You want PRO. It will allow you to turn off windows updates and use RDP to remote in to the computer.

Yes, you want to get that bloatware out of there.

The Win license is in the BIOS so it will pull the license when you reinstall.

Go to the reset this PC option and select the option to reset everything and I think at some point it will give you the option to either pull the media creation online or the option to use the USB.

Thank you @wittaj for a quick reply. Thanks for the tip on the reset option, I see it now in Settings.

When I do a search for Windows 10 Pro on the Microsoft site, I only see options to pay for an upgrade from 10 to 10 Pro. Is there somewhere else to go to be able to download 10 Pro using the media creation tool as I have already done with 10? Or do I have to pay for an upgrade even though I already have Pro installed? Sorry for seemingly dumb questions.

 

[wittaj]

If you have WIN10 Pro, then it should be encoded in the BIOS that you have Win10 Pro

 

[Neftci]

Ah understand, thank you very much

 

[TVille]

If you have WIN10 Pro, then it should be encoded in the BIOS that you have Win10 Pro

This.

Last year I bought an eBay special Win 10 Pro with a HDD. The HDD made it slow as molasses compared to an SSD. I used the media creation tool twice, once onto the HDD, then once onto the SSD, both times worked fine, Win 10 Pro was installed and booted fine.

 

[Neftci]

This.

Last year I bought an eBay special Win 10 Pro with a HDD. The HDD made it slow as molasses compared to an SSD. I used the media creation tool twice, once onto the HDD, then once onto the SSD, both times worked fine, Win 10 Pro was installed and booted fine.

Thanks @TVille I just finished using the "Reset this PC" function but not sure it worked correctly. I had my USB drive with the media creation tool download plugged in, but during the reset process it never asked me if I wanted to use the USB or some other method for install. I still see apps such as Spotify, Disney, TickTok, various games, XBox etc as well as Microsoft Office. I do not notice any difference in apps before and after. What apps should I expect to see with a clean install? thanks

 

[TVille]

Thanks @TVille I just finished using the "Reset this PC" function but not sure it worked correctly. I had my USB drive with the media creation tool download plugged in, but during the reset process it never asked me if I wanted to use the USB or some other method for install. I still see apps such as Spotify, Disney, TickTok, various games, XBox etc as well as Microsoft Office. I do not notice any difference in apps before and after. What apps should I expect to see with a clean install? thanks

I don't think you should have any except for free MS programs like Edge, XBox Game Bar, Your Phone, etc. Not sure, but I don't have any of what you mention. Because I had NO data on my HDD, I told it not to keep anything, and wipe it clean. I forget the details. I had moved everything to keep to another HDD prior to using the media creation tool.

 

[SpacemanSpiff]

Typically you need to invoke the boot menu shortly after you turn the machine on, then choose to boot from the USB device


How do I get to the boot menu on HP Elitedesk?
To boot one time from a device other than the default device specified in Boot Order, restart the computer and press Esc (to access the boot menu) and then F9 (Boot Order), or only F9 (skipping the boot menu) when the monitor light turns green. After POST is completed, a list of bootable devices is displayed.

 

[Neftci]

Thanks @SpacemanSpiff . I may try that. I did just try it directly from the USB drive .exe file I made from the media creation tool.

Some of the game apps are no longer visible but it does say apps are still downloading. However, the "Installed On" date changed from August 2021 to today, the Windows Version changed from 2004 to 21H2, and the OS build changed as well, so maybe it worked and maybe I have wrong expectations of what is removed and remains. Should I still see Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Powerpoint,etc) on the machine for example?

thanks to all for your help.

 

[Flintstone61]

Download Windows 10

 

[Flintstone61]

 

[Flintstone61]

Thanks @TVille I just finished using the "Reset this PC" function but not sure it worked correctly. I had my USB drive with the media creation tool download plugged in, but during the reset process it never asked me if I wanted to use the USB or some other method for install. I still see apps such as Spotify, Disney, TickTok, various games, XBox etc as well as Microsoft Office. I do not notice any difference in apps before and after. What apps should I expect to see with a clean install? thanks

you goota boot from USB

 

[Neftci]

Thank you @Flintstone61 I will for sure follow the guidance provided in your and @SpacemanSpiff posts on booting from the USB. Unfortunately I am away from the computer the next couple of weeks for business travel and so will have to wait to try after that. Will let you all know how it goes. Again many thanks to all for being supportive and patient with me.

 

[Steve.L]

Hi @Neftci,

If you did a clean wipe, then the Office applications won't be there after the fresh OS is installed from the USB.
For what it's worth, I too did a Win10 Pro "clean" install this past December and was shocked at how much Windows garbage came along with the package. It actually looked like there was MORE crap on it than what was delivered with my machine when I bought it in January of 2020. So, I guess I just don't know what "bloat" really is.

Edit: also, with Win10 Pro, I think you don't have to "create an account" when you're prompted to do so on the "clean" install; there's a thread somewhere here, but someone will probably chime in and detail the process for you...it's something like "when you're prompted to create an account, unplug your ethernet connection and then 'go back' a couple steps" and then continue from there...I can't remember the rest, but just be aware of that option. That is one place where I screwed myself during my "clean" install, I didn't know about this process.

 

[Mike A.]

You can unplug but you don't need to. At least last time that I did an install.

When you get to this point in the installation, select offline account at the bottom:

Instructions here:

How to set up Windows 10 with local account

You can still set up Windows 10 with a traditional local account, and in this guide, we'll show you the steps to complete the task.

www.windowscentral.com

You will still get a lot of unnecessary stuff with a "clean" install. A lot of it like the Office stuff is just links to install and not the software itself. And you can delete most of it after. It will still nag you at times for the online account to do various things and will do stupid shit like installing the weather/news thing on its own later whether you want it or not.

 

[Steve.L]

Dang, I don't think I ever saw that. Typical first-timer mistake.

 

[Mike A.]

They put it with the rest of the 'fine print' stuff that they know most will mentally erase. ; ) lol

 

[SpacemanSpiff]

Another option it might display when it comes time for creating an account: "join domain"

Choosing "join domain" will forego the creation of an account with an online service (microsoft) and will bring you to the next step of the windows install where you define a user name and password on the local machine.

edit: the "join domain" choice appears in the same area of the screenshot @Mike A. referenced

 

[Neftci]

Made it back from my 2+ week business trip and followed the guidance you all provided, and the clean USB boot install of Windows went well. Had a bit of trouble getting into the BIOS menu (had to hold the F9 button down while I pressed the power button) but other than that, all worked well. On now to the next steps of setting up my BI machine. Many thanks for the kind help.