how to install win10 on a new build with no disc drive?

unwashed potato! · 4 Dec 2017 at 22:04

new build coming from ocuk tomorrow and realised i've no idea how i'm supposed to get windows on this system. i've no disc drives, and only a 2gb memory usb stick.

what can i do?

Mujja · 4 Dec 2017 at 22:15

You could do it if you know how to make a WinPE boot USB and have another computer on the network to host the installation source or even MDT.

Probably easier to buy a larger USB stick.

Edit: Do you have another computer you can plug the new HDD in?

marc2003 · 4 Dec 2017 at 22:16

Who knew 2GB memory sticks even existed? Buy a new one, you peasant.

opethdisciple · 4 Dec 2017 at 22:43

Microsoft have a USB stick media creation tool.

unwashed potato! · 4 Dec 2017 at 23:05

marc2003 said:
Who knew 2GB memory sticks even existed? Buy a new one, you peasant.

haha. i honestly have never had the need for even this memory stick. everything i want to transfer goes in the one drive or some rare times on the mobile. so much easier. windows needs to get out of the dark ages and stop with this old usb stick tech.

marc2003 · 4 Dec 2017 at 23:23

What serious alternative are you proposing?

unwashed potato! · 4 Dec 2017 at 23:52

boot from phone, or even better, all pcs should have the ability to enter a web address and have internet access so that you can enter the address for some basic os function where it then downloads enough of the os you link it to that will allow you to then start the full installation process.

so you may boot up, it then asks for the address, i'd enter www.microsoft.com/win10install

and that's it. it'll get the files needed directly from there to get things going. i guess the biggest issue would be internet access? i assume this would be programmed onto the motherboard to work, and it'd hopefully only need say 250mb internal storage for the files you'd need to get started, unless the motherboard would be able to access the hard drive too?

darael · 5 Dec 2017 at 09:12

I've never used this before, but a quick Google gave me this: https://softwarebakery.com/windows-install-on-drivedroid

Orcvader · 5 Dec 2017 at 13:42

Fairly sure the answer is no said:
boot from phone, or even better, all pcs should have the ability to enter a web address and have internet access so that you can enter the address for some basic os function where it then downloads enough of the os you link it to that will allow you to then start the full installation process.

so you may boot up, it then asks for the address, i'd enter www.microsoft.com/win10install

and that's it. it'll get the files needed directly from there to get things going. i guess the biggest issue would be internet access? i assume this would be programmed onto the motherboard to work, and it'd hopefully only need say 250mb internal storage for the files you'd need to get started, unless the motherboard would be able to access the hard drive too?

Sounds possible, Macs have an inbuilt recovery which allows you to download and install a fresh image from the internet. Used it a couple of years ago to refresh my brother's Mac and it was quick and easy.

Whether motherboard manufacturers will actually implement it though is another question. Won't really be on Windows side, but on the OEMs side as they will probably need to ensure it can work with other OSes as well.