Installing Windows 10 from USB retail stick?

[Montala]

I have recently purchased a Windows 10 32/64-Bit - USB Pen Drive - Retail (KW9-00017) from OcUK which I would like to use on a brand new system which includes a single Samsung 950 PRO 512GB M.2 SSD.

So far as I am aware the image on the USB stick will not actually be the latest November 1511 update, but I am not sure when I commence the install, with a 'hard wired' internet connection, whether it will immediately start to download the update before it commences the actual installation.

Can anyone confirm what will actually happen here please?

I will obviously check that I have the latest BIOS update on my Asus PRO GAMING Z170I Mini ITX Skylake motherboard first, as I obviously want to ensure that I will be able to boot from the M.2 SSD which will be the only hard drive I propose to install.

I am aware that a few BIOS changes and/or checks will be necessary immediately, but should I anticipate any other problems?

Thanks!

 

[Montala]

Thanks... it was actually the drivers for the M.2 PCI-e SSD's I was concerned about more than anything, but hopefully as long as I ensure that I have the latest BIOS installed first, which I can do 'offline', everything else, as you say, should be fine.

Fingers crossed anyway, as I have read a few nasty stories about installing Windows 10 onto a single M.2 SSD as a bootable device, but perhaps things have moved on a bit since then!

 

[Montala]

If it decides to download a 2GB or so Windows update, that is what will take the time on my so called broadband connection, which is only about 2 Mbps on a good day!

I think that having a new Z170 based motherboard should help though, and I will only be using a single 512GB M.2 SSD anyway.

The way things are looking at the moment, the build will probably have to wait until after Christmas now though, unfortunately.