How to Install Windows on New PC: A Detailed Guide

Installing Windows on a new PC can seem challenging, especially if you lack technical expertise. You may encounter issues like BIOS settings and bootable USB creation. This article provides straightforward answers to questions about prerequisites, BIOS navigation, and installation steps. Our goal is to simplify the process and offer troubleshooting tips, ensuring a hassle-free Windows installation, including Windows 11.

Steps to Take Before Installing Windows to New PC

Before you start installing Windows on your new PC, there are some steps you need to take to prepare your system and ensure a smooth installation.

Choosing the Right Windows Version for Your PC

Windows 11 offers many new features and improvements over Windows 10, including a redesigned user interface, support for Android apps, and more powerful snap layouts. However, it also has higher system requirements and requires a TPM 2.0 chip.

• Note: Buying the right version of Windows could save money and ensure the user gets the features they need. For example, if users do not need business features such as domain join and encryption, they can save money by purchasing the Home edition instead of the Pro edition.

Here is a table comparing the different versions of Windows 11:

• Tips: If you're not sure which version is right for you, you can use the Windows 11 Compatibility Checker to see if your device is compatible with Windows 11 and to get recommendations on which version to buy.

Make Sure the System Has Enough Disk Space

The next step is ensuring your system has enough disk space to install Windows. Depending on the version of Windows you choose, you will need at least 16 GB to 32 GB of free space on your hard drive.

To check how much disk space you have, you can use a tool like Disk Management,  which can also help you resize, format, or delete partitions on your hard drive.

• Note: Having enough disk space is essential for successfully installing Windows. You may encounter errors or performance issues if you have insufficient disk space.

Comparison: What is BIOS and UEFI

Before you can install Windows on your new PC, you need to understand what BIOS and UEFI are and how they affect the booting process of your system.

BIOS stands for Basic Input/Output System, and it is firmware that controls your PC's hardware settings and boot sequence. UEFI stands for Unified Extensible Firmware Interface, and it is a newer version of BIOS that offers more features and security.

Both BIOS and UEFI are responsible for initializing the hardware components of your PC and loading the operating system from the bootable device. However, they have some differences in terms of:

Interface and navigation

• BIOS has a text-based interface that can only be navigated using the keyboard.

• UEFI has a graphical user interface (GUI) that can be navigated using the mouse and keyboard.

Support for different types of devices and file systems

• BIOS can only support hard drives up to 2.2 terabytes in size and uses the master boot record (MBR) partitioning scheme.

• UEFI can support hard drives up to 9 zettabytes in size and uses the GUID partition table (GPT) partitioning scheme. UEFI also supports more types of devices, such as solid-state drives (SSDs) and USB flash drives.

Speed and efficiency of booting

UEFI is generally faster to boot than BIOS. This is because UEFI can initialize the hardware components of the PC and load the operating system in parallel, while BIOS has to do these tasks sequentially.

Security and protection from malware

UEFI has several security features that BIOS does not have, such as Secure Boot and Trusted Platform Module (TPM). Secure Boot prevents the PC from booting from unauthorized or unsigned software, while TPM provides a secure way to store encryption keys and other sensitive data.

In general, UEFI is a more modern and capable platform than BIOS. It offers some advantages, including faster boot times, better security, and support for larger hard drives and more types of devices.

To access BIOS or UEFI, you need to press a specific key (such as F2, F10, or Del) when you turn on your PC. The key may vary depending on the manufacturer and model of your PC. You can check the manual or the screen for instructions.

• Note: Navigating BIOS or UEFI is crucial for a successful installation of Windows; hence, it’s important to understand it well.

How to Create a Bootable USB Drive for Windows Installation

To install Windows on your new PC from a USB drive that contains the Windows installation files. A bootable USB drive is a device that can be used to start up your PC and run the installer.

To create a bootable USB drive for Windows installation, you need:

• A USB flash drive with at least 8 GB of storage space

• A computer with an internet connection

• A tool like Rufus or Media Creation Tool

The steps to create a bootable USB drive are:

Step 1: Download the tool of your choice from its official website. In this guide, we are using Rufus. Download it here: https://rufus.ie/vi/

Step 2: Open Rufus and insert the USB flash drive into your computer after installation.

Step 3: Select the USB flash drive.

Step 4: In Boot selection, select Disk or ISO image.

Step 5: Next, you can either choose Select to browse for an ISO file if you have one or Download to get the version of Windows you want to install from the list.

Step 6: Proceed to choose the version of Windows you want to download and click on Download.

Step 7: Choose where you want to save the .ISO file then click Save.

Step 8: After that, wait for the download process to finish.

Step 9: After Rufus finishes downloading the .ISO file, you can change the Volume label, File system type, or Cluster size. When done, click START.

Step 10: In this prompt, you can customize your Windows experience by creating a local account with a pre-determined username. Click OK to proceed.

Step 11: Click OK.

Step 12: Rufus will begin copying the Windows installation files to the USB flash drive. Wait for the process to complete, and then close the application.

After that, you will have a bootable USB drive with the installation of Windows.

• Note: A faulty bootable USB drive could lead to a failed installation of Windows, so ensure it’s created correctly.

How to Install Windows on New PC

Now that you have a bootable USB drive with the Windows installation files, you are ready to install Windows on your new PC. The steps to install Windows are:

Step 1: Turn off your new PC and insert the bootable USB drive into a USB port.

Step 2: Turn on your new PC and press the key to enter BIOS or UEFI (such as F2, F10, or Del).

Step 3: In BIOS or UEFI, go to the Boot menu and change the boot order to make the USB flash drive the first option.

Step 4: Save the changes and exit BIOS or UEFI. Your PC will restart and boot from the USB flash drive.

Step 5: Follow the instructions on the screen to select your language, keyboard layout, and time zone, and click Next to proceed.

Step 6: Click on Install Now to start the installation process.

Step 7: Enter your product key if you have one, or click on I don’t have a product key if you want to activate Windows later.

Step 8: Select the operating system you want to install and click Next.

Step 9: Accept the license terms and click on Next.

Step 10: Choose the type of installation you want: Upgrade or Custom. Upgrade will keep your existing files and settings, while Custom will erase everything and install a fresh copy of Windows.

Step 11: Select the drive or partition where you want to install Windows. You can also create, delete, or format partitions using the options below.

Step 12: Click on Next to begin the installation process. Your PC will restart several times during this process.

Step 13: After the installation is complete, you will be asked to set up your preferences, such as your account name, password, privacy settings, and network connection.

Once you finish the setup, you will see the Windows desktop on your screen.

• Note: Confirm that you’ve backed up important data before initiating the installation process.

Recommended Software After Installation: WPS Office

Congratulations! You have successfully installed Windows on your new PC. Now you can enjoy the features and functionalities of your new operating system.

However, there is one more thing you need to do: install some essential software for your PC. One of the most important software you need is WPS Office.

WPS Office is a free office suite that allows you to open, create, edit, and save Microsoft Office files, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF. It is fully compatible with Windows and Mac systems.

Some of the advantages of WPS Office are:

• Free download and free to use Word, Excel, and PPT

• Powerful PDF toolkit that can convert, compress, merge, split, sign, and protect PDF files

• Rich template store that offers thousands of professional templates for various purposes

• Rich functions that include cloud sync, data recovery, document encryption, spell check, and more

• Lightweight that does not take up much space or resources on your PC

• Support online documents that can be accessed and edited from any device with an internet connection

• Safe and stable that ensures your documents are protected from viruses and errors

To download WPS Office for free, visit its official website and follow the instructions.

FAQs

1. How do I install Windows 10 on a new computer without an operating system?

If your new computer has no operating system installed, you can follow the steps above to install Windows 10 using a bootable USB drive.

2. How do I install Windows on a new computer without a disk?

If you do not have a disk drive on your new computer, you can use a bootable USB drive instead of a disk to install Windows. You can create a bootable USB drive using a tool like Rufus or Media Creation Tool.

3. How do I install Windows 11 on my new PC?

Windows 11 is the latest version of Windows that was released in October 2021. To install Windows 11 on your new PC, you need to meet some minimum requirements, such as:

• A compatible processor with at least 1 GHz speed and two cores

• At least 4 GB of RAM

• At least 64 GB of storage space

• A graphics card that supports DirectX 12

• A display with at least 720p resolution and 9-inch diagonal

• A TPM 2.0 chip for security

You can check if your PC meets these requirements using a tool like PC Health Check.

• Note: Upgrading to Windows 11 may take some time and require several restarts, so be patient and do not turn off your PC during the process.

Summary

In this article, you learned how to install Windows on a new PC using a bootable USB drive. You also learned how to choose the right version of Windows, how to access and navigate BIOS or UEFI, and how to create a bootable USB drive. Additionally, you learned how to install Windows 11 on your new PC, either by using a bootable USB drive or by upgrading from Windows 10.

After installing Windows on your new PC, you should also install some essential software for your PC, such as WPS Office. WPS Office is a free office suite that allows you to open, create, edit, and save Microsoft Office files, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF. It is fully compatible with Windows and Mac systems and offers many advantages over other office suites