Windows 10 on new Laptop

M

maxff9

Bronze Level Poster
Hi people,
I just ordered my first laptop from PCS and I am also a big noob about configurable PC.
I didn't buy the proposed Windows 10 but I read that the computer (NOVA) will come with Windows 10 pre-installed and I may just have to activate it with a corresponding key.
However, I read in the Xmas Help Tips that it's better to reinstall Windows from scratch.
Could you please advise me on the order of things ?

Should directly start the computer with a bootable Windows 10 on USB drive or I start normally the computer, validate settings and then restart and boot a new clean Windows 10 ?

Updated plan with your feedback.
  1. Start the computer as received and check if all components are recognized. Pre-installed W10 valid for 30 days, ok for testing.
  2. Download bootable Windows from Microsoft website
  3. Purchase activation key
  4. Boot the computer with a USB Drive + W10
  5. Delete all partitions and create a fresh one
  6. Activation of W10
  7. Windows Update x1000
  8. Drivers update via Windows Update (already done in step 4?)
  9. Download latest version of Clevo Control Center
  10. Drivers from NVidia for RTX2070 Mobile
  11. Run tests to check the temperature of CPU/GPU

Thank you for reading. Happy to join the PC gamer family !
 
Last edited:
ubuysa

ubuysa

The BSOD Doctor
maxff9 said:
Hi people,
I just ordered my first laptop from PCS and I am also a big noob about configurable PC.
I didn't buy the proposed Windows 10 but I read that the computer (NOVA) will come with Windows 10 pre-installed and I may just have to activate it with a corresponding key.
However, I read in the Xmas Help Tips that it's better to reinstall Windows from scratch.
Could you please advise me on the order of things ?

Should directly start the computer with a bootable Windows 10 on USB drive or I start normally the computer, validate settings and then restart and boot a new clean Windows 10 ?

I believe the plan will be something like :
0) Download bootable Windows from Microsoft website
1) Purchase activation key
2) Boot the computer with a USB Drive + W10
3) Activation of W10
4) Windows Update x1000
5) Drivers update via Windows Update (already done in step 4?)
6) Download latest version of Clevo Control Center
7) Drivers from NVidia for RTX2070 Mobile
8) Run tests to check the temperature of CPU/GPU
9) Install and not pay Winrar
10) ...
11) Profit

Thank you for reading. Happy to join the PC gamer family !
Click to expand...
I would boot the PC with the PCS test Windows system first and check that everything is present and working. If you've ordered it with more than one storage drive the data drive (the one that doesn't have Windows on) will be unformatted, you'll need to go into Disk Management, create a partition on that drive and then format it before you can use it.

Once you're happy that all is working as it should then your plan for installing your own copy of Windows is good.

When you do the install choose a Custom Install and delete all partitions on the system drive - this will erase the Windows system that PCS used for testing. Highlight the unallocated space that results and click the Next button. The installer will create the correct partition structure and install Windows.

You'll need your purchased product key pretty early on in the installation process.

Running Windows Update until no more updates are found (even across reboots) is very important to install all drivers and updates.

Manually installing Clevo CC and the Nvidia driver are spot on.

It looks like you have it all sorted! :)
 
M

maxff9

Bronze Level Poster
Great, thank you very much for the clear answers.
I still have one question with the updated list of things to do:

  1. Start the computer as received and check if all components are recognized. Activation needed ?
  2. Download bootable Windows from Microsoft website
  3. Purchase activation key
  4. Boot the computer with a USB Drive + W10
  5. Delete all partitions and create a fresh one
  6. Activation of W10
  7. Windows Update x1000
  8. Drivers update via Windows Update (already done in step 4?)
  9. Download latest version of Clevo Control Center
  10. Drivers from NVidia for RTX2070 Mobile
  11. Run tests to check the temperature of CPU/GPU

For the step 1, should I already activate a Windows 10 key to check if everything is running fine ? If yes, will my key still work for the clean installation?

My build is Ryzen 5 3600, 2x 8Go RAM 2666 MHz, 1 To m.2 drive, RTX 2070 Mobile. I have to look into the settings until I find if those components are recognized and working well, right ? Any suggestion about how perform those tests ?
 
ubuysa

ubuysa

The BSOD Doctor
maxff9 said:
For the step 1, should I already activate a Windows 10 key to check if everything is running fine ? If yes, will my key still work for the clean installation?
Click to expand...
No. The PCS testing Windows system is unactivated but it will work just fine for 30 days like that (with some restrictions; you can't personalise it for example). It will be fine for testing.

Only use your new product key on the system you install yourself. :)
 
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