Examine the process of installing the Windows client
Deploying the Windows operating system is simpler today than it has been in the past. The person who performs the deployment has fewer decisions to make. However, those decisions are critical to the success of the deployment.
A typical manual installation of Windows involves performing the following procedure:
Connect to the installation source. Options for this include:
- Insert a DVD or USB Media containing the Windows installation files and boot from the device.
- Perform a PXE boot, and connect to a Windows Deployment Services server.
On the first page of the Windows Setup Wizard, select the following choices:
- Language to install
- Time and currency format
- Keyboard or input method
On the second page of the Windows Setup Wizard, select Install now. You also can use this page to select Repair Your Computer. You use this option if an installation has become corrupt and you can no longer boot into Windows.
On the License Terms page, review the terms of the operating system license. You must choose to accept the license terms before you can proceed with the installation process.
On the Which Type Of Installation Do You Want page, you have the following options:
- Upgrade. Select this option if you have an existing installation of Windows that you want to upgrade to Windows 10 or 11. You should launch upgrades from within the previous version of Windows rather than booting from the installation source.
- Custom. Select this option if you want to perform a new installation.
On the Where do you want to install Windows page, choose an available disk on which to install Windows. You can also choose to repartition and reformat disks from this page. If you want to do this from the command line, you can press Shift+F10 to access a command prompt. When you select Next, the installation process will copy files and reboot the computer several times.
On the Set up for you, so you can get going fast page, select Use Express settings.
If the computer doesn't have Internet access, you might see a page telling you something went wrong. Select Skip to continue the installation. The installation will then skip to number 12 on this list, Create an account for this PC.
On the Who owns this PC? page, select This device belongs to my company, and then select Next. Depending on your choice in this step, the installation will take two different directions. If you indicate that this is a private computer, the setup program asks you to sign in with your Microsoft account or create a new one or a local account. If you indicate that this is a company computer, the setup program asks you to sign in with your Microsoft 365 account or create a local account. Depending on which edition of Windows you install, you may not see this page.
On the Heads up page, select Continue.
On the Let's get you signed in page, select Skip this step.
On the Create an account for this PC page, type the username you want to use with a password and a password hint, and then select Next.
This concludes the installation of the Windows client. You've signed in and installed the built-in universal apps. It will take a few minutes before you see the desktop.