This guide is obsolete as Windows 10 Version 2004 is now available. A section to download all previous versions of Windows 10 is included in an updated Windows 10 guide.
Windows 10 Version 2004 has substantial tweaks when it comes to system performance particularly on older hardware, I recommend installing it opposed to Version 1909. I compared the two versions on a OptiPlex 790 with 4 GB of RAM and a 3.5" HDD. Here is a snapshot of the task manager on both versions when watching a YouTube video. As you can see the disc is substantially less taxed on Version 2004 when compared to Version 1909.
This guide looks at a creating Windows 10 Version 1909 Installation Media. This installation media is compatible with all Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 OEM or Retail Licenses.
The Free Upgrade and Windows 7 End of Life
Windows 7 Reaches End of Life in just less than a week and despite Microsoft's website stating that the Free Upgrade period ended on the 29th of July 2019 all activation mechanisms for the Windows 7 OEM or Windows 8.x OEM to Windows 10 Free Upgrade remain in place and I have extensively tested upgrading to Windows 10 on Devices that have a Windows 7 OEM License that have never had Windows 10 installed.
Table of contents
Microsoft have released Windows 10 Version 1909 (September 2019) and have released an updated Windows 10 Media Creation Tool and updated the direct download links.
Tutorial Video
Media Creation Tool vs Direct Download Links
It is recommended to use the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool as the Installation ISO is smaller making it is easier to make a FAT32 formatted Bootable USB that passes Secure Boot.
You will however need to use the direct download links if you wish to use the Pro Workstation or Pro Education Editions which are less common.
Media Creation Tool Editions
The Windows 10 Version 1909 ISO from the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool contains the following Editions:
- Windows 10 Home
- Windows 10 Home N
- Windows 10 Home Single Language
- Windows 10 Education
- Windows 10 Education N
- Windows 10 Pro
- Windows 10 Pro N
This covers most OEM and Retail Licenses.
Direct Download Links Editions
The Windows 10 Version 1909 ISO from the Direct Download Links contains the following Editions:
- Windows 10 Home
- Windows 10 Home N
- Windows 10 Home Single Language
- Windows 10 Education
- Windows 10 Education N
- Windows 10 Pro
- Windows 10 Pro N
- Windows 10 Pro Education
- Windows 10 Pro Education N
- Windows 10 Pro for Workstations
- Windows 10 Pro N for Workstations
This ISO has the additional editions designed for Workstations which are relatively rare as well as the Pro Education Editions designed for school use.
The Windows 10 Media Creation Tool
The landing page for the Windows 10 ISOs is available here:
If opened on a Windows 10 PC, the Download Link will Display the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool. If on a non-Windows PC, direct Download Links will instead display.
Once you have downloaded the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool. Double click it to launch it:
Accept the User Account Control Prompt:
The Windows logo will display:
Accept the License Agreement:
Select Create Installation Media:
In the next screen you will be given the recommended options for your PC. You can uncheck this to look through the options.
You will be given the option to select your language.
Note if using Windows 7 in English. The Windows 10 Media Creation Tool assumes all Windows 7 English installs are English (United States) and not English (United Kingdom). If you want English (United Kingdom) you will have to manually select it.
The only Edition available is Windows 10 but as mentioned the ISO is multi-edition and contains the following Editions.
The Media Creation Tool can be used to create a Windows 10 Bootable USB directly but I prefer to have the ISO file itself to hand and to use Rufus to make the Bootable USB which is a less error prone utility.
The Media Creation Tool will call the ISO "Windows" by default. It is recommended to add the Version number (1909), architecture (x64) and Language (English UK) to the file name.
The Media Creation Tool will download Windows 10 setup files:
Then verify these setup files:
Finally it will create an installation ISO from these verified setup files on your computer. This means the date and time of creation as well as location is unique and hence any ISO checksum will be unique to your ISO making it pointless to check these with Rufus.
Finally it will inform you the Download is complete. The final screen will instruct you in burning the ISO to an obsolete technology known as a DVD. You are best to ignore this as most systems do not have optical drives, and it is far more problematic to use DVDs than Bootable USBs on modern UEFI BIOS. Select Finish.
Creating a Bootable USB from the Media Creation Tool ISO
To create a Bootable USB from this ISO use Rufus. Rufus is downloadable from its home page:
Note all data on your USB Flash Drive will be formatted.
The ISO should not be on your USB Flash Drive. Rufus needs to read the ISO from a separate location, in order to format the USB and then copy the files from the ISO across.
Double click Rufus:
Accept the User Account Control Prompt:
Your USB will populate at the top, ensure it is the correct one.
Select "Select":
Load the Installation ISO downloaded using the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool:
The ISO name will populate at the bottom.
Change the volume name so it is more recognisable.
For a computer manufactured in 2012 or later. You should have a UEFI BIOS with Secure Boot. In order to Boot Using UEFI and Secure Boot you require
- the Partition Scheme to be GPT
- the target system to be UEFI
- the File System to be FAT32
- the ISO architecture to be 64 Bit
For a computer manufactured in 2010 or earlier, you will only have a legacy BIOS. In order for the USB to boot you will need:
- the MBR partition scheme
- the target system to be BIOS
- the File System to be NTFS
If your computer is manufactured in 2010-2011 you may or may not have a UEFI BIOS. You will need to power your PC down and power it up and press [F12] to access the Boot Menu (non-Dells may utilise other function keys to access the Boot Menu).
If the Boot screen has a line mentioning Boot Mode you have a UEFI BIOS.
- The Boot Mode should be set to UEFI
- Secure Boot should be set to On
However if you are clean installing Windows 10 on the PC you are using to make the installation media do not change these settings until you have created the Bootable USB as your old Windows installation may be unable to Boot.
Once you have the correct settings, select Start:
You will be prompted with a dialogue warning stating you will format your USB flash drive. Select OK:
Wait for the status bar to fill. When it is complete the status will state READY.
You may now close Rufus.
Direct Download Links
The landing page for the Windows 10 ISOs is available here:
If opened on a Windows 10 PC, the Download Link will Display the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool. If on a non-Windows PC, direct Download Links will instead display.
To access the Direct Download Links on a Windows PC we need to emulate a mobile device in the web browser used.
In Google Chrome, press [F12], this will open up developer options in a side bar on the right hand side.
To the top left of this sidebar, select the button to toggle the view to mobile.
It should display as follows:
Then refresh the page using [F5]. The Direct Download Links should now display:
You can switch back to Desktop view:
Then close the Developer Tools:
Now you have access to the direct download links.
Once again there will only be one Edition offered "Windows 10".
The Direct Download Links however contain all the following Editions.
Select confirm:
You will be presented with a drop down to select your language:
Note in the following screen:
- "English International" = English (UK)
- "English" = English (USA)
Select Confirm Again:
You will now be presented with the direct download links. You will likely want the 64 Bit ISO as 64 Bit Windows has been standard since 2009.
Creating a Bootable USB from the Direct Download ISO
The best utility for checking ISO checksums and making a Bootable USB is Rufus. It's landing page is available here.
ISO Checksums
The Windows 10 Direct Download Links contains an ISO directly created by Microsoft and the ISO Checksums should be checked before creating Windows Installation Media as direct ISO downloads sometimes get corrupt. Double click Rufus to launch it.
Accept the User Account Control Prompt.
To the top your USB Flash Drive should populate:
Select 'Select':
Load the ISO downloaded using the Direct Download Links:
The ISO name will populate at the bottom:
Select the checksum button to view the ISO checksums:
You will now get the MD5 (and other checksums).
For English language, they should match below. If they do not, then your ISO is unique which means it is corrupted. Re-download the ISO in this case. For non-English languages, use a Google Search of your MD5, if Google cannot find it, it is unique.
English UK ("English International")
Win10_1909_EnglishInternational_x64.iso
Win10_1909_EnglishInternational_x32.iso
English US ("English")
Win10_1909_English_x64.iso
Win10_1909_English_x32.iso
Creating a Blank FAT32 Non-Bootable USB
For a computer manufactured in 2012 or later. You should have a UEFI BIOS with Secure Boot. In order to Boot Using UEFI and Secure Boot you require
- the Partition Scheme to be GPT
- the target system to be UEFI
- the File System to be FAT32
- the ISO architecture to be 64 Bit
However the maximum file size for FAT32 is 4 GB and the install.wim on the ISO exceeds 4 GB meaning the only File System available is NTFS and if this is used, the Bootable USB will not pass Secure Boot.
To get around this we need to make a non-Bootable FAT32 formatted USB Flash Drive. Make sure the options are as follows:
Select Start:
Select OK to format the USB flash drive:
When done Rufus will say READY, you may now close Rufus:
In Windows Explorer you should have a blank FAT32 formatted USB Flash Drive.
Delete the autorun files on it:
Right click the ISO and select Mount.
Manually Creating the Bootable USB
In Windows Explorer, right click the ISO file.
Then select Mount.
Copy all the files to the USB except for the install.wim which is too large to fit on a FAT32 formatted USB Flash Drive.
Copy all files and folders except for sources which contains the install.wim.
Then create a new folder on the USB called sources:
Copy all the files in the sources folder on the ISO except the install.wim onto the USB Flash Drive:
Splitting the Install.wim into Multiple Install.swm Files
Copy the install.wim directly to the C:\Drive
Select Continue when asked to provide administrative conditions:
We will now split the install.wim into multiple install.swm files.
Right click the start button and select Windows PowerShell (Admin).
Accept the User Account Control Prompt:
Copy and paste the following command into the PowerShell Window, then press [Enter].
When the Operation has Completed Successfully close the Power Shell Window.
This will create two (or more) install.swm files. Copy these to the sources folder of the Bootable USB.
Slipstream Driver Packs to the Install.wim
It is also possible to slipstream Dell or Lenovo Driver Packs to the install.wim which are available only for Business Models. See
