Christopher Juckins

General Preparation

Windows 10 Clean Install Instructions

• When performing a clean install of Windows 10, use the Windows 7 license key printed on the computer or from your "Windows Anytime Upgrade" purchase receipt. Windows 10 will recognize it as a valid license.

Find Windows Product Key

Product Key .vbs script (save to Desktop then run):

Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
MsgBox ConvertToKey(WshShell.RegRead("HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\DigitalProductId"))

Function ConvertToKey(Key)
Const KeyOffset = 52
i = 28
Chars = "BCDFGHJKMPQRTVWXY2346789"
Do
Cur = 0
x = 14
Do
Cur = Cur * 256
Cur = Key(x + KeyOffset) + Cur
Key(x + KeyOffset) = (Cur \ 24) And 255
Cur = Cur Mod 24
x = x -1
Loop While x >= 0
i = i -1
KeyOutput = Mid(Chars, Cur + 1, 1) & KeyOutput
If (((29 - i) Mod 6) = 0) And (i <> -1) Then
i = i -1
KeyOutput = "-" & KeyOutput
End If
Loop While i >= 0
ConvertToKey = KeyOutput
End Function

Make a bootable USB drive:

• Using Rufus
• General instructions for any operating system

Pre-install and backups

Use Belarc Advisor to get an inventory of programs on the computer

For Microsoft Office:

• Note the current software key
• Reinstall office with the MS Office .iso installation file
• Use the same software key on the same hardware when the new OS is installed
• Moving Microsoft Office Licenses

Backup user data

• Copy every user's C:\Users\* folders to a USB drive or 2nd hard disk
• Take screenshots of the following:
  • Desktop to restore look and feel after installation
  • Various programs (check one by one) to capture their specific settings

Installation

Use ISO boot instructions listed above

Post-install Cleanup

Mostly compiled 23 April 2016

Network

• Set IP to static address if needed
• Disable IPv6

2nd Hard Drive not recognized - Follow these steps

Enable Firewall to allow ping

Enable Remote Desktop for Windows 10 Pro:

• The RDP feature is disabled by default
• To turn the remote feature on, type: remote settings into the Cortana search box
• Select Allow remote access to your computer from the results at the top
• System Properties will open to the Remote tab

Need to use xfreerdp for Remote Desktop Connection from Linux

• xfreerdp –no-nla -z -x m -x 80 -f XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX:3389

Add shortcuts to start menu:

• First create a shortcut to the program you want to add
  • Right-click, send to Desktop
• Drop shortcuts into the Roaming folder at %appdata%\Microsoft\WIndows\Start Menu\Programs
• This allows the item to appear in the "All Apps" menu
• Drag it from the list to anywhere on the start menu
• See this post and this post for more info

Restore File Explorer to Taskbar