For years, Microsoft has not supplied an installation CD or DVD with a new computer. Whoever wants to reinstall his system must therefore fall back on a recovery partition or turn up the right files online. Because we know the problem, we have already done the necessary preliminary work for you. We show you where you can find the official installation files, what limitations there are and how you create installation media yourself. In an effort we also looked at reinstalling Office …
Tip 01: Windows 7 and 8.1
Do you still have a computer with Windows 7 and you no longer have the original installation files? Then you can download an iso file from Microsoft to make it an installation medium. Go here. Enter your product code, choose the correct language and version (64 or 32 bit) and download the iso. Incidentally, we do not recommend this. From January 14, 2020, Microsoft stopped supporting Windows 7, which means that this operating system no longer receives security updates and therefore becomes increasingly unsafe.
If you want to reinstall Windows 8.1, look here and select the desired version Select edition. click on To confirm. Then enter the language and then choose the Windows version of which you want to download the iso file. If you don’t know if you are using the 32 or 64 bit version, read tip 2 to find out.
Explained: iso files
Many of the installation files in this article are offered in the form of an iso file, also known as disk image. An iso file has the important feature that you can use it to make a bootable medium, such as a bootable USB stick or a bootable DVD. This allows you to install the clean version of Windows on a different PC. But if you want a clean version on the PC on which you work by default, nowadays you can open the downloaded iso file directly from the Explorer and start the installation directly from the hard disk.
Tip 02: Which version?
If you want to download the iso file, you must know which version (32 bit or 64 bit) you are using. A 64-bit operating system can process larger amounts of ram memory more efficiently than a 32-bit version. However, not all programs are suitable for the 64-bit version. If you used to work with a 32-bit Windows and you want to be sure that all your old programs will work normally after reinstallation, then choose 32-bit again. To find out which version of Windows you are running, open Explorer (or use the Windows key + E key combination). Right-click in the bar on the left This PC and choose Properties. In Windows 8.1 you read at Type of system which version of the operating system the computer uses.
Tip 03: Windows 10 media
With Windows 10, Microsoft has expanded the number of installation options. Among other things, you can have a bootable usb stick made with the correct installation files. But you can also download a separate iso or install Windows 10 immediately without a stick or separate iso. The latter option is useful if you want to reinstall Windows 10 on the PC you are currently working on or if you want to (finally…) upgrade the same PC from Windows 7 or 8 to Windows 10.
In all cases, however, the so-called Installation Creation Tool (also known as the Media Creation Tool) is the tool that you cannot ignore. So go here and click Download the help program now. Install the tool and then tell what you want to do. If you want to get started on your current PC, choose Update this PC now and click Next one. Immediately before Windows 10 is actually installed, you will be given the choice whether and, if so, which files you want to keep.
Tip 04: Stick or loose iso
If you want to use the Media Creation Tool to create a bootable usb stick or to download a separate iso, start the tool and choose at What do you want to do in front of Create installation media for another PC. click on Next one and choose which Language, Version and Architecture you want to use. Confirm with a click Next one. Finally, the program asks what you want: download a complete installation package on a usb stick or a separate iso file (which you can possibly burn to a DVD).
Choose you for USB flash drive, make sure you have a usb stick with at least 8 GB storage space. All files present on the stick are overwritten, so make sure you have a backup. If you have inserted the stick and the utility does not see it, click Refresh station list.
Have you chosen for iso file, then indicate in the next window where the file should be saved and click Next one.
In Windows 10 you can start an iso file directly from the hard disk
Tip 05: Windows & Office iso Downloader
To get the right ISO files quickly at home, you can also use the Windows & Office Iso Downloader. This free program was developed by an enthusiastic programmer and receives the official files from Microsoft. The advantage is that you can not only download installation files from Windows, but also from Office. Go here, get the latest version and install it. The program window consists of two parts. At the top right you will find various tabs. Click on the tab Windows. An overview of Windows versions appears. Click on a category to display the available downloads on the left side of the window. Unfortunately, it is not obvious that a download is always available. For some installation files there is a download limit, over which the creators of the program have no influence. If a file is not available, this will be reported in the program. Do not give up too quickly if a download is not available, but also try alternative locations.
Tip 06: Download Office
If you are looking for Office files, click on the tab in the Windows & Office Iso downloader Office. An overview of Office files appears, such as Office 2016 and Office 2019. Office versions for the Mac are also available via this component. With some downloads, a web page is opened in a browser window and the installation file is downloaded immediately. Instead, you can also choose to copy the download link so that you can use it at a later stage. Then click on the button Copy link (32-bit) or Copy link (64-bit). If other download sources are also listed on a page, click the button Copy link (other).
Working with iso
In Windows 10 you can open an iso file directly via the Explorer. This is useful if, for example, you want to start an installation of Windows 10 directly from the hard disk. Double-click the iso file, then double-click Setup.exe and moments later the installation of Windows starts. You can also “link” an iso file to the computer. A drive letter is assigned to the file and you approach the file as if it were a separate medium (such as a USB stick or external drive). Right click on the iso file and choose To link. Windows assigns a drive letter to it and presents the iso file as a DVD drive in Explorer. Click on the DVD drive to open the contents of that file in Explorer. To unmount the station, right click on it and choose Eject. Finally, you can still copy an iso file to a DVD and turn it into a bootable DVD. To do this, right-click the iso file and choose Burn disk image file. A new window is opened. Select the burner CD / DVD burner and check if necessary Check disc after burning On. Confirm with a click on the button To burn.
Only trusted sources
Always download installation files for Windows from trusted sources. That way you know for sure that the software has not been tampered with and that you run no risk in that area.
You can also download Office installation files with some difficulty
Tip 07: Find the key
Not long ago, each computer was equipped with a sticker with Windows license information or you had a package or manual in which you could find the key to the software. That is no longer self-evident. If you need an overview of program keys, you can call in some help from outside. We use Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder, the latest version of which here finds. This will search for the keys present on the computer, including for Windows and Office. When the program is opened, the computer is automatically checked for existing keys. Click on a program name to see the corresponding license information. These are shown on the right side of the window. You can then save the license data. This concerns the information with the rules Product ID and CD Key. It is useful to store these keys in one document, for example in a Word document. You can also save them in a password manager, so that they are optimally secured and quickly within reach in the future.
Via the Command Prompt
If you only want to find the Windows product key and you use a traditional license (in the form of a product key, not a digital license linked to a Microsoft account), you can also retrieve the original product key via the Command Prompt. Open the Start menu and type Command Prompt. Right click on Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator. Type now wmic path SoftwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey. Press Enter. Windows shows the product key. Note: this method does not work on all computers and depends on the type of Windows license. If no license key is shown, the method does not work on the computer in question. Then use an external program (such as the Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder discussed elsewhere) to retrieve the data.
Tip 08: Create bootable USB stick
If you have an iso file and you want to make it a bootable USB stick, you can use Rufus. You can find the latest version of the program here. In the Rufus window, choose at Device for the usb stick you want to use. Select at Startup selection in front of Disk or iso image (select) and then click on the button Selecting. Browse to the iso file, for example the iso of Windows 10. At Image option do you choose for Standard Windows installation. The settings at Partition layout and Target system you do not have to adjust and are already selected by Rufus. Enter a descriptive name at Volume label (for example Windows10). The settings at File system and Cluster size you don’t have to adjust. Also Advanced options for formatting is not applicable now. Finally click on Start to make the bootable USB stick.
With Rufus you make a bootable usb stick based on an existing iso file
Tip 09: OEM versions
The computer is usually supplied with Windows in the factory. Such Windows versions are indicated by OEM (short for Original Equipment Manufacturer). These Windows licenses were purchased by Microsoft from the manufacturer at reduced rates. The biggest difference with the “retail” version of Windows is that the support for problems and use lies not with Microsoft, but with the maker of the computer. These OEM installations are often also provided with additional programs and drivers, specifically for the manufacturer’s hardware. Are you looking for installation media specifically for your computer, then visit the manufacturer’s website. Often you will find here the latest versions and the original media offered for download. The manufacturers also often provide their own wizard, with which you can create new installation media for Windows based on a recovery partition on the computer itself. That’s how Dell brings the OS Recovery Tool out, with which you can make a bootable USB stick with Windows.
You will also often find installation media on the website of the computer manufacturer
Tip 10: Reclaiming space
Windows saves Windows installation files. This takes up unnecessary space, especially if you have the installation media. Time to get the broom through the hard drive. Open the Start menu and type Disk Cleanup. Select the hard drive that Windows is running on and click OK. After the first check, click System files clean up and again OK. A more extensive check is now taking place. In the list of results you search for Clean up Windows Update. Place a check mark to ensure that all copies of updates are properly cleaned via Windows Update. This often involves several gigabytes of data. Then browse to Windows upgrade log files. This part also takes up a lot of space. Also place a checkmark Previous Windows installations to reclaim around 2 to 3 GB of space. Finally you tick Temporary Windows installation files On. Confirm with OK. The files are cleaned.
