[SOLVED] Downloading Windows 10 Home through Windows Education

[knuffley]

Hey guys, i'm almost done finishing building my first ever PC.
I want to run my PC using Windows 10 home because I've been using it for years on my laptop but it costs £120 through the Microsoft website which i can't afford and i don't want to purchase any cheap keys in case they're invalid.

I did some research and came across "Windows Education" which apparently offers Windows 10 Home and other features for free if you're a student, which fortunately i am.
I wouldn't post here if i could find research online because i wanted to complete my build without help but i can't find anything online regarding certain details on Windows Education.

Essentially i want to download Windows Education through my laptop onto a USB stick so i can load and boot up my new PC.

I assumed because Windows 10 home recommends 8GB of space on the USB stick, that more space would be required to download Windows Education since it comes with many more features, so how much free space would you guys recommend to download Microsoft Education? Online i saw 1KB of free space is required which is something ridiculous like 10000GB which can't be right?

Currently i only have 1 USB stick with 8GB of free space, will this be enough?
Is Windows Education even something that i'll be able to use to boot up my new PC or do i need to buy an original copy of Windows 10 home and then receive the free upgrade afterwards?

I've seen other students complaining saying Windows Education isn't working for them for one reason or another. Is this a legit way to receive Windows 10 Home which realistically is all i want, i don't want any of the other features anyway i just want to play some games.

Sorry if I've over complicated this and there's actually a really simple answer somewhere... Microsoft is giving me very limited information and i can't find much information anywhere else.

Thanks to whoever replies to this post, it will be greatly appreciated. I will reply to any comments ASAP if anyone needs more info,

-Tom

 

[knuffley]

Additionally, will my Windows Education key be valid when attempting to boot up my OS or will i need a different Windows 10 Home Key?

 

[USAFRet]

You download and run the MediaCreation tool.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

You use that to create a bootable USB to install with.
It does not matter what OS is on the system you use to make it.

Yes, you need an 8GB USB stick. It has nothing to do with EDU or otherwise.

And "8GB free space" is only part of it...it needs to be actually blank. Whatever data is on that flash drive WILL be wiped out.
Not just 'free space'.

 

[britechguy]

As was just mentioned, regardless of the edition of Windows 10 you are getting ready to install you need to download the ISO file using the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool [MCT] (the Download Tool button) and use it to create bootable media. The MCT itself can be used to create a bootable USB drive, but I prefer to download the ISO file and use a utility like Rufus to create the bootable USB media.

It is the license key that you supply when installing on a "blank system" that is the sole determiner of which edition ends up being activated, as the install media has the components for all editions, and actually all are installed, but only the ones associated with the license type get activated.

Just remember that the Education edition has a lot of stuff under the control of the institution from which you obtain the license.

I have had absolutely no problems with recycled Windows 10 Pro or Microsoft Office licenses I have purchased on eBay, but I limit myself to sellers with high sales numbers and good ratings. Ever since the EU overturned linking OEM licenses to a single specific computer, as opposed to just any single computer (much like retail licenses have always been) a huge grey market has sprung up. Technically, you are supposed to buy the hardware from which the license is being extracted, and according to the sales terms you're actually buying that, but the sellers state they won't ship it.

 

[knuffley]

USAFRET

As was just mentioned, regardless of the edition of Windows 10 you are getting ready to install you need to download the ISO file using the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool [MCT] (the Download Tool button) and use it to create bootable media. The MCT itself can be used to create a bootable USB drive, but I prefer to download the ISO file and use a utility like Rufus to create the bootable USB media.

It is the license key that you supply when installing on a "blank system" that is the sole determiner of which edition ends up being activated, as the install media has the components for all editions, and actually all are installed, but only the ones associated with the license type get activated.

Just remember that the Education edition has a lot of stuff under the control of the institution from which you obtain the license.

I have had absolutely no problems with recycled Windows 10 Pro or Microsoft Office licenses I have purchased on eBay, but I limit myself to sellers with high sales numbers and good ratings. Ever since the EU overturned linking OEM licenses to a single specific computer, as opposed to just any single computer (much like retail licenses have always been) a huge grey market has sprung up. Technically, you are supposed to buy the hardware from which the license is being extracted, and according to the sales terms you're actually buying that, but the sellers state they won't ship it.

Thanks for the quick reply. It was very helpful and informative im glad you realised i'm clearly a beginner and simplified everything. My mistake, i thought when you used the USB on a new PC it would install windows 10 (or whatever OS was pre-installed onto it). So, are you saying im installing the installation process for windows 10 onto the USB, for which you then enter the key to begin downloading a specific edition after it's plugged into the new PC? Is this the case or am i being a numpty again? This makes much more sense. I've begun my download now, my internet is poor so will update in the morning, thanks again
Sorry i truly am a beginner

 

[USAFRet]

Read this:

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[knuffley]

Just remember that the Education edition has a lot of stuff under the control of the institution from which you obtain the license.

Do you have any examples? I feel like i might be okay because i'll most likely only be doing homework and playing games so hopefully they won't have much to look at? Obviously if it limits what i can do and is a huge invasion of privacy i will feel more inclined to purchase windows 10 home ouright

 

[knuffley]

Read this:

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

Thanks man for the quick replies , that's a great step-by-side gide ill be sure to use it tomorrow!

 

[britechguy]

All I know is that Windows 10 Educational, like Windows 10 Enterprise, is a centrally administered configuration (at least in the vast majority of cases).

If this is your personal computer, I would be far more inclined to buy a license for the version you want, probably Pro, even if recycled and be done with it. They can be purchased so cheaply that even if you had to buy 10 (and I've never had to buy more than one for any given machine) you're still way ahead of the game.

What I'm saying apparently wasn't clear: the Windows 10 ISO includes ALL components for ALL editions. In fact, any Windows 10 installation contains ALL components for ALL editions, but only those associated with the license type used to activate are turned on. Under Windows 10, if you wish to go from, for example, Home to Pro, you do not need to do a completely clean install. Under Settings, Update & Security, Activation Pane there is a link that reads Change product key. If one activates that link, and provides a Pro key, it does whatever voodoo it needs to under the hood (and on my machine that took about 30 minutes in total), restarts the machine, and you now have Windows 10 Pro with no loss of apps or files.

With the above being said, ISOs are created at a specific date and time, and there most often will be some updates that occur after the creation date. You will be asked during a clean install or a repair install whether you want to download any updates. If you want the installation to go at maximum speed, answer, "No," and Windows Update will fetch these after the OS is installed. If maximum speed is not the object, but the absolute latest and greatest at the moment of first boot up is, then answer, "Yes."

 

[knuffley]

All I know is that Windows 10 Educational, like Windows 10 Enterprise, is a centrally administered configuration (at least in the vast majority of cases).

If this is your personal computer, I would be far more inclined to buy a license for the version you want, probably Pro, even if recycled and be done with it. They can be purchased so cheaply that even if you had to buy 10 (and I've never had to buy more than one for any given machine) you're still way ahead of the game.

What I'm saying apparently wasn't clear: the Windows 10 ISO includes ALL components for ALL editions. In fact, any Windows 10 installation contains ALL components for ALL editions, but only those associated with the license type used to activate are turned on. Under Windows 10, if you wish to go from, for example, Home to Pro, you do not need to do a completely clean install. Under Settings, Update & Security, Activation Pane there is a link that reads Change product key. If one activates that link, and provides a Pro key, it does whatever voodoo it needs to under the hood (and on my machine that took about 30 minutes in total), restarts the machine, and you now have Windows 10 Pro with no loss of apps or files.

With the above being said, ISOs are created at a specific date and time, and there most often will be some updates that occur after the creation date. You will be asked during a clean install or a repair install whether you want to download any updates. If you want the installation to go at maximum speed, answer, "No," and Windows Update will fetch these after the OS is installed. If maximum speed is not the object, but the absolute latest and greatest at the moment of first boot up is, then answer, "Yes."

Okay i understand now. Again thank you very much for dumbing it down! I've finished downloading the media process part onto my USB and will hopefully done with with PC soon, thanks