[SOLVED] Need help getting a windows education iso file for virtual machine...

Brando1267

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Jan 3, 2015
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I'm taking an online class where I need to use Windows 10 Education but I am allowed to use it on a virtual machine. It requires an iso file of windows 10 education. I have a product key for Windows education but not the iso file... how do I get the iso file for the virtual machine? I'm running W10 home and don't want to have windows 10 education as my PC's OS, Thanks!
 
Solution
The 'Education' license is a free or low cost full Windows license, granted to educational intitutions.

For the VM, all you really needed was the ISO file.
The VM client can use that on its own, and install what you need.
And during the install, it should give you the option of which specific Windows version to install. Here, you select 'Windows 10 Education'
Then during the actual install, it will ask for the specific license key.
Well, see the section of this article, https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...so-files/35cde7ec-5b6f-481c-a02d-dadf465df326 , that begins at

Download Windows 10 Education ISO files

It's the only place I've found specific reference. Most schools that want folks to use Educational provide both the key and the download for the install media, as both Educational and Enterprise both are not a part of the "standard" Home/Pro ISO.

Addendum: Perhaps Educational is now a part of the standard ISO. If you follow the links that start in the article referenced, you are still eventually directed to the Windows 10 Download Page and the same Media Creation Tool that every one uses. They do state that the license key is what determines that Educational is activated. This is no different than any other fresh install of Windows 10.
 
So I've downloaded the tool, and I'm now downloading the Windows 10 ISO onto my ext. HD but I haven't come across anything where I can put my W10 Education key into yet.
Also, thanks for the help so far!
 
You don't put your key in until you're installing Windows 10.

That's true whether you're doing it on a real machine for the first time or a VM for the first time. It's not a part of creating the installation media, which can be reused as many times as its needed on as many machines as one wishes so long as one has a valid license for each of them (whether fresh license or digital license fetched on a reinstall).
 
" onto my ext. HD"
I hope there was nothing else on that drive.
It is now gone.
(and it warned you of this)

Note, the statement was, "downloading the Windows 10 ISO onto my ext. HD."

That's not the same as creating bootable USB media. I frequently download the ISO using the "create media for another machine" and that file gets saved just like any other and causes absolutely no data loss whatsoever.

It is only if you go the "direct to bootable USB" that the drive gets wiped. I also know very few people who ever do this to a HDD rather than a thumb drive.
 
" onto my ext. HD"
I hope there was nothing else on that drive.
It is now gone.
(and it warned you of this)
I read that, it's a clean ext. HD so no worries there.

So basically I don't need a W10 education iso, I've only had to download a windows 10 iso into the VM, and on the VM it would have asked me to put in the key during windows installation? I've never downloaded an OS before but this makes a lot of sense now. I was having issues with the virtual machine, it's not that I was missing the iso for W10 education.
 
The 'Education' license is a free or low cost full Windows license, granted to educational intitutions.

For the VM, all you really needed was the ISO file.
The VM client can use that on its own, and install what you need.
And during the install, it should give you the option of which specific Windows version to install. Here, you select 'Windows 10 Education'
Then during the actual install, it will ask for the specific license key.
 
Solution
Thank you guys, I feel stupid but I think I have it figured out. It asked for the key and I put in the windows 10 education key and it continued to install. It hasn't shown anything saying windows 10 education but we'll see I guess!