Question Problem while installing Windows 10 on my Dell Latitude laptop

[NYTZ9753]

So I have a problem when trying to install windows 10 on my laptop. I was using windows 11 for a while but got tired of it and decided to go back to windows 10. So I got my flash drive with the installation files, got windows installed without any problems, except the fact that I can't use it. After restarting it greets me with the "Let's finish setting up your device" screen as usual. Set my location, keyboard layout and then asks to connect to the network. I wanted to skip like I usually do on this step but there was not skip button so I had to add my wifi. After that it said "Connecting to Microsoft", took a while and then restarted to a screen saying "Setting up your device for work" and got stuck there. I tried to reinstall windows multiple times and got the same issue. Is there any fix to this? Any help is appreciated.

 

[Grobe]

Umm, this advice comes from a Linux dude, so I may be wrong on this - but here is what I believe is the case:

When installing Windows OS, Microsoft want you to buy a license. But it is also possible to install W10 in sort of limited mode in order for the user to test if the OS can actually run on that hardware. This means several possibilities:

• There is a step in the installation process where you should be able to install, or choose to test W10.
• Or you have to download a separate iso image that make it possible.

 

[NYTZ9753]

Umm, this advice comes from a Linux dude, so I may be wrong on this - but here is what I believe is the case:

When installing Windows OS, Microsoft want you to buy a license. But it is also possible to install W10 in sort of limited mode in order for the user to test if the OS can actually run on that hardware. This means several possibilities:

• There is a step in the installation process where you should be able to install, or choose to test W10.
• Or you have to download a separate iso image that make it possible.

My windows 10 pro license is already embedded into my bios but that's not the problem. The problem is that for some reason it automatically sets as a device for work and it tries to get info from my "organization" to set up the device. One time it actually got past that point and got me to a lock screen, I didn't expect that, it said "Ctrl+Alt+Delete to unlock", tried to unlock and then the "Other user" login page showed up asking for an email and password and saying "Sign in with a work or school account".

 

[Bob.B]

So I have a problem when trying to install windows 10 on my laptop. I was using windows 11 for a while but got tired of it and decided to go back to windows 10. So I got my flash drive with the installation files, got windows installed without any problems, except the fact that I can't use it. After restarting it greets me with the "Let's finish setting up your device" screen as usual. Set my location, keyboard layout and then asks to connect to the network. I wanted to skip like I usually do on this step but there was not skip button so I had to add my wifi. After that it said "Connecting to Microsoft", took a while and then restarted to a screen saying "Setting up your device for work" and got stuck there. I tried to reinstall windows multiple times and got the same issue. Is there any fix to this? Any help is appreciated.

Is this a company laptop?

 

[ohio_buckeye]

If it’s a company laptop and you messed with it, then good that it did that. I work in IT and would annoyed at a user doing that.

 

[NYTZ9753]

If it’s a company laptop and you messed with it, then good that it did that. I work in IT and would annoyed at a user doing that.

It's not. I got it from ebay

 

[NYTZ9753]

Update: I tried reinstalling once more and formatted my entire SSD and it gave me an error saying that it couldn't be formatted and now when I try to install it again it says "Couldn't find any drives. To get a storage driver, click load driver". I think my installation flash drive might be corrupt because I had the issue with drives before, but I tried to download a fresh copy of the installer 2 times with the windows media creation tool.

 

[NYTZ9753]

Update: I tried reinstalling once more and formatted my entire SSD and it gave me an error saying that it couldn't be formatted and now when I try to install it again it says "Couldn't find any drives. To get a storage driver, click load driver". I think my installation flash drive might be corrupt because I had the issue with drives before, but I tried to download a fresh copy of the installer 2 times with the windows media creation tool.

Update again: I downloaded the windows 10 iso again and used Rufus to make a bootable flash drive. Installation went as normal but when it restarted, I got the same issue

 

[Bob.B]

Update again: I downloaded the windows 10 iso again and used Rufus to make a bootable flash drive. Installation went as normal but when it restarted, I got the same issue

Don't use rufus use the media creation tool.

 

[Grobe]

Wait a bit, I think I see what the problem is.

Your laptop had Windows preinstalled, right? You haven't paid Microsoft for this licence because it was already included when purchasing the laptop, right?

When you "re-installed" OS, did you mean you downloaded a regular W10 iso file? If that is the case, no wonder why this is an issue - you should have used some tool from the laptop manufacturer to reset the installation to "factory default".

 

[NYTZ9753]

Wait a bit, I think I see what the problem is.

Your laptop had Windows preinstalled, right? You haven't paid Microsoft for this licence because it was already included when purchasing the laptop, right?

When you "re-installed" OS, did you mean you downloaded a regular W10 iso file? If that is the case, no wonder why this is an issue - you should have used some tool from the laptop manufacturer to reset the installation to "factory default".

I discovered that earlier, so I used another computer to install the Dell OS recovery tool, used my laptop's service tag and it made a bootable USB drive. When I tried it, the installation went the same and got the same issue. I've even contacted Microsoft about this issue. They told me to get a new license key because the old one might not work and it's causing the issue (doesn't help that windows just ignores the step where it asks for a key if it's embedded into the BIOS). After a long chat the only option they gave is that I need to buy a licensed windows usb drive because it has the key in it and that would make the installation ignore the one in my BIOS.

 

[ohio_buckeye]

Just about every system I’ve worked on if I use the media creation tool it usually picks up the key in bios and goes right along.

 

[faalin]

Wait a bit, I think I see what the problem is.

Your laptop had Windows preinstalled, right? You haven't paid Microsoft for this licence because it was already included when purchasing the laptop, right?

When you "re-installed" OS, did you mean you downloaded a regular W10 iso file? If that is the case, no wonder why this is an issue - you should have used some tool from the laptop manufacturer to reset the installation to "factory default".

This does not matter, I reinstall windows on Dell desktops and laptops all the time at work that have OEM windows pre installed on them. I download the latest window install from microsoft, use it to install and it auto activates the key.

I also did this back in the widows 7 days, used a retail CD to install and then typed in the key that was on the case. No need to use the recovery disc as it just adds Dells bloatware to the install.