Question Where do I connect USB drive after downloading OS onto it?

[joesmoejoe]

Do I connect the usb drive into my pc case or my monitor/tv?

 

[USAFRet]

Do I connect the usb drive into my pc case or my monitor/tv?

The PC.

But give us some backstory on exactly what you're doing, and how you got to this position.

 

[joesmoejoe]

The PC.

But give us some backstory on exactly what you're doing, and how you got to this position.

Im new to building PC's (first one) and all the videos ive seen never specified where to connect the usb drive. I also have a question on if I have an external hard drive with games on it can I put an os on it keep all of the game data and put it into my pc?

 

[USAFRet]

Im new to building PC's (first one) and all the videos ive seen never specified where to connect the usb drive. I also have a question on if I have an external hard drive with games on it can I put an os on it keep all of the game data and put it into my pc?

With the external, maybe.
Depends where these games came from.
Attack that problem later.

For the OS, follow the relevant one of these:

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

How To - Windows 11 clean install tutorial

Windows 11 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows 11, version 23H2 or newer but can be equally applied to earlier versions which may have some basic differences in the screens you see but will largely remain similar in...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[joesmoejoe]

With the external, maybe.
Depends where these games came from.
Attack that problem later.

For the OS, follow the relevant one of these:

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

How To - Windows 11 clean install tutorial

Windows 11 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows 11, version 23H2 or newer but can be equally applied to earlier versions which may have some basic differences in the screens you see but will largely remain similar in...

forums.tomshardware.com

Are those free to download? Games are from steam

 

[USAFRet]

Are those free to download? Games are from steam

'free to download'?
You're referring to Windows?
The installer is...but you do need a valid license. About $100.

What do you have on that USB you have?

 

[joesmoejoe]

'free to download'?
You're referring to Windows?
The installer is...but you do need a valid license. About $100.

What do you have on that USB you have?

I have nothing on the USB drive, im considering using my external hard drive but if it removes data to install an OS I won't be using it. When I download an OS and the drive is ready to be plugged into my pc do I just put it into the port on the top of the case?

 

[USAFRet]

I have nothing on the USB drive, im considering using my external hard drive but if it removes data to install an OS I won't be using it. When I download an OS and the drive is ready to be plugged into my pc do I just put it into the port on the top of the case?

Do NOT use your external drive with the games on it.
That WILL reformat it and wipe out the data on it.

An 8GB or larger flash drive. And a valid Windows license.
Plugged in to a USB port on the case.

Read through the tutorial a time or two to get familiar with the process.

 

[joesmoejoe]

Do NOT use your external drive with the games on it.
That WILL reformat it and wipe out the data on it.

An 8GB or larger flash drive. And a valid Windows license.
Plugged into a USB port on the case.

Read through the tutorial a time or two to get familiar with the process.

Ok, thanks. I will be downloading Linux instead as I am not willing to spend 100 dollars when it all works the same. When I'm done downloading Linux on the USB drive will I just put it into the USB the motherboard has, GPU, or the one on the top of the case? If you need pictures let me know.

 

[USAFRet]

Ok, thanks. I will be downloading Linux instead as I am not willing to spend 100 dollars when it all works the same. When I'm done downloading Linux on the USB drive will I just put it into the USB the motherboard has, GPU, or the one on the top of the case? If you need pictures let me know.

"works the same"?

Are your games Linux compatible? Most are not.

 

[joesmoejoe]

I believe all of my games are linux compatible. Now that you've brought that up, is there any way to get Windows10/11 for cheaper?

 

[USAFRet]

I believe all of my games are linux compatible. Now that you've brought that up, is there any way to get Windows10/11 for cheaper?

Not valid, no.

But consider....how much were those games? $40, $50 each?
And you play them out in a few weeks?

A $100 Windows license will last you a decade.


And almost certainly the game versions you have are not the Linux versions.

 

[joesmoejoe]

Not valid, no.

But consider....how much were those games? $40, $50 each?
And you play them out in a few weeks?

A $100 Windows license will last you a decade.


And almost certainly the game versions you have are not the Linux versions.

I just don't have money for it right now. Where exactly does the USB drive with the installed OS go?

 

[USAFRet]

I just don't have money for it right now. Where exactly does the USB drive with the installed OS go?

What is the full parts list of this new PC?

Any USB port will probably work, but to be safe, one on the motherboard in the back.

 

[joesmoejoe]

What is the full parts list of this new PC?

Any USB port will probably work, but to be safe, one on the motherboard in the back.

Full parts list meaning what my mobo, cpu, gpu are?
My mother board is the B550M HDV ASROCK, cpu is 5500X, GPU 5700XT

 

[USAFRet]

Full parts list meaning what my mobo, cpu, gpu are?
My mother board is the B550M HDV ASROCK, cpu is 5500X, GPU 5700XT

And drives, and PSU, etc, etc...

And you can install Windows, and leave it Unactivated for now. $0.
Until such time as you can purchase a valid license from MS.

 

[joesmoejoe]

And drives, and PSU, etc, etc...

And you can install Windows, and leave it Unactivated for now. $0.
Until such time as you can purchase a valid license from MS.

I don't know what drives are im new to this sorry. My PSU is the Be quiet! Pure Power 12m. My ssd is predator GM7000 512gb.
What does leaving it unactivated do? can I still game with it?

 

[USAFRet]

I don't know what drives are im new to this sorry. My PSU is the Be quiet! Pure Power 12m. My ssd is predator GM7000 512gb.
What does leaving it unactivated do? can I still game with it?

It will fully operate.

It will have a randomly appearing watermark at bottom right, and no customization of the Taskbar or Desktop.
Other than that, it runs just fine.

 

[joesmoejoe]

It will fully operate.

It will have a randomly appearing watermark at bottom right, and no customization of the Taskbar or Desktop.
Other than that, it runs just fine.

Thats fine for me then. How do I download it?

 

[USAFRet]

Thats fine for me then. How do I download it?

Listed in great detail in the linked tutorials above.

 

[joesmoejoe]

Listed in great detail in the linked tutorials above.

I see, thanks. When I download it onto the drive I just connect it to my motherboards USB 3 slot?

 

[USAFRet]

I see, thanks. When I download it onto the drive I just connect it to my motherboards USB 3 slot?

Well, unfortunately, you need some other working PC to actually create that USB to install with.

Do you have access to a different system? Or a friends, maybe?

 

[joesmoejoe]

Well, unfortunately, you need some other working PC to actually create that USB to install with.

Do you have access to a different system? Or a friends, maybe?

I have a laptop that I will use to download and create it.

 

[USAFRet]

Have you read through that Win 11 tutorial?

 

[joesmoejoe]

Have you read through that Win 11 tutorial?

Sorry for late response, I have not. If I were to use a video capture card to use my laptop as the MAIN and only monitor would I lose any data on my laptop?