A large number of PC users today use USB drives as bootable media to perform a clean install Windows 10 or earlier versions. While installing from USB is convenient, you might not be able to find one when you want.
Did you know that you can install Windows 10 without using USB? In fact, it’s possible to install Windows 10 without even creating a bootable media.
Following are the five ways using which you can install Windows 10.
Install Windows 10 from USB
Preparing a bootable USB and then installing Windows 10 from the bootable USB is probably the most prepared method of installing Windows 10.
You can either use the official Windows 10 Media Creation Tool to download and prepare the bootable USB or third-party tools such as Rufus if you already have downloaded the Windows 10 ISO image.
Install Windows 10 from DVD
If you don’t have a USB drive around or if you often install or reinstall Windows 10, using a DVD as bootable media makes sense. You can either use the built-in ISO burning tool in Windows 10/8/7 or use third-party ISO burning tools to prepare bootable Windows 10 DVD.
To prepare the bootable DVD, please refer to our how to prepare Windows 10 bootable DVD guide.
Install Windows 10 from memory card
If you cannot find a USB or DVD around when you want to install Windows 10, you can simply backup data from your smartphone’s memory card to your PC and then use memory card as the bootable media. Making a memory card bootable is quite easy and similar to making a bootable USB. Refer to how to install Windows 10 from SD card guide for detailed directions.
Install Windows 10 from directly from ISO
It’s possible to install Windows 10 directly from the ISO image without burning it on to a DVD or USB only if you have a bootable Windows PC and plan to install Windows 10 on a drive other than where Windows 10/8/7 is currently installed. To install from ISO, you just need to mount the ISO file and launch the Setup file located in the Sources folder.
Please refer to our how to install Windows 10 from ISO without DVD or USB guide for step-by-step directions.
Install Windows 10 from smartphone
Did you know that you can even use your smartphone to install Windows 10 on your PC? Well, not all smartphones but smartphones powered by Android should be able to install Windows 10 on your PC.
All you need to do is install a free app called Drivedroid on your Android smartphone and follow the on-instructions to make your smartphone as bootable USB and then install Windows 10 from it.
Install Windows 10 over network
Installing Windows 10 from a network computer is not easy, and one must use this method only if you cannot use above mentioned methods for some reason.
To be honest, I have never installed Windows 10 over a network. There are plenty of guides out there to guide you install Windows 10 over a network.
Refer to this how to install Windows over network guide for step-by-step directions.
What is your preferred way of installing Windows 10?
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