Hello I just got this pc and built it and this popped up. what should i do next?

[vast jackal]

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/742247047964393494/1049134903100461117/IMG_8027.jpg

what should i do next?

[keen prism]

Considering you've just built it, this is actually a good thing! Means you built it correctly (or at least to the point where it works enough)
Bad thing is: You don't have Windows yet.. Which is understandable if you just built it :P

All you need is an 8GB or larger USB, some other computer (preferably running Windows 8.1 or higher), reasonable internet and patience.
If you have all that? You only need 1 program..

[celest remnant]

Want to download Windows 10 or 11?

Click here to download Windows 10 for your current device or for another device.

Click here to download Windows 11 for your current device or for another device.

[vast jackal]

I just put a thumb stick with windows in it into my computer and turned it back on. what should i do next?

@tawny socket

I have a SSD 980 m.2 NVMe as my storage

[keen prism]

If the computer doesn't start from the USB by itself then you can probably select it in the BIOS to boot from.
Likely the "UEFI USB Key"

[soft sierra]

plug in the USB directly in the motherboard at the back of the PC

when you re-plug devices, restar the PC

it should automatically boot from the USB, if it doesn't lmk

[vast jackal]

oh i put the usb stick at the top by the power button

let me try that

@soft sierra which mode should i do?

[soft sierra]

which windows have you bought? (windows is not free software)

(although it may be provided by your school/uni/whatever for free)

[vast jackal]

i selected i don’t have a product key

[soft sierra]

what edition do you plan on purchasing?

[vast jackal]

i’m not sure which one is most affordable?

i don’t need word and all the microsoft apps

[soft sierra]

windows is not free

you can evaluate it for 30 days if you want, after that you need to purchase it to keep it

you can upgrade -- if you install home now, you can upgrade to pro

[vast jackal]

ohh

is it this i got to buy?

[soft sierra]

you can install now and purchase later in the Microsoft store

when you purchase in the Store, the windows licence is tied to your Microsoft account, so you can move it from one PC to another

[vast jackal]

ohh so i have it forever

[soft sierra]

not quite, as who knows what Microsoft will do after Windows 11

they have provided free upgrades from 10 to 11, so it seems you get to keep it

[vast jackal]

Ok great

Well what do you recommend pro or home version what’s the difference?

[soft sierra]

pricing is the biggest difference

you can check it on your phone, you can browse the MS Store

(it has local pricing so I can't tell what price you get)

I don't think there are any features that really matter to the average user.

[vast jackal]

Ok thanks so much let me see if it works

[soft sierra]

Incomplete list:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/compare-windows-11-home-vs-pro-versions

[vast jackal]

upgrade?

[soft sierra]

click on custom for now

did you previously have windows on this disk?

on the SSD

[vast jackal]

no everything is brand new

[soft sierra]

weird that it's offering the upgrade then

[vast jackal]

so custom?

[soft sierra]

yep

[vast jackal]

nothing pops up on where to install windows

[soft sierra]

📸

[soft sierra]

click on load driver

[soft sierra]

'Browse' for now

[soft sierra]

You've run into a common problem here -- no drivers for your NVMe storage controller

Intel or AMD?

processor

[vast jackal]

amd

[soft sierra]

wait actually let's first check if windows sees your disk

press Shift+F10, then into type in diskpart

and then list disk

[soft sierra]

hmmm, only your USB...

did you properly install the SSD?

[vast jackal]

i’m pretty sure

i can show u how it looks

in the pc

[soft sierra]

when you went into BIOS UEFI settings did it see your disk?

(reply related)

[soft sierra]

should be under 'Storage'

[vast jackal]

can i go back and check or it’s to late

i don’t remember

[soft sierra]

you can click X in windows setup and it'll shut down your PC

you can always enter windows setup again

unplug the usb to boot into bios/uefi

[vast jackal]

so i should remove the usb so i can go back to the panel

alr i’ll do that

[soft sierra]

pressing Del on the keyboard during boot should also work

[vast jackal]

it just restarted the pc when i hit x should i turn it off manually

[soft sierra]

no need

if you're back in windows

click on repair -> ... ->uefi firmware settings

[vast jackal]

and then turn off your pc?

[soft sierra]

could be under advanced

[vast jackal]

i think i hit repair your computer in windows

let me remove the stick and just power it off manually

it’s in there but it’s not showing

[soft sierra]

weird

try the other M.2 slot

[vast jackal]

there’s only that one

let me see

there’s only 1

[soft sierra]

check under the heatsink that is above the GPU slot

(that one is slightly faster btw)

(also you might need to remove your gpu to access it, sorry about that)

[vast jackal]

could you like draw a circle on where it is on the motherboard

sorry😭

[soft sierra]

don't be! it's a valid question

[vast jackal]

after i put the ssd there i’ll put that heatsink back over it?

[soft sierra]

check the user manual

[soft sierra]

yeah that's the idea

[vast jackal]

omg there is one under there

how you know this 😂

[soft sierra]

I know roughly how long an M.2 SSD is, and that they can come with heatsinks. And your motherboard insists there are 2 SSDs.

• they're usually right above the GPU slot

[vast jackal]

isn’t this just a sticker on top of it i can remove?

[soft sierra]

no

[vast jackal]

alr

[soft sierra]

I'm pretty sure that's important

for heat dissipation

actually check first

never used one of those heatsinks myself

[vast jackal]

i’ll just leave it ig

the top one has a screw and another thing blocking it

[soft sierra]

unscrew the standoff

and the spongy bit is probably to avoid damaging in shipping

[vast jackal]

imma unscrew both then screw the last one

ohh

alr

[vast jackal]

@soft sierra how can i put the heatsink over it if one of the screws are already taken

[soft sierra]

I think the screw of the heatsink will also screw the SSD in

so you don't need the screw that is already in the SSD

[vast jackal]

so only screw one side?

[soft sierra]

actually, turn on the PC and check if it's recognised

[soft sierra]

there is only one screw on the SSD...

[vast jackal]

yeah but to put the heatsink back over it

before it was 2 screws now one of them is taken for the ssd

i still have to put the gpu in to turn it on i’m just seeing if i can do it

[soft sierra]

oh

hold on, let me make you a diagram

[vast jackal]

oh so i can just put the long screw into the ssd screw

[soft sierra]

SSD screw_hole_

[vast jackal]

ohhh nvm

your saying the long screw can replace the ssd one

[soft sierra]

yep

[vast jackal]

that little screw took forever to get in

[soft sierra]

I'm sorry 😭

[vast jackal]

😭😭

ty for diagram helped out a lot

the ssd is under it

[soft sierra]

add some bread and you've got a yummy sandwich 😋

they don't call them chips without reason

[vast jackal]

alr turning it on

jackpot

now let’s try windows

was it custom?

or upgrade

[soft sierra]

custom

[soft sierra]

perfect! click next

[vast jackal]

Ok it’s installing

let’s gooooo

[soft sierra]

wooo! but let's wait until you get to the windows desktop

[vast jackal]

are u sure my ssd won’t like act up

since it’s under the heatsink

[soft sierra]

some ssds come with heatsinks preinstalled so it's fine

there's a 980 Pro heatsink edition

[vast jackal]

oh

[soft sierra]

🥳

[vast jackal]

it just froze on me

in the wifi part

[soft sierra]

oh

uhh can you try going back?

say you don't have internet or whatever

[soft sierra]

does shift+f10 open cmd?

[vast jackal]

yes

[soft sierra]

type OOBE\BYPASSNRO

it should restart

you should see "I don't have internet" the next time

[vast jackal]

alr i did it

[soft sierra]

we can get internet working later

[soft sierra]

yep the other option

[vast jackal]

i think i’m good?

[soft sierra]

other than internet not working in windows, you're golden

[vast jackal]

😱😱

omg

TY @soft sierra

couldn’t have done it without you

[soft sierra]

"It's not over yet, kid"

internet?

[vast jackal]

😂

i’m so excited i forgot

[vast jackal]

yes yes

[soft sierra]

are you able to plug in an Ethernet cable?

that's probably the easiest way

[vast jackal]

so i can’t connect to public networks?

[soft sierra]

I believe your wifi card might not have drivers

did you screw in the wifi antenna?

[vast jackal]

what does it look like?

and i’ll try ethernet

[soft sierra]

|
|
|
|
L___ (screw)

[vast jackal]

i don’t think i need one

bc i have wifi included with my motherboard

[soft sierra]

oh you do

how do you think the WiFi gets to the motherboard

but if you've got a cable, use that!

[vast jackal]

😂

alr let’s try

[soft sierra]

it might also be in it's unfolded state:
_____________o_____ (screw)

[vast jackal]

if it looks like this i don’t have it

[soft sierra]

it should have come with the mobo

check the wifi user manual

[vast jackal]

shouldn’t it come with the motherboard

since it’s wifi

yeah

let me see

it’s not in it

[soft sierra]

can you confirm you don't see wifi networks in windows

[vast jackal]

oh shoot

their popping up but slowly

i don’t see mine

only known networks

[soft sierra]

you can guess what goes in the screwy bit

[vast jackal]

antenna

my wifi popped up but i can’t connect 😭

[soft sierra]

did you install the antennas

[vast jackal]

i don’t have antennas

it didn’t come with the motherboard

[soft sierra]

that's really strange

is there a "what's in the box"

[vast jackal]

maybe i’m looking at it

i can’t just take antennas off a wifi modem and use it?

[soft sierra]

you can lol

[vast jackal]

we have a lot of modems we don’t use

oh we can?

[soft sierra]

legit no joke

they mostly use the same connector

but not sure about 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz

maybe not all antennas are the same

it should mostly work

[soft sierra]

I even used a piece of wire as an antenna once

[vast jackal]

should that be good?

[soft sierra]

check that thr screws match and that they are easy to screw in

[vast jackal]

i only need 1

?

[soft sierra]

don't force it if it doesn't go in

[soft sierra]

2 are needed

[vast jackal]

alr also do i need the windows usb still ?

[soft sierra]

I think one's wifi, the other bluetooth

[vast jackal]

i can remove it?

there in

but do i need to connect the modem for it or i just need the antennas

[soft sierra]

you can use either one

the goal is: get internet

[vast jackal]

i got wifi!

[soft sierra]

noice

[vast jackal]

i need both?

you said

[soft sierra]

nope

oh no

could we have avoided this

sorry

[vast jackal]

?

[soft sierra]

anyways, now that you've got internet, go to windows update and install updates

(wait for all updates to download and install before restarting)

[vast jackal]

Ok

after that am i good to go

[soft sierra]

There are some devices that you should install drivers from the manufacturer (and not the default Windows Update drivers), namely

• AMD chipset drivers https://www.amd.com/en/support/chipsets/amd-socket-am4/b550
• and GPU drivers

[soft sierra]

yep, just wait it out

[vast jackal]

so download that after everything is done

[soft sierra]

• a restart

[vast jackal]

alr also i had another problem my monitor is 144hz but it’s only max 64 hz i can change it

[soft sierra]

what cable are you using?

[soft sierra]

where do you see the max?

[vast jackal]

it shows only 64

[soft sierra]

that's what you need the gpu drivers for!

it's using the basic drivers now

[vast jackal]

ohh ok

i’m going to do everything you said and i’ll check back in

just this you said?

[soft sierra]

yeah on your PC

but let windows update do it's thing

• GPU drivers from AMD or Nvidia

[vast jackal]

of course

😭

amd drivers on my phone

[soft sierra]

[vast jackal]

i need the link to the gpu drivers too

[soft sierra]

just google (amd/nvidia) drivers support and click on an appropriate link

[vast jackal]

the only ones i can download @soft sierra

[soft sierra]

try restarting now

after you're back in windows, check Windows Update again

[vast jackal]

Ok

just restarted logged in to microsoft

but i can’t download these

i should be good?

[soft sierra]

click the blue download and install

so it retries

[vast jackal]

everything is updated

do i install all of these? i’m going to sleep i will check in and finish tomorrow

[soft sierra]

yep you want all here

[vast jackal]

alr

[vast jackal]

i downloaded chrome tho

[soft sierra]

I think the only important thing is Nvidia drivers

and purchasing Windows

[vast jackal]

yeah

i need link for nividia drivers

i’m at school rn

[soft sierra]

I was hoping you would look that up yourself

[vast jackal]

isn’t there a specific one you need?

[soft sierra]

I mean yeah but no

it's based on which gpu you have

Nvidia bundles the drivers for all it's supported gpus in one package

and so does AMD!

[vast jackal]

game ready driver?

do i download amd drivers then restarts

then nividia drivers then restart again

and then i’m good

[soft sierra]

the drivers will instruct you what to do

[keen prism]

or install both and restart once
works okay too

[soft sierra]

wait no

download drivers for the gpu you have

[vast jackal]

that is my gpu

[soft sierra]

then download that

[vast jackal]

alr

[vast jackal]

the only driver they have is windows 10 @soft sierra

[unborn sluice]

that's for both Windows 10 and Windows 11

[vast jackal]

oh

i just saw it

[vast jackal]

After i downloaded nividia and amd drivers am i good to go?

[soft sierra]

set your monitor to 144 and you're good to go!

(or whatever the refresh rate was)

[vast jackal]

it popped up so i just did that

let’s goooo

tysm

also after i’m done downloading the drivers i can delete the app?

i’m keeping geforce experience just the amd one

[soft sierra]

what exactly would you delete?

[vast jackal]

i have the geforce experience app to update it from now on

[soft sierra]

you can delete the installer 👍

[vast jackal]

uhhh

i thought it was like 30-40

[soft sierra]

that's the difference between a lifetime and a single-use licence