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Windows 10 Install


phuzaxeman

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Did you upgrade your VCS with an SSD or an USB Memory Stick (64GB or higher) before?

 

If "Yes", than use your PC and: 

 

1. Go to the MS Website and download the MCT (Media creation tool) ->  Download Media Creation Tool

2. Plug in a USB Stick 8GB (or higher)

3. Start the tool and choose "Install Windows 10 for another computer"

4. Select "Write Image to USB Stick" (choose 64BIT version and Win 10 Home or Pro, depend on your License, you use)

5. go step by step thru the install process

6. if its done pull your stick from the PC und put it on your VCS

7. choose on your VCS Menu "PC-MODE" -> Reboot

 

After than, the VCS is booting from your Stick and starts the Win 10 install process

 

Cheers,

andY

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27 minutes ago, andymanone said:

Did you upgrade your VCS with an SSD or an USB Memory Stick (64GB or higher) before?

 

If "Yes", than use your PC and: 

 

1. Go to the MS Website and download the MCT (Media creation tool) ->  Download Media Creation Tool

2. Plug in a USB Stick 8GB (or higher)

3. Start the tool and choose "Install Windows 10 for another computer"

4. Select "Write Image to USB Stick" (choose 64BIT version and Win 10 Home or Pro, depend on your License, you use)

5. go step by step thru the install process

6. if its done pull your stick from the PC und put it on your VCS

7. choose on your VCS Menu "PC-MODE" -> Reboot

 

After than, the VCS is booting from your Stick and starts the Win 10 install process

 

Cheers,

andY

What do you mean by "upgrade your VCS?"  The official docs don't mention anything about having to "Upgrade" first.

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6 minutes ago, Atari Nut said:

What do you mean by "upgrade your VCS?"  The official docs don't mention anything about having to "Upgrade" first.

You have two choices:

1. insert an USB Memory stick (64GB or more) to an free USB port of your VCS , OR

2. add a M.2 SATA SSD to the free M.2 slot of your VCS

 

Cheers,

andY

SSD-Installation-Guide.pdf

Edited by andymanone
Added the SSD Install Guide
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I personally recommend connecting a USB 3.1 SSD disk to one of the ports on the back of the machine. 
That's what I've done. It's much easier than installing an M.2 drive, and quite unnecessary for Windows 10 installation.
The information is also under the thread about PC-Mode.

You don't need to upgrade the VCS to install Linux or Windows 10 or ChromeOS. You only need a disk.
If you really don't mind it being unnecessarily slow, you can install either onto a 32GB USB stick, from another 4GB USB stick!

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22 minutes ago, justclaws said:

I personally recommend connecting a USB 3.1 SSD disk to one of the ports on the back of the machine. 
That's what I've done. It's much easier than installing an M.2 drive, and quite unnecessary for Windows 10 installation.

Maybe ya´re right, but I prefer the internal version, because:

1. Upgrading a M.2 is done with a fingertip (if you know what a screwdriver is, it´s done in 5-10 minutes ?)

2. M.2 SSD isn´t too expensive anymore  (I´ve paid 92€ for a new 1TB)

3. R/W access is even lots more faster than an external USB drive

4. the M.2 is gently hidden inside the VCS, so and you don´t have to carry any additional external stuff with you

5. You didn´t block any of the limited 4 USB VCS ports

Cheers,

andY

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23 minutes ago, andymanone said:

Upgrading a M.2 is done with a fingertip (if you know what a screwdriver is, it´s done in 5-10 minutes ?)

In theory it's simple.  In practice those damn m.2 screws are so tiny you'll probably drop it and lose it 10 times before you get it in right ?

 

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56 minutes ago, justclaws said:

I personally recommend connecting a USB 3.1 SSD disk to one of the ports on the back of the machine. 
That's what I've done. It's much easier than installing an M.2 drive, and quite unnecessary for Windows 10 installation.
The information is also under the thread about PC-Mode.

You don't need to upgrade the VCS to install Linux or Windows 10 or ChromeOS. You only need a disk.
If you really don't mind it being unnecessarily slow, you can install either onto a 32GB USB stick, from another 4GB USB stick!

Did you do the external drive method?  If so, it looks like the docs have you install Windows as a virtual disk.  How do you add files to Windows if you do it this way? 

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2 minutes ago, Atari Nut said:

Did you do the external drive method?  If so, it looks like the docs have you install Windows as a virtual disk.  How do you add files to Windows if you do it this way? 

No, it's not a virtual disk, it's installed directly on the disk. I've not seen a doc talking about a virtual disk.
The previous evening, I installed my final Ubuntu 20.04 setup on a different USB SSD. That worked fine too.

(I could have also partitioned the disk, and used Grub or Windows boot-manager, to switch between the O/S.
As it was, I just wanted to have dedicated disks, as I had a couple of smaller SSD's spare, but no big ones.)

The issue is just that the Windows 10 installer has 2 things it does not like.
1) It does not want to install on a removable device - usually that makes sense.
2) It cannot install on a UEFI secure setup, which is also on a USB disk. That's the need for the 3rd-party program.

I made a quick photo of my screen to show my VCS running Windows 10 with Steam, and Tempest 4000.
It was not on my normal TV, but a small (22") test TV I had lying around, but it's still running at full HD.

.vcs_tempest4k.thumb.jpeg.4d3b4cbedf802b722010ac2e83ebc052.jpeg

After installation, it boots up as normal, and quickly with SSD. I'll make a video myself (soon).

This guy may have posted his video here also, but I link it again. He talks about speed a few times.
The problem is principally that it's an external 5TB hard-disk. It's probably USB 3.1, but not sure.
 



 

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Oh, and I didn't use an M.2 because of 3 primary reasons. ?

1) I wanted to keep the internal disk as a common data disk, for AtariOS and the operating systems.

2) I like that just plugging in the external disk causes the VCS to automatically boot with it, no BIOS select.

3) I personally want to try various systems, and switch between them. Windows, Ubuntu, ChromeOS, and
    Android-X86. Android-X86 is the next one I really want to get working, but it may prove a dead-end too.

4) I didn't have a spare one to-hand, and we're in lock-down, with all retailers except supermarkets, closed.
    At the moment, postal/carrier deliveries are still in a mess, overworked, and unreliable. I'll just wait a bit.
    I recently put one in another machine, but I didn't want to move it, as it wasn't really needed right now. ?

What I would recommend for most people...
...is based on what's easier. The external USB 3.1 SSD solution, because it does not require them to take the 
machine apart. They just plug it in, and for most people that's preferable, but it's great that we have options!
 

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Yes, the official doc.

I know what it actually does, and have done it.
Why don't you try it? Are you suggesting that it doesn't work and that we're imagining it works?
 
I don't know why you're reading it the way you do. If that's what you believe, that's fine, yes?

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No, I haven't done it.  I was just pointing out that they have you install Windows as a Virtual hard drive and wondering how you move files back and forth if done that way.  I'll probably do it eventually.  I would like to use Altirra but I don't want to keep a keyboard/mouse attached to the VCS....and would the Atari joysticks even be recognized in Windows?

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As I said, I've done it, and it's not a virtual drive, but I'm not going to argue about it.
I was able to use the machine in Windows as normal, installing software, as normal.
Additionally, I could access other disks attached to the system, like a memory stick.

Windows immediately recognised the devices via USB and Bluetooth, but not as a mouse.

Probably at the weekend, I will have a bit more time with my VCS, and I'll install Altirra and report.
I'm not sure how that would be useful without a keyboard or mouse, but I haven't used it before.
 

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To clear up the confusion for some people, Windows 10 on an external USB disk is easy and works.
The VCS works happily under Windows 10 or Ubuntu 20.04 with the standard 8GB, with 6GB+ free.
I think wealthy enthusiasts forget that people till buy laptops with only 2 or 4GB RAM, and 32GB SSD.

In the attached screenshot, I am booted from my Ubuntu 20.04 USB disk, and I connected, after,
the Windows 10 disk too. (/dev/sda is my Ubuntu USB disk, and /dev/sdb is my Windows USB disk.)

The screenshot below is from Linux, so I showed the system O/S type, and how it sees the VCS h/w.

You can see that the USB disk created with WinToUSB program has the disk label of that name.
It's just a normal NTFS volume. I list the contents. It's not VCS specific. It's just normal Windows 10.
The other partition is the EFI System needed to boot Windows. It is a FAT file system, as it always is.


I already installed Steam, and some Steam games like Tempest 4000 on Windows. No problem.
 

atari_vcs_mount.png

I could also show the Windows 10 install from disk manager, but I didn't have time this morning.
The objective was to show the type of the Windows 10 disk after install. Linux does no tricks. ?

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On 1/6/2021 at 11:03 AM, Atari Nut said:

Take a look at the official doc I attached above in post #5.  Atari has you using a free tool to install Windows as a VHD on the usb drive.

As mentioned you are interpreting it WRONG STEP # 5 in that doc is about burning the Windows Installer to a USB stick, that is the tool that will then be used to install windows to an external drive, nothing "virtual" about it. You are not INSTALLING Windows at this point to the USB stick you are just creating a Windows Installer stick to boot from ;) , I've have done it many time over the years. 

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Hey guys I have a question here. I am getting my VCS in the mail Monday, I have already bought 32GB RAM and a 500 GB M.2 SATA SSD. I want to install Windows 10. I do not use Windows 10, I actually use Windows 7 on my main laptop so I don't know much about Windows 10. I DO have a gaming laptop that is out of commission. (MSI DOMINATOR PRO) It will probably be out of commission indefinitely as I am not paying close to $1000 for a new motherboard for it. It has Windows 10 PRO 64 bit. I would like to use the key from it's installation as I did pay for the OS for that laptop (It wasnt loaded with Win 10 originally). Is it possible to transfer that key over to my VCS legally? like legally or is that installation now married to the MSI? Can I do Windows To Go from a clone image of the MSI hdd and it work to boot the VCS? I really would like to know if this stuff is possible. Perhaps Microsoft could be contacted and transfer the license from the MSI to the VCS? Does anyone know how I could go about this? I paid $110 for that Windows and it seems like such a waste and now I am in need of a Windows for this new Atari machine.

 

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If you used a "Retail Version" of Win10  (bought on a trusted store) for your MSI laptop,

you could do the following:

 

1.

Install a fresh Win10 on your M.2 on VCS (choose the option : "I have no install Key")

After install process is done, got to the activation menu of Win10 and type in your key you bought in the past.

 

Now could happen two things:

a) It shows: activation successful  or

b) Use another key, this key is in use (or something like that)

 

x-> Now you have a choice to call a phone number (Microsoft Phone machine) and go thru the menu to activate the Windows

 

Option 2:

Clone your MSi laptop harddisk (e.g. with Veeam Backup, Acronis True Image or whatever)

Restore this Image to your VCS M.2

Start your VCS, open the PC properties and check out if it shows

a) Windows "Not activated" or

b) Windows "Activated"

 

If its a) , go on with "x->"

If its b) than everything is fine 

 

Cheers,

andY

 

Edited by andymanone
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On 1/7/2021 at 11:50 PM, OldSchoolRetroGamer said:

As mentioned you are interpreting it WRONG STEP # 5 in that doc is about burning the Windows Installer to a USB stick, that is the tool that will then be used to install windows to an external drive, nothing "virtual" about it. You are not INSTALLING Windows at this point to the USB stick you are just creating a Windows Installer stick to boot from ;) , I've have done it many time over the years. 

I did it by selecting VHD in WinToUSB as mentioned in the official docs.  It created one Windows .vhd file (virtual hard disk) on the usb drive.  I then attached the drive to the Atari VCS in PC Mode and let it setup Windows.  Upon completion, I removed the drive and connected it to another PC.  The complete install was still in the one .vhd file (which could be mounted).  If you choose Legacy in WinTo USB instead of VHD you will probably get a typical install. ?

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On 1/17/2021 at 5:42 PM, cryco said:

Can you provide this document? Im trying to install and getting an error on the 2nd stage of the install. 

What kind of error are you getting? I tried to install to a 5TB HDD in a USB 3.0 enclosure and sat on the initial loading screen with the Atari logo and the spinning dots. After trying a new flash drive, I was able to get Windows installed, but not on the HDD. I've reached out to Atari for some help on this and they have told me that there are some issues with some external media not installing Windows 10 properly. I can update this thread when I find out more info on what the issue is and when it's solved.

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