1.1Install & configure Windows
The essentials in 30 seconds
- A "ready" Windows workstation is not enough to get started: it must be up to date, protected, named according to a convention and documented in a sheet.
- The installation is guided; the real work comes afterwards — the right account type, the machine name, the network, then Windows Update all the way through.
- For a fleet, we standardise: a master workstation configured once, a reference image deployed to the others.
Rolling mini-case — Sofiane prepares a workstation for the sales team
Sofiane, a support technician in an SME distributor in Algiers, has to equip a new salesperson. He starts by preparing a bootable USB drive with the Media Creation Tool and checks that the PC meets the prerequisites (TPM, Secure Boot for Windows 11). The installation is guided, but Sofiane knows the real work comes afterwards: he creates the right account (a work account for the SME), names the machine according to the convention PC-SALES-03, connects it to the network, then runs Windows Update until there is nothing left. He finishes with the missing drivers (printer) and the antivirus, and notes the configuration in a sheet. He keeps the rule in mind: you don't deliver a machine that boots, you deliver a workstation that is up to date, protected, named and documented.
Standalone case for this section: it returns in the course, the diagram, the script and the 48h challenge of section 1.1.
1. Preparing the installation
A Windows installation starts with bootable media — a USB drive created with the Media Creation Tool — and with backing up the data if you are reinstalling an existing machine. Sofiane checks that the workstation meets the prerequisites (TPM, Secure Boot for Windows 11) and notes in advance what will be needed: account, machine name, network. Preparation avoids nasty surprises in the middle of an installation.
2. Install, then configure
The installation itself is guided: language, partitioning, file copying, reboots. The real work comes afterwards: creating the right account type (local for a standalone machine, work account for the SME), naming the machine according to the company convention, connecting the network, then running Windows Update until there is nothing left to install.
3. Drivers, business software and security
Next you install the missing drivers (chipset, network card, printer), then the business software and security (antivirus, disk encryption). A "ready" workstation is one that is up to date, protected, correctly named and documented — not merely one that boots. Sofiane closes every installation with a summary sheet that can be reused in case of an incident.
🔎 Concrete example — 🔎 Concrete example — Deploying five identical workstations
Sofiane receives five identical new PCs for the sales department. An efficient approach:
1 "master" workstation configured by hand → reference image
→ deployment of the image to the other 4
→ customisation (name, user) on eachReading: you configure once, you replicate — that is the principle behind images and deployment.
Lesson: for a fleet, you standardise; for a standalone workstation, manual installation is enough.
Section vocabulary
- Bootable media
- A medium (USB drive) that lets you start the installation of a system.
Simple example: Sofiane prepares a drive with the Media Creation Tool before touching the workstation.
What it is not: a simple folder of Windows files copied to a USB drive.
Reflex: install → bootable media first.
- Partition
- Logical division of a disk; Windows installs on a partition.
Simple example: Sofiane checks the partitions before launching the file copy.
What it is not: a disk left raw, with no space defined for the system.
Reflex: the system needs a partition.
- Windows Update
- Service that delivers Windows security and feature updates.
Simple example: Sofiane runs it until there is nothing left before delivering.
What it is not: a workstation delivered with pending patches.
Reflex: ready workstation → Windows Update at zero.
- Driver
- Software that lets Windows talk to a hardware component.
Simple example: Sofiane installs the missing printer driver for the salesperson.
What it is not: hardware plugged in but recognised without linking software.
Reflex: silent hardware → look for the driver.
- Reference image
- A copy of a standard workstation, duplicated to deploy several identical machines.
Simple example: Sofiane deploys his master workstation's image to the other 4 PCs.
What it is not: reconfiguring each machine entirely by hand.
Reflex: fleet → deploy a reference image.
In practice — In practice — "Ready workstation" checklist
- Install Windows from a drive and create the right account, like Sofiane.
- Name the machine according to a clear convention (e.g. PC-ACCOUNTING-01).
- Connect the network and run Windows Update all the way through.
- Install drivers, antivirus and business software, then note the configuration in a sheet.
Step-by-step script — prepare a workstation like Sofiane (5 min)
1) Prepare a bootable USB drive with the Media Creation Tool and back up the data. 2) Check the prerequisites (TPM, Secure Boot) then run the guided installation. 3) Create the right account and name the machine according to the convention (e.g. PC-SALES-03). 4) Connect the network and run Windows Update until there is nothing left. 5) Install drivers, antivirus and business software, then write the installation sheet.
Keep this sheet: it serves as a reusable base for any new workstation and for image deployment.
Copy-paste template — my "ready workstation" checklist
[ ] Bootable media prepared (Media Creation Tool)
[ ] Data backed up before reinstallation
[ ] Prerequisites checked (TPM, Secure Boot)
[ ] Correct account created (local or work)
[ ] Machine named according to the convention (e.g. PC-SALES-03)
[ ] Network connected
[ ] Windows Update run all the way through
[ ] Drivers, antivirus and business software installed
[ ] Configuration noted in a sheetStandalone workstation
Sofiane manually installs a self-contained PC: the guided installation is enough, with no deployment.
Fleet of identical workstations
Sofiane configures a master workstation and deploys a reference image to the other machines.
Work account
For the Algiers SME, Sofiane creates a work account managed centrally.
Document
Whatever the case, Sofiane finishes with an installation sheet reusable in case of an incident.
✓ Best practices
- Always finish with Windows Update before delivering.
- Name the machines according to a clear convention.
- Document each workstation (installation sheet).
✗ Common pitfalls
- Delivering a workstation that is not up to date.
- Forgetting the drivers (network, printer).
- Reinstalling without having backed up the data.
Key takeaways
- Bootable media + prerequisites (TPM, Secure Boot) prepare the installation.
- The real work is the configuration: account, name, network, updates.
- A "ready" workstation is up to date, protected, named and documented.
- For a fleet, you deploy a reference image.
48h challenge — apply it tomorrow
Prepare a "ready workstation" checklist like Sofiane for a real workstation in your fleet: bootable media, account type, naming convention, network, Windows Update, drivers and installation sheet. In one sentence, write what would make a delivered workstation "not finished".
- I can install Windows and configure it up to an operational workstation.
- I know the prerequisites and the role of bootable media.
- I know what distinguishes a workstation that is up to date, protected, named and documented.
Frequently asked questions
Local account or work account?
In a business, you favour a work account (Entra ID / domain) for centralised management; a local account suits a standalone machine. The choice depends on the infrastructure in place.
Do you really have to update everything during installation?
Yes: a workstation that is not up to date is vulnerable and unstable. Windows Update delivers the security patches — this is non-negotiable before handing the machine back to a user.
What distinguishes a workstation that is truly ready to be delivered?