How to install Win-10 on a M/C that came with Win-11

Hello,

I got a brand new Dell Workstation 3660 with following specs.

i-7 12700
2 NVIDIA T-600 Cards To Run 8 Monitors
Win-11 Pro
Three M.2 NVMe 512GB where Win-11 is on one of them
Three 4TB SATA 5400 rpm HDD
Eight 24 inch Monitors ( 1920 x 1200 ) Resolution

I am running into lots of issues starting from day one when Dell guy installed the system & for last 3 weeks Dell engineers have worked on it online & in person & reinstalling Win-11 with no success even with a small issue like Microphone not working & Dell is not helping or responding to my emails. So I want to try something different.

Remove the NVMe that has Win-11.

Put the blank NVMe in that slot & Fresh Install Win-10 on it.

Will that work or am I going to create more problems ? Meaning which drivers will I have to change & where can I find some of those ? ( Graphics I can from NVIDIA ) but what about BIOS OR Chipset or Sound ( Realtek ) I can't install them from Dell because I got M/C with Windows-11.

I read up on How to download Win-10 iso from MS & create a bootable USB pen drive with Rufus. Would I need a key for Win-10 to install it or do I get a 30 day trial ?

Please help.

You can clean-install Windows 10 by using Brink instructions.


Obtaining Hardware ID's to help Identify Hardware
- Go to Start and type in "devmgmt.msc" (without the quotes) and press Enter
- Expand the "Unknown Device" category by clicking on the + sign to the left of it
- Right click on the "Unknown device" (if there's more than one, do this for all of them) and select Properties.
- Then select the Details tab.
- In the dropdown box, select "Hardware IDs" - and match the info to one of the following descriptions:
- - If the Hardware IDs description contains VEN_ and DEV_, then let us know the 4 characters immediately after the VEN_ and the 4 characters immediately after the DEV_
this is a PCI device and we'll look up the information at http://www.pcidatabase.com
- - If the Hardware IDs description contains VID_ and PID_, then let us know the 4 characters immediately after the VID_ and the 4 characters immediately after the PID_
this is a USB device and we'll look up the information at http://www.linux-usb.org/usb.ids
If you don't have those items in the Hardware IDs description, copy down the entire string of the first entry and include that with your next post.

It appears that Dell offers Windows 10 drivers for the workstation (Dell drivers), so there should be no issue going to Windows 10.

I'm not certain, but I expect that your Windows 11 license is embedded in the machine's BIOS and would activate 10.

I strongly suggest imaging your Windows SSD before doing much. I use Macrium Reflect Free, and recommend it.

My Dells came with Win10 Pro and Upgraded to Win11 Pro, Notebook in Oct. and Desktop in April. They with a Cloning feature in the Dell SupportAssist software and other things like Reset, Restore along with some built-in Troubleshooting things.

sean said:

Hello,

I got a brand new Dell Workstation 3660 with following specs.


I am running into lots of issues starting from day one when Dell guy installed the system &

Click to expand...

I don't know why you'd replace an OS on a "brand new" computer that had issues from day one instead of returning said PC for replacement? That makes no sense.

Additionally, how are you "so" sure Windows 11 is the culprit? on a day one PC that came out the store with issues? How do you know for sure there isn't a hardware issue with the PC?

Just seems to me you're listening to some Windows 11 nay-sayer push a false notion that somehow replacing the OS that should support the hardware it's installed on will fix a clearly faulty (according to your "day one" issues) PC that should be returned for replacement.

Good luck.

Dru2 said:

I don't know why you'd replace an OS on a "brand new" computer that had issues from day one instead of returning said PC for replacement? That makes no sense.

Click to expand...

They are removing the drive with Windows 11 and replacing it with a drive that they want to install Windows 10 on. IMHO, that's a good way to see if it's a problem with Windows 11 or the hardware. If they still have the problems all they have to do is replace the drive and return the computer.

Winuser said:

They are removing the drive with Windows 11 and replacing it with a drive that they want to install Windows 10 on. IMHO, that's a good way to see if it's a problem with Windows 11 or the hardware. If they still have the problems all they have to do is replace the drive and return the computer.

Click to expand...

And IMHO, I disagree and think the laptop should be replaced as explained. I see no reason to keep a brand-new PC that's been having problems from day one. As I said... it makes no sense. IMHO.

Take a note of your Service Tag. You can see it on a little sticker on the computer, or on the BIOS, or with a utility such as Aida64 or Speccy. If using Aida64 go to Computer -> DMI -> System and see the Serial Number or SKU value. Open Dell's site go to support, put your Service Tag to go to your specific model, then download ALL available drivers, even if Windows Update automatically finds and installs some of them. It doesn't harm to have them handy. Copy all drivers to a USB flash drive and then you can replace your disk and install Windows 10. If creating the USB flash drive with Rufus, select the UEFI (GPT) option to make sure it can boot on your computer. Also some NVMe drives can only boot in UEFI mode, not Legacy BIOS, so make sure your USB is UEFI bootable.

TIP: Disconnect your LAN cable so you have no internet access. This will allow you to create a local account instead of a Microsoft account to use after installation is complete. In Windows 11 Pro just click I don't have an Internet connection to create a local account. In Windows 11 Home you have to end task the Network configuration dialog to proceed. To do that press SHIFT+F10 to open a Command Prompt window. Then execute the command taskmgr to open Task Manager. Click on More details to reveal all tabs, go to Details tab, scroll down the list to find OOBE...network... task. Select it and click End Task. Close the Task Manager and Command Prompt windows. Now you should be offered to create a local account.

Once you are at the desktop, you can keep disconnected from the internet, use your USB to install all the drivers you downloaded earlier starting with the chipset driver and then go back online to activate Windows. You don't need any new license your Windows 11 license should automatically activate Windows 10 too. If Windows Setup didn't pick the Windows key from UEFI Firmware (BIOS) and you are prompted for a key, click I don't have a key and you should be asked for which version to install. Make sure you select the SAME version (Home or Pro) as your Windows 11 so it will find the appropriate data on Microsoft servers and activate once online.

I sincerely want to THANK each & everyone of you for being so kind & taking time to help me out.

There is lot to digest & learn.

The reason I want to try Win-10 is that other people have found same problems I have with Win-11. I am not removing Win-11. Just removing the NVMe that has Win-11 & place a blank NVMe in its place. So I will always have Win-11 just in case.