Installing a new operating system and computer setup.
Installing a new operating system and computer setup.
The case lacks an optical drive, so you'll need to set up a USB installation for Windows 8.1.
Use a machine equipped with an optical disk reader. Place the Windows disc inside and generate an ISO image from there. With the ISO ready, employ utilities such as Microsoft ISO to USB tool to transfer it onto a USB stick, making it bootable. http://wudt.codeplex.com/ You might also purchase a USB-compatible DVD player, connect it, insert the Windows disc, and install Windows. This method may be slower because of the drive speed versus a USB flash drive. If your system is brand new, start from the USB stick (or external drive) using UEFI. Ensure CSM is turned off in the UEFI settings and that your SATA controller operates in AHCI mode (unless you have RAID enabled, then select RAID later). CSM stands for Compatibility Mode in UEFI; disabling it speeds up booting. This advice applies to Windows 8 and newer versions. Windows 7 lacks full UEFI support.
When purchasing Windows 8 through the online store, you should receive a utility for downloading the ISO and generating a bootable DVD or USB drive. Microsoft also provides its own tool that functions similarly—just enter your Product Key: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windo...resh-media
Run Rufus on Windows 8.1, select the USB drive, and click the button to start the installation. Once complete, insert the USB into your PC and boot from it. Continue using F8 until the boot menu appears, then choose USB as the startup option. If your PC is new, you might need to format the drive first.