Initial Workstation configuration with MS Windows 10 20H2 (part 1) - Installation

It’s quite often I need to configure a new system manually or reinstall Windows after something broke, where I need identical setup of my most used workstations - my desktop computer and my laptop. In this article, I document every option/setting I go through before I declare that workstation as “ready to use”.

While I could do the following easier by using Domain GPOs (by joining my lab domain) or another more sophisticated tool, I find this procedure soothing!

I will update these articles after each Windows 10 releases, so keep coming back after a new release lands.

Disclaimer: These settings are only applied to my set up, and turn off systems and services that might be useful to you. Do not follow this guide blindly - use your discretion and actual use case and decide if you need a particular setting or not.

In this first part, we will tackle the pre-installation and post-installation settings as well as notes to update and activate your Windows installation. Part 2 will include Windows settings from the Settings menu, while part 3 makes adjustments to other settings as well as application-specific selections and settings. Finally, part 4 is for more hard-to-reach settings that need group policy, command line, and registry tinkering.

So without further ado here’s part 1 of a 4-part series:

Before Installation

• Language to install: English (United States)
• Time and currency format: Greek (Greece)
• Keyboard or input method: US
• Click Install now
• Select the operating system you want to install: Windows 10 Enterprise
• Accept the license terms, click Next
• Which type of installation do you want?: Custom
• Delete all partitions on the disk
• Create a new partition with 20GB unallocated for Linux dual-boot.

First Boot after installation

• Let’s start with region. Is this right?: Choose Greece
• Is this the right keyboard layout?: Choose US
• Want to add a second keyboard layout?: Click Add layout
• What language do you want to use for your second keyboard layout?: Click Greek (Greece)
• What keyboard layout would you like to use?: Greek
• Connection
  • If you’re using wired internet disconnect your cable
  • If you’re using a Wifi connection choose I don't have internet
• Account
  • Click Domain join instead or I don't have internet
    • Click Continue with limited setup
• Who’s going to use this PC?: username
• Create a super memorable password: your_super_memorable_password
• Confirm your password: your_super_memorable_password
• Create security questions for this account
  • Available options:
    • What was your first pet’s name?
    • What’s the name of the city where you were born?
    • What was your childhood nickname?
    • What’s the name of the city where your parents met?
    • What’s the first name of your oldest cousin?
    • What’s the name of the first school you attended?
• Choose privacy settings for your device:
  • Do more with your voice: Don't use online speech recognition
  • Let Microsoft and apps use your location: No
  • Find my device: No
  • Send diagnostic data to Microsoft: Send Required diagnostic data
  • Improve inking & typing: No
  • Get tailored experiences with diagnostic data: No
  • Let apps use advertising ID: No

Update

Do a full Windows Update and App store app updates.

Activation

Activate Windows if needed as some settings need Windows to be activated

This concludes the first part of the setup guide. Continue on part 2

Thank you for reading! Be sure to share this post if you found it helpful and don’t hesitate to chat with me about it!

This post was first published on Stathis’ log book by Stathis Athanasiadis aka StatAth