Windows 10: Windows 10 Retail USB Drive

I just purchased a retail Windows 10 USB package from Microsoft and it arrived in a few days. The USB is write-protected and displays Read Only in the Disk Management GUI, this protects the USB drive from being written or formatted since it contains valuable Windows 10 software. This write protected USB also doesn't allow me to change the drive letter or path because the "Change Drive Letter and Paths..." option is grayed out. Why can't I reassign this USB drive to another drive letter like I can with a normal flash drive?

:)

 

Unable to creating Windows 10 media

Hi,

I purchased retail box Windows 10 Pro came with USB flash drive but version is 10.0.10240 only then I downloaded latest version 10.15063 Media Creation Tool from Microsoft. I plug in Windows 10 retail USB flash drive then I launch Media Creation Tool but
it won't creating Windows 10 media on my retail Windows 10 USB flash drive (see screenshot).

 

Windows 10 Boxed version

Is it possible to replace the retail Windows 10 USB drive through 800-360-7561 if it ever fails? The USB drive is an sensitive electronic device that can be damaged if there is a voltage surge on the USB port.

 

My guess is that MS write-protected it because MS does not want you using it like a normal flash drive; instead, they want you to use it ONLY to install Windows 10.

 

That is weird, that you can't change the drive letter. Did it come with a printed license key? I would say you have two options:

1. If it came with a printed license key, just make your own USB with the Windows Media Creation Tool and enter the retail key when asked for it when you install from the USB that you made.

2. If it did not come with a printed key - install Windows 10 from the purchased USB. Use a product key sniffer (such as produkey or Belarc Advisor) to get the Windows 10 key (which should be a unique one for a retail version). Then go back to step 1, if still desired.

 

It came with a printed license key card inside the box.

 

why would you need to change the USB drive letter, when booted it is X
the write protect is just a flag and easily removed..

It is there to protect itself, from being over-written, or from user error that can cause it to be over-written..

I assume you purchased windows 10 - because you did not have a prior qualifying OS, that could have been upgraded for free..

 

Do I need to enter the Windows 10 product key each time I reinstall Windows 10 from this USB included in the box?

 

Since it is tied to your activation, yes...
And it will only activate on the PC it was first installed on..

 

Look for a PID.txt file in the sources folder. If there is one, it likely has that key in it. If it's there your key will be entered automatically. I do this on my install thumb drives. I'll be surprised if you find one though. If it's there that makes that thumb drive only usable on the one PC.

 

Since it's a Retail license it can be moved to another PC and activated. The process may involve calling Microsoft, but it can be done.

 

Is there a way make a sector by sector copy of the original read-only Windows 10 USB drive to another writable USB flash drive of the same capacity? The original drive is 16GB and has a maximum read speed of 30mb/sec and the blank USB drive has 100mb/sec.Attachment 29686

 

No. It is a retail license key. The retail license is transferrable to other computers - to meet legal requirements it just has to be removed from the previous computer first.

 

Does it have 32 bit and 64 bit versions of one flavor of Windows 10, either Home or Pro? If so, it should just be the exact same ISO you would get from Windows Media Creation Tool. Create a USB memory stick by selecting both the 32 bit and 64 bit versions of either Home or Pro with Media Creation Tool and make a the USB directly from within the program and I'll bet you get exactly the same image as on the purchased USB version.

Or try this:
alex USB Image Tool

 

It has both 32-bit and 64-bit and also Home and Pro and one is selected based on the product key entered. If I skip entering the license key it prompts to choose either Home or Pro and if I select the same edition on the same PC that already had Windows 8.1 and was upgraded to Windows 10 previously during the first year it activates automatically.