How to install included Windows 8.1 on OptiPlex 3020

You can also upgrade to Windows 10 Pro directly from the current Windows 7 Professional install:

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/upgrading-to-windows-10/

Thanks for the reply suggesting installing Windows 8.1 from the CD.

The catch is the 3020 Micro doesn't come with a disk drive so the Win 8.1 Pro CD that shipped with the machine is all but useless.  Also, the CD says the Win 8.1 Pro install files are already on the hard drive, so I wouldn't think I should have to go to great lengths to trigger the installation.

Surely there is a shortcut or a file somewhere to trigger the Win 8.1 Pro setup process?  If not, why would Dell ship this computer with a CD rather than a USB drive containing Win 8.1 Pro?

Am I just not clever enough to figure this out or has Dell made this unnecessarily difficult to do?

Thanks

You have Windows 8.1 Pro with downgrade rights to Windows 7 Professional. The drive is imaged with Windows 7 Professional and not Windows 8.1 Pro. It will have a UEFI BIOS SLP key for Windows 8.1 Pro however. The Windows 8.1 Pro .iso is downloadable, you can make a Bootable USB and then install Windows 8.1 Pro:

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/download-windows-8-1-retail-and-oem-iso/

Alternatively you can upgrade to Windows 10 Pro as mentioned before.

You have Windows 8.1 Pro with downgrade rights to Windows 7 Professional. The drive is imaged with Windows 7 Professional and not Windows 8.1 Pro. It will have a UEFI BIOS SLP key for Windows 8.1 Pro however. The Windows 8.1 Pro .iso is downloadable, you can make a Bootable USB and then install Windows 8.1 Pro: http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/download-windows-8-1-retail-and-oem-iso/ Alternatively you can upgrade to Windows 10 Pro as mentioned before.

Thanks!

I will give this a try.   I believe this is the answer I was looking for.

*** A HUGE suggestion to DELL.    Include the bootable 8.1 USB drive with the computer!   Supplying a CD with a computer that doesn't come with a CD drive is annoying to customers.    Also telling customers that the 8.1 install files are on the machine already, but not telling them if or how they can trigger the Windows 8.1 setup using these files is also extremely annoying. 

This experience has changed my opinion of Dell.  Dell was my go-to company for computers for myself and for others I assist.  However, the hassle and time wasted trying to have the advertised Windows 8.1 Pro operating system running on this new computer meant we missed the in-service date for this computer.  I will think twice before I turn to Dell for my next purchase.  - This is an extremely basic thing - Dell advertises that the computer comes with the license and an option to put Windows 8.1 Pro on it, but gives the user absolutely now way or directions on how to do it.    ..I am not impressed !

In the box there should have been a little pamphlet on how to put Windows 8.1 on the computer along with a bootable USB drive that could be used to do this. 

NATAKUC4 - thank you for your help!   Sincerely.