2 Questions about installing Windows 10

[Kusky]

I have two questions I want to ask. One being when I downloaded Windows 10, I had the option to download it as an ISO to USB. What's an ISO? Would that mean when I make a new PC build, I could stick a USB in with the said windows ISO and it would install windows 10 without a previous OS?

My second question is when I first downloaded it I opted for the delete everything option. But afterwards space in my HDD was still pretty full. So I did a fresh restore in the control panel. Would that count as a "clean" base install everyone yaps on about, or is my Windows 10 essentially still just sitting on top of Windows 7. Sorry If I'm being confusing 😛

 

[bignastyid]

An ISO is an image of an optical disc(cd, dvd, bluray). "I could stick a USB in with the said windows ISO and it would install windows 10 without a previous OS" if you have a valid win 10 key, yes, you can. I think the fresh restore option does do a clean install.

 

[cdabc123]

if it was full i bet there is still old information on the disk. to do a completely clean install delete the partition's when installing windows and install it then.

 

[1haplo]

A ISO is a image of a DVD, Think of a zip file of the disk. if you download the ISO you can use the ISO to create a DVD, or use the windows 7 USB tool to create a bootable USB.

If you want to do a clean install of windows 10, make sure you do the upgrade FIRST and make sure the system is connected to the Internet and Windows is activated. If you do not do this you will not be able to activate Windows 10 without a product key.. That said...

If you want to do a clean install boot to the disk ( DVD or USB) and when you get to upgrade or custom, choose custom. it will list the partitions in your system and disk 0 should be the primary disk with windows on it. Delete all the partitions on disk 0 (Unless you have a large drive and have it partitioned into a data partition) and then install on the unallocated space.
That will install windows on a blank drive

Remember if you delete the partitions the data is gone. if its not backed up its gone.

I AM NOT RESPONSABLE FOR YOUR DATA!!!

 

[MassEffectIT]

If your disk looks full, you may have a "windows.old" folder on your C: drive.
That folder is where Windows puts all of your old stuff (program files, data etc.).

WARNING: If you delete it, you lose ALL of your old files and programs.
However, if that is what you actually want, then you know what to do 😉