[SOLVED] Clean reinstall of Windows 10 to SSD

[mihai.gioaba]

Hey,
I currently have a pc with Windows 10 pro on my 1tb HDD ( on my hdd I have two partitions: C - OS and D - music/games/photos etc.).
I recently bought a new SSD (Adata SU 650 240gb) which I already installed.
I want to do a fresh install of Windows 10 on the new SSD (I've just bought a serial key for Windows 10 Pro) because the one I'm currently using was installed last year by someone and the licence expired few months ago.
I also have an external HDD on which I already copied all the important files from D partition.
As far as I know the next steps are:

• go to microsoft website and download windows 10.
• download Media Creation Tool.
• create bootable usb stick (mine is 8 gb).
• turn off pc.
• unplug HDD and connect SSD (SSD is blank) to the same sata port the HDD used to be connected.
• plug the USB stick.
• turn on pc and go to bios; change SATA mode to AHCI and also change boot order ( usb stick should be the first one).
• save BIOS changes and reboot pc.
• install windows.

From here I am confused because I don't know exactly when to change the boot order again and plug the HDD back, in order to format it and use as storage drive.
Any help would be much appreciated!

 

[Ralston18]

Start here:

https://forums.tomshardware.com/faq...nstall-of-windows-10-after-upgrading.2418875/

 

[Deleted member 14196]

you can format the old drive later. follow the Clean install instructions

 

[Colif]

follow this guide: https://forums.tomshardware.com/faq/how-to-do-a-clean-installation-of-windows-10.3170366/

turn on pc and go to bios; change SATA mode to AHCI and also change boot order ( usb stick should be the first one).

the last step, make USB 1st in order, what motherboard do you have as some have a feature that lets you boot off a device once and then it swaps to defaults. If your motherboard has such a feature, making ssd 1st in order is better idea

Don't change boot order after its installed

plug hdd back in once you sure PC boots off ssd - after a few restarts.
make sure hdd not added to boot order in bios once its plugged in

boot into ssd, if there is nothing on hdd you want, we can get to the format stage without booting off USB

go to settings/update & security/recovery
under advanced startup, click restart now
PC restarts into windows recovery
Pick troubleshoot
Pick advanced
Pick Command Prompt
Type diskpart and press enter
Type list disk and press enter
This will show the list of drives currently attached to PC, make note of the drive number of the drive you want to wipe
If Disk 1 is the drive you want to clear, type select 1) and press enter. A message will confirm it is selected
Warning: Diskpart Erase/Clean will permanently erase/destroy all data on the selected drive. Please be certain that you are erasing the correct disk.
Once you sure its right disk, type Clean and press enter
The Command Prompt window will display the message "DiskPart succeeded in cleaning the disk". Close out of the Command Prompt window by clicking the red X in the upper right hand corner.

 

[mihai.gioaba]

follow this guide: https://forums.tomshardware.com/faq/how-to-do-a-clean-installation-of-windows-10.3170366/



the last step, make USB 1st in order, what motherboard do you have as some have a feature that lets you boot off a device once and then it swaps to defaults. If your motherboard has such a feature, making ssd 1st in order is better idea

Don't change boot order after its installed

plug hdd back in once you sure PC boots off ssd - after a few restarts.
make sure hdd not added to boot order in bios once its plugged in

boot into ssd, if there is nothing on hdd you want, we can get to the format stage without booting off USB

go to settings/update & security/recovery
under advanced startup, click restart now
PC restarts into windows recovery
Pick troubleshoot
Pick advanced
Pick Command Prompt
Type diskpart and press enter
Type list disk and press enter
This will show the list of drives currently attached to PC, make note of the drive number of the drive you want to wipe
If Disk 1 is the drive you want to clear, type select 1) and press enter. A message will confirm it is selected
Warning: Diskpart Erase/Clean will permanently erase/destroy all data on the selected drive. Please be certain that you are erasing the correct disk.
Once you sure its right disk, type Clean and press enter
The Command Prompt window will display the message "DiskPart succeeded in cleaning the disk". Close out of the Command Prompt window by clicking the red X in the upper right hand corner.

follow this guide: https://forums.tomshardware.com/faq/how-to-do-a-clean-installation-of-windows-10.3170366/



the last step, make USB 1st in order, what motherboard do you have as some have a feature that lets you boot off a device once and then it swaps to defaults. If your motherboard has such a feature, making ssd 1st in order is better idea

Don't change boot order after its installed

plug hdd back in once you sure PC boots off ssd - after a few restarts.
make sure hdd not added to boot order in bios once its plugged in

boot into ssd, if there is nothing on hdd you want, we can get to the format stage without booting off USB

go to settings/update & security/recovery
under advanced startup, click restart now
PC restarts into windows recovery
Pick troubleshoot
Pick advanced
Pick Command Prompt
Type diskpart and press enter
Type list disk and press enter
This will show the list of drives currently attached to PC, make note of the drive number of the drive you want to wipe
If Disk 1 is the drive you want to clear, type select 1) and press enter. A message will confirm it is selected
Warning: Diskpart Erase/Clean will permanently erase/destroy all data on the selected drive. Please be certain that you are erasing the correct disk.
Once you sure its right disk, type Clean and press enter
The Command Prompt window will display the message "DiskPart succeeded in cleaning the disk". Close out of the Command Prompt window by clicking the red X in the upper right hand corner.

My motherboard is Asrock AB350 Pro 4

 

[Colif]

it doesn't appear you have the ability to set a one off boot device so yeah, set USB as 1st
Just wanted to make sure.

your manual - http://asrock.pc.cdn.bitgravity.com/Manual/AB350 Pro4.pdf