Question Erase and Install?

[Everson]

Hi, I tried searching to no avail. When doing a fresh re-install of 11, I choose the one that says it could take Hours, but everything will be gone, Well, it isn't. Clicking on Search brings up searches I have made. I assume it also doesn't remove any malware.

How can I erase every bit of everything and install a fresh version of 11? Is there a way to erase everything without the above method and then power on the computer and get a screen asking if I want to install 11?

AKA, skipping the "This will erase everything", which doesn't work?

Thanks for any help.

 

[USAFRet]

A clean install of Win 11?

How To - Windows 11 clean install tutorial

Windows 11 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows 11, version 23H2 or newer but can be equally applied to earlier versions which may have some basic differences in the screens you see but will largely remain similar in...

forums.tomshardware.com

Section II, Step 6 and 7 speak to deleting ALL existing partitions (and the data), and continuing with a blank drive.

 

[Everson]

Thanks, no luck. It did the same thing and I can still see searches I made previously.

So then I tried again and was stuck in a loop with all the screens, couldn't unhook the USB or it would instantly fail. When it looped for the 3rd time, I then unhooked the USB instead of going for a 4th try, and it immediately started the restore process...

Went through all the screens, deleted partitions I didn't want except for 1 that wouldn't let me delete it, then went ahead with the setup, making sure to start it as a new computer.

NOPE.

If I DBAN Nuke it, is there an option to reinstall Windows after I wipe it completely?

The Partition that couldn't be deleted and couldn't be installed to said "Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The selected disk has an MBR partition table. On EFI system, Windows can only be installed to GPT disks."

I found websites saying how to fix that, so maybe that's my problem... I'll probably try that because I have nothing to lose, just have to go through the Hour long getting rid of MS bloatware and arranging the settings again.

 

[USAFRet]

For a true clean install, you MUST delete ALL partitions.

And yes, it needs to be GPT.

 

[Everson]

Ok, Thanks... What about DBAN?

If I DBAN Nuke it, is there an option to reinstall Windows after I wipe it completely?

 

[Eximo]

Are you logging into the same Microsoft account? Those might just be your online backed up search history and preferences.

 

[USAFRet]

Ok, Thanks... What about DBAN?

If I DBAN Nuke it, is there an option to reinstall Windows after I wipe it completely?

Yes.
That is just like a fresh install on a brand new drive.

But, following the above link, you don't need to go that far.

 

[USAFRet]

Are you logging into the same Microsoft account? Those might just be your online backed up search history and preferences.

Yep.

 

[Everson]

Are you logging into the same Microsoft account? Those might just be your online backed up search history and preferences.

Yeah, but I select to proceed with a New Install. It gives me no choice but signing in, unlike versions of 10 I remember

 

[Everson]

Yes.
That is just like a fresh install on a brand new drive.

But, following the above link, you don't need to go that far.

Ok Thanks

 

[USAFRet]

Yeah, but I select to proceed with a New Install. It gives me no choice but signing in, unlike versions of 10 I remember

If you have your data synced with your MS account, that is what will happen.

It ties things like your search history to your MS account.

In the NEW PC, those things still appear.

 

[Everson]

Ok, Side note... Just starting to explore Macrium. Is that Legit, AKA something that works, unlike MS System Restore?

 

[Everson]

If you have your data synced with your MS account, that is what will happen.

It ties things like your search history to your MS account.

In the NEW PC, those things still appear.

I don't care so much if the search history stays, but that's an Indicator on whether the rest of the process worked or not.

 

[USAFRet]

I don't care so much if the search history stays, but that's an Indicator on whether the rest of the process worked or not.

If you actually DELETE all previous partitions, nothing of the original install remains on that drive.
What may live attached to your MS account is different.


Again...DELETE ALL existing partitions, and continue with the install.

 

[Everson]

If you actually DELETE all previous partitions, nothing of the original install remains on that drive.
What may live attached to your MS account is different.


Again...DELETE ALL existing partitions, and continue with the install.

I'll do the GPT fix as needed, but then will try the Local Account only option I found here.

 

[USAFRet]

I'll do the GPT fix as needed, but then will try the Local Account only option I found here.

You may likely need to do the actual activation with your MS account.
This will do the actual license activation and verification.

After that, you can create a Local account, and use that.
That is literally what I do.


But yes, for a clean install you NED to DELETE all existing partitions.

 

[Everson]

You may likely need to do the actual activation with your MS account.
This will do the actual license activation and verification.

After that, you can create a Local account, and use that.
That is literally what I do.


But yes, for a clean install you NED to DELETE all existing partitions.

Ok, but I need to see my search history gone as an indicator that everything else worked, like all the Trojans or Keyloggers or whatever were taken care of. I'll find out with a fresh install. If I switch to a local account and the history is gone, I will be confident it all worked.

I don't know if you work for MS, but they are almost impossible to contact for Xbox issues alone, I don't need an account with them for anything else.

Bout to put a few .308 rounds in this thing and get a Linux system.

 

[USAFRet]

Ok, but I need to see my search history gone as an indicator that everything else worked, like all the Trojans or Keyloggers or whatever were taken care of. I'll find out with a fresh install. If I switch to a local account and the history is gone, I will be confident it all worked.

I don't know if you work for MS, but they are almost impossible to contact for Xbox issues alone, I don't need an account with them for anything else.

Bout to put a few .308 rounds in this thing and get a Linux system.

No, I do NOT work for MS, in any way.

But if you actually delete all existing partitions and then continue with the install, everything is gone gone gone.
No files, trojans, keyloggers, etc, etc, etc.

BUT...if you have previously synced data to you MS account, that may well appear in the new install.


What you CAN do to 100% ensure nothing on the 'old drive' survives, is to install to a brand new drive.

 

[Everson]

Yeah... This is from Duckduckgo's AI... "To remove all backups from your Microsoft account, go to account.microsoft.com/devices, sign in, and under Cloud synced settings, click on the option to clear stored settings. Confirm the action to delete all backups associated with your account."

I'll do that, then do the Partition fix, then do a clean re-install.

Thanks for your help

Aaron

USA Ret / Dis