Question How can i replicate a windows reinstall on the C drive without downloading a new image file?

[Phil Holm]

Hi, this is a weird question. But i need to run some windows 11 debloating softwares which obviously require a fresh install, except my laptop already took the whole day updating itself to windows 11 today and downloading the image file from the microsoft website says it'll take 7 hours.

So I've been thinking if resetting the pc would offer a similiar result to formatting and installing a fresh windows install. If not, what else can i do? I dont care about losing files, as i have everything important backed up somewhere else.

 

[USAFRet]

Hi, this is a weird question. But i need to run some windows 11 debloating softwares which obviously require a fresh install, except my laptop already took the whole day updating itself to windows 11 today and downloading the image file from the microsoft website says it'll take 7 hours.

So I've been thinking if resetting the pc would offer a similiar result to formatting and installing a fresh windows install. If not, what else can i do? I dont care about losing files, as i have everything important backed up somewhere else.

On a different drive, you could make a clone.

Or an Image.

But you can't Image or Clone to the same C drive.

 

[Phil Holm]

If theres any way for me to locate the downloaded image file (if theres any) from the windows updater, that would work too

 

[USAFRet]

If theres any way for me to locate the downloaded image file (if theres any) from the windows updater, that would work too

Not sure what you mean with "downloaded image file".

 

[Phil Holm]

On a different drive, you could make a clone.

Or an Image.

But you can't Image or Clone to the same C drive.

oooh yes that sounds good. But is a cloned image as clean as a fresh install?

 

[USAFRet]

oooh yes that sounds good. But is a cloned image as clean as a fresh install?

A clone or image is an exact replica of the system at the moment you cloned it.

 

[TerryLaze]

Hi, this is a weird question. But i need to run some windows 11 debloating softwares which obviously require a fresh install, except my laptop already took the whole day updating itself to windows 11 today and downloading the image file from the microsoft website says it'll take 7 hours.

So I've been thinking if resetting the pc would offer a similiar result to formatting and installing a fresh windows install. If not, what else can i do? I dont care about losing files, as i have everything important backed up somewhere else.

Resetting the laptop will set it back to the way it was when you got it, so windows 10 or whatever it had when the system restore image was made(by the OEM) .

You should start with telling us the exact model number of the laptop so that people that have it or know about it can give you some possible alternatives.
Like maybe the laptop website could have an updated reset image that is based on win11 (but don't hold your breath)

 

[SkyNetRising]

But i need to run some windows 11 debloating softwares which obviously require a fresh install,

Fresh install is fresh install. It doesn't contain any bloat.
Why would you need to do debloat on a fresh install? (unless you think of some windows components as bloat, do you?)

if resetting the pc would offer a similiar result to formatting and installing a fresh windows install.
If not, what else can i do?

Create windows install media and do clean install then.

https://www.tomshardware.com/how-to/clean-install-windows-11

 

[Phil Holm]

Fresh install is fresh install. It doesn't contain any bloat.
Why would you need to do debloat on a fresh install? (unless you think of some windows components as bloat, do you?)

Create windows install media and do clean install then.

https://www.tomshardware.com/how-to/clean-install-windows-11

yes, i do consider many of the preinstalled software in windows 11 as bloat. And this laptop already has a tough enough time as is.

i decided just to clean install somehow. Its the safest and easiest option.

 

[Phil Holm]

btw is there a way to transfer the keys from my activated windows to the freshly installed one?
i really dont wanna deal with a watermark after all this

 

[USAFRet]

btw is there a way to transfer the keys from my activated windows to the freshly installed one?
i really dont wanna deal with a watermark after all this

Maybe.

Please give us a little deeper description of what, exactly, you are wanting to do.

Also, where did the OS install come from?
This is the preinstalled OS on a laptop?

 

[Phil Holm]

Maybe.

Please give us a little deeper description of what, exactly, you are wanting to do.

Also, where did the OS install come from?
This is the preinstalled OS on a laptop?

I'm going to format my hard drive and install a fresh copy of windows 11 using the media creation tool.

The current windows 10 pro was preinstalled in this laptop, probably by the corporation i got the laptop from.
Its from a local brand called Doel that im pretty sure discontinued.

I want to know if i can transfer the windows activation keys from this windows 10 pro to the windows 11 im installing.

It says in the settings that it was activated with a digital license.

I also have the option to upgrade to windows 11 through windows update, tho I'd prefer the clean install.

 

[USAFRet]

I'm going to format my hard drive and install a fresh copy of windows 11 using the media creation tool.

The current windows 10 pro was preinstalled in this laptop, probably by the corporation i got the laptop from.
Its from a local brand called Doel that im pretty sure discontinued.

I want to know if i can transfer the windows activation keys from this windows 10 pro to the windows 11 im installing.

It says in the settings that it was activated with a digital license.

I also have the option to upgrade to windows 11 through windows update, tho I'd prefer the clean install.

It came with Win 10.
You wish to install Win 11.

What you should do is a two stage operation.
1. Inplace Upgrade to Win 11. This will, barring any other weirdness, give a valid Win 11 install and activation.

2. Then do a full wipe and reinstall of a bare Win 11.

The current windows 10 pro was preinstalled in this laptop, probably by the corporation i got the laptop from.

This part may be problematic. The current Win 10 'license' may or may not be transferable to you.

 

[Phil Holm]

It came with Win 10.
You wish to install Win 11.

What you should do is a two stage operation.
1. Inplace Upgrade to Win 11. This will, barring any other weirdness, give a valid Win 11 install and activation.

2. Then do a full wipe and reinstall of a bare Win 11.



This part may be problematic. The current Win 10 'license' may or may not be transferable to you.

I'd argue step 2 makes step 1 irrelevant. But its worth a try. Thank you for all the help tho, much appreciated ❤️.

 

[USAFRet]

I'd argue step 2 makes step 1 irrelevant. But its worth a try. Thank you for all the help tho, much appreciated ❤️.

Step 1 prevents any issue about the current Win 10 license transferring to Win 11.
Step 2 is to get rid of ANYTHING that previously existed.

 

[TerryLaze]

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...sVersion=Windows_11&windowsversion=windows_11

You can also link your microsoft account to your license, that way whatever happens anytime you connect with your account on any PC you will have access to a licensed windows.

It came with Win 10.
You wish to install Win 11.

What you should do is a two stage operation.
1. Inplace Upgrade to Win 11. This will, barring any other weirdness, give a valid Win 11 install and activation.

2. Then do a full wipe and reinstall of a bare Win 11.



This part may be problematic. The current Win 10 'license' may or may not be transferable to you.

First post says that the laptop just finished updating to windows 11, so the one thing he should do is to check if the license got transferred .

 

[USAFRet]

First post says that the laptop just finished updating to windows 11

AH.
Missed that part.