How do I do a clean install of windows 10?

[Miles_13]

Hey, I recently upgraded motherboards and have been having some issues. A lot of people have been telling me to do a clean install of windows 10. How would I go about this if I already have windows 10 working? Also, what exactly does a clean install of windows mean? Thanks

 

[Colif]

Is win 10 currently activated? Normally if you swap motherboards it will deactivate unless licence is tied to email address. Check in settings/update & security/activation, what does it say next to activation?

Clean install wipes hdd and reinstalls win 10 like its brand new. It means you should backup anything on drive you want to keep.

to clean install, you do this:
download the Windows 10 media creation tool and use it to make a win 10 installer on USB

change boot order in BIOS so USB is first, hdd second
boot from installer
follow this guide: http://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/1950-windows-10-clean-install.html

when you reach the screen asking for licence, click "I don't have a key" and win 10 will continue to install and reactivate once finished

On the screen where you choose where to install win 10, if it gives you an error about GPT drives, delete all the partitions on the hdd and press next. If it still gives error, cancel out of the installer and restart PC and start installer again, it will accept next on that screen this time (some PC just need a restart here)

 

[Ralston18]

There are numberous tutorial sites online. E.g.:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wiki/windows_10-windows_install/clean-install-windows-10/1c426bdf-79b1-4d42-be93-17378d93e587

Google "how to clean install Windows 10" or use similar words and phrases to match your PC environment.

Select two or three procedures that you like and then use those procedures to plan out a custom step-by-step plan that meets your requirements.

However I suggest that you at least post the current issues that you are having.

Try to be as descriptive as possible. Error codes, warning, pop-up windows, etc. can be very helpful with troubleshooting and identifying a specific problem

For example: Windows 10 Home or Professional? What version of Windows 10 are you using?

Have you run any of the built in Windows Troubleshooters?

Going deeper: What make and model motherboard?

May be some other viable solution that does not require a clean install.

 

[exroofer]

1) A clean install means that you install Windows to a blank drive, with no leftover files that may conflict.
2) I actually JUST did this yesterday , so it's fresh in my mind lol.
- Create a Windows install media iso, on a blank DVD, or USB thumb drive.
- You can go directly to Windows support to do this, i did it without ever opening my new Windows DVD I ordered to go with my new build.
3) Insert DVD/ USB drive as appropriate, for me all I had to do was click on it in my UEFI bios ( Asus)
4) Windows install starts, select install rather than upgrade, type in Win 10 key when asked, and away it went.

The reason you do this is for one, an OEM Windows license is tied to the motherboard, using the same one on another mobo can be problematic, and likely won't be considered a valid copy.
As well, when you boot up what is basically a new system using the old Windows install, a lot of the registry keys are wrong, and even if you uninstall all the old chipset and other drivers, it is highly likely that remnants will be left behind, and cause problems. Which will be almost impossible to fix.

You "may" be able to use your license key from the copy of windows you own now. And still do a clean install.
But I certainly never count on that working.
If your current Windows license is a "retail" version, you CAN do this.
Retail versions cost about twice as much as OEM versions.

 

[USAFRet]

You "may" be able to use your license key from the copy of windows you own now. And still do a clean install.
But I certainly never count on that working.
If your current Windows license is a "retail" version, you CAN do this.
Retail versions cost about twice as much as OEM versions.

With Win 10, this has mostly gone out the window.
Read here:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-3164428/windows-build-1607-activation.html

 

[Colif]

4) Windows install starts, select install rather than upgrade, type in Win 10 key when asked, and away it went.

The reason you do this is for one, an OEM Windows license is tied to the motherboard, using the same one on another mobo can be problematic, and likely won't be considered a valid copy.
As well, when you boot up what is basically a new system using the old Windows install, a lot of the registry keys are wrong, and even if you uninstall all the old chipset and other drivers, it is highly likely that remnants will be left behind, and cause problems. Which will be almost impossible to fix.

You "may" be able to use your license key from the copy of windows you own now. And still do a clean install.
But I certainly never count on that working.
If your current Windows license is a "retail" version, you CAN do this.
Retail versions cost about twice as much as OEM versions.

No, don't enter key at step 4. You don't need it... licence details are stored by MS servers now.

OEM status is different now, If the previous install of win was an upgrade from win 7 or 8, then you can move the licence across to new motherboard.
If you make a PC and put win 10 OEm on it, you can move it also
If the PC came with win 10 pre installed from a big OEM like Dell, then you might be correct, the only OEM you cannot move are pre installs from big OEM,

The only big difference between retail and OEM now is likely how many times you can move the installs

He may be able to do the 2nd part of this and reactivate PC via his email address - Reactivating win 10 after new hardware

If he finds PC is inactivated once win 10 is reinstalled, he needs to go to settings/update & security/recovery and at bottom of the screen it will have contact details for Microsoft and he needs to talk to them, explain situation and they may swap the licence over - helps to have key for this.

 

[Miles_13]

Is win 10 currently activated? Normally if you swap motherboards it will deactivate unless licence is tied to email address. Check in settings/update & security/activation, what does it say next to activation?

Clean install wipes hdd and reinstalls win 10 like its brand new. It means you should backup anything on drive you want to keep.

to clean install, you do this:
download the Windows 10 media creation tool and use it to make a win 10 installer on USB

change boot order in BIOS so USB is first, hdd second
boot from installer
follow this guide: http://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/1950-windows-10-clean-install.html

when you reach the screen asking for licence, click "I don't have a key" and win 10 will continue to install and reactivate once finished

On the screen where you choose where to install win 10, if it gives you an error about GPT drives, delete all the partitions on the hdd and press next. If it still gives error, cancel out of the installer and restart PC and start installer again, it will accept next on that screen this time (some PC just need a restart here)

In activation it says windows is activated

 

[Colif]

okay, you should be able to clean install following those instructions above.

 

[exroofer]

Oh that's really nice to know about Windows portability guys!.
I personally had another reason to get a new license, because the plan is to sell all my old hardware to a friend for cheap, and I wanted to make sure he could use the license from that install, since his budget is considerably more limited.
Which is why I entered my new key, so this install would definitely be a unique one. Pretty sure they wouldn't let you have two machines running and online at the same time, with both of them reporting the same license.

This is why I come to Tom's. To learn new stuff!
It's good to know Windows is a lot more generous about this.

Thanks again folks.