How To Do A Clean Installation Of Windows 10

[joerosecpa]

If your applications are installed on the same drive as windows 10, they'll be wiped out right?

Correct.
Even if they weren't, they'd need to be reinstalled anyway.

thank you.

 

[Vishlod]

tip: dont make a password just leave it blank and u will not need to type it in all the time , if you live alone anyway this is good.

 

[jpe1701]

A lot of people in here are awfully friendly with that downvote button.

I know. I don't know why there is so much negativity. It's like a public service for this to be on with as many people as we see looking to know this.

 

[Darkbreeze]

That's because some people just have to be negative, no matter what. If you gave them a bag of gold, they'd complain that the bag was the wrong color.

 

[aquielisunari]

That's because some people just have to be negative, no matter what. If you gave them a bag of gold, they'd complain that the bag was the wrong color.

I don't mind getting a thumbs down. Can you say caveats? I have much to learn, as some can attest to. Even the advanced users are still learning because tech. is always evolving. Go ahead and explain how or why I was wrong. Constructive criticism is welcome in my book. A thumbs up's reason is a given but an empty negative vote is just that. Qualify it.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Constructive criticism is one thing. Irrelevant or unspecified negativity are wholly different. For example. I am a master automotive technician. I do NOT need Youtube tutorials on how to change spark plugs, on pretty much ANY kind of vehicle. But that doesn't mean I should go vote down or leave negative comments on the hundreds of Youtube videos or web tutorials on how to do this just because I can do it easily and might think that others should be able to as well.

 

[USAFRet]

Similar with me and aircraft.
If I were to see something factually incorrect, I might downvote it. But I'd also describe exactly how it is wrong.

And if it later turns out that *I* was wrong, I'd fess up. "Oops, my bad".

Not be a serial downvoter, just because the button exists.

Instructions and tutorials like this exist for a reason. Everyone has to start somewhere.
Tomorrow afternoon, there will a 14 year old somewhere on the planet, who is finishing up his very first parts assembly for his very first PC.
And having only experience with a playstation, he might ask..."Now what do I do?"
Here ya go...😉

 

[aptben]

If you think you'll cut some corners and reuse an old Win10 Boot media you created a year ago - think again. The build for download is always being updated with newer version. Download it again and you'll save some updates time after installation.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Well, not "always". The major updates are bi-annual. Spring and fall. Other updates are every Tuesday (Generally known as patch Tuesday, mostly, just as it's been since the days of Windows XP.)

Using newly created media is unlikely to include recent updates though. I think the installation ISOs are only updated monthly or bi-monthly so you're still going to have updates to do, but you are right that at least if you have very old installer media you'll avoid having to do at one major update anyhow.

 

[Christopher1]

The biggest problem with doing a clean installation of Windows 7 or 10 is the whole "I have to re-install all my apps!" issue that people run into.
If you have good backup policies that is fine but if you do not? Clean installing Windows 10 is a bad idea.

I have also found that annoyingly clean installing Windows 10 does NOT always solve various issues like the "Windows Spotlight wallpaper stops working!" issue.

 

[Darkbreeze]

That is not an installation related issue. That is a settings related issue. No computer I configure windows on every has that issue because they never see spotlight ads in the first place. I have never seen a single AD on any computer I've installed Windows 10 on. EVER. At ALL.

Further, I've never had any wallpaper or lock screen issues because after validating the installation I always create a local administrator account, or do it from the start, and there is no lock screen or any of the related spotlight wallpaper issues.

Unless you are talking about something which I am oblivious to, and that would indicate that clearly it's a non-issue if you configure your privacy and other settings the way most of us who do this regularly do it (Which includes banishing Cortana).

 

[Geef]

I half expected a single picture of a computer case sitting in the dish washer.

 

[kesh47a]

After selecting language and architecture (step 5 above in "creating installation media") and clicking next, I am not given the option of whether to create bootable flash media or create an ISO file (as stated in step 6). Instead, the program automatically tries to install the file on my computer's hard drive, which doesn't have sufficient space. What should I do? I want to install it onto a usb flash drive to use for a different pc (which I haven't purchased yet)
I'm using a cheap acer laptop running windows 8.1 32 bit.
Thanks

 

[USAFRet]

After selecting language and architecture (step 5 above in "creating installation media") and clicking next, I am not given the option of whether to create bootable flash media or create an ISO file (as stated in step 6). Instead, the program automatically tries to install the file on my computer's hard drive, which doesn't have sufficient space. What should I do? I want to install it onto a usb flash drive to use for a different pc (which I haven't purchased yet)
I'm using a cheap acer laptop running windows 8.1 32 bit.
Thanks

Can you provide a screenshot of this?

 

[kesh47a]

I'm not sure how to attach a file to a post. (I also don't know how to reply

 

[kesh47a]

After selecting language and architecture (step 5 above in "creating installation media") and clicking next, I am not given the option of whether to create bootable flash media or create an ISO file (as stated in step 6). Instead, the program automatically tries to install the file on my computer's hard drive, which doesn't have sufficient space. What should I do? I want to install it onto a usb flash drive to use for a different pc (which I haven't purchased yet)
I'm using a cheap acer laptop running windows 8.1 32 bit.
Thanks

Can you provide a screenshot of this?

I figured out how to reply...I was posting from the article page and you have to use the forum but how do you add pictures?

 

[Darkbreeze]

how do you add pictures?

http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2580030/detailed-instructions-posting-images-tom-hardware.html

 

[kesh47a]

how do you add pictures?

http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2580030/detailed-instructions-posting-images-tom-hardware.html

thanks!

 

[kesh47a]

After selecting language and architecture (step 5 above in "creating installation media") and clicking next, I am not given the option of whether to create bootable flash media or create an ISO file (as stated in step 6). Instead, the program automatically tries to install the file on my computer's hard drive, which doesn't have sufficient space. What should I do? I want to install it onto a usb flash drive to use for a different pc (which I haven't purchased yet)
I'm using a cheap acer laptop running windows 8.1 32 bit.
Thanks

Can you provide a screenshot of this?

Immediately after I click next, this shows up...

 

[kesh47a]

sorry I tried using a google photos link to embed images in my post but I guess it doesn't work...I'm gonna try to paste a shared link

 

[kesh47a]

hopefully this will work....

https://photos.app.goo.gl/wDF8QPyvQ68Sqiqv1
After I click next, the folling screen shows up...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/zw32j1DoEKFnvuzm1

 

[USAFRet]

hopefully this will work....

https://photos.app.goo.gl/wDF8QPyvQ68Sqiqv1
After I click next, the folling screen shows up...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/zw32j1DoEKFnvuzm1

OK...this is trying to create a USB install?
And it is reporting that there is not enough free space on your existing drive?

Well...it actually needs to download the whole ISO thing, and then write it to the USB.
If your drive lacks the required space to do that, it will fail.

What size is this C drive?

 

[kesh47a]

hopefully this will work....

https://photos.app.goo.gl/wDF8QPyvQ68Sqiqv1
After I click next, the folling screen shows up...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/zw32j1DoEKFnvuzm1

OK...this is trying to create a USB install?
And it is reporting that there is not enough free space on your existing drive?

Well...it actually needs to download the whole ISO thing, and then write it to the USB.
If your drive lacks the required space to do that, it will fail.

What size is this C drive?

oh I see...
32 gb but only about 20 usable and right now only 4gb avaiable 🙁

 

[USAFRet]

oh I see...
32 gb but only about 20 usable and right now only 4gb avaiable 🙁

Right.
You need to do this from a different PC, with sufficient free space.

I have an Asus Transformer T100T with a similar size drive.
Useless for doing stuff like this.

 

[kesh47a]

oh I see...
32 gb but only about 20 usable and right now only 4gb avaiable 🙁

Right.
You need to do this from a different PC, with sufficient free space.

I have an Asus Transformer T100T with a similar size drive.
Useless for doing stuff like this.

That's part of the reason I'm getting a new one lol
So you're saying that once the program sees that there's sufficient space on my computer, it will give me the options shown in step 6. Is this correct?