Which SATA Drivers?

[kol12]

Which SATA drivers should I download for Windows 10? Will the newer driver include the AHCI/RAID driver?

Also are there any guides around for Windows 10 clean installations, initial setup and tweaking?

As I remember when installing Win 8.1 I had to set whether it was a AHCI or RAID install. Some steps to follow would be helpful...

 

[BadActor]

If you want to do a clean install of Windows 10, download the Media Creation Tool and create the bootable Windows 10 USB. Simply boot from the USB and install the OS as you normally would. Windows 10 is very good about installing the correct drivers, so you shouldn't need to download anything unless there's a problem.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10/

 

[USAFRet]

At the very least, just get the LAN driver for your motherboard.
That way, if anything does go wrong, you can go get the driver needed.

But you probably won't need it.

 

[kol12]

Is anyone here aware of this? I quote:

"Upgrading to Windows 10 via a clean install is much easier since the big Version 1511 “November update,” which allows you to clean install Windows 10 and activate it using a Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 product key. Before this update, you had to do an in-place upgrade in order to get the free upgrade offer from Microsoft, and then you could do a clean install of Windows 10. Now you can skip the in-between step."

http://www.pcworld.com/article/3042481/windows/how-to-clean-install-windows-the-right-way.html

 

[USAFRet]

Is anyone here aware of this? I quote:

"Upgrading to Windows 10 via a clean install is much easier since the big Version 1511 “November update,” which allows you to clean install Windows 10 and activate it using a Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 product key. Before this update, you had to do an in-place upgrade in order to get the free upgrade offer from Microsoft, and then you could do a clean install of Windows 10. Now you can skip the in-between step."

http://www.pcworld.com/article/3042481/windows/how-to-clean-install-windows-the-right-way.html

Absolutely. I've probably mentioned this to you recently.

 

[kol12]

If you want to do a clean install of Windows 10, download the Media Creation Tool and create the bootable Windows 10 USB. Simply boot from the USB and install the OS as you normally would. Windows 10 is very good about installing the correct drivers, so you shouldn't need to download anything unless there's a problem.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10/

I was going to get to this soon, - "Proper way to clean install Windows 10". But since you've started, are Microsoft providing the media creation tool for the sole purpose of people being able to clean install Windows 10?

 

[BadActor]

If you want to do a clean install of Windows 10, download the Media Creation Tool and create the bootable Windows 10 USB. Simply boot from the USB and install the OS as you normally would. Windows 10 is very good about installing the correct drivers, so you shouldn't need to download anything unless there's a problem.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10/

I was going to get to this soon, - "Proper way to clean install Windows 10". But since you've started, are Microsoft providing the media creation tool for the sole purpose of people being able to clean install Windows 10?

Not the sole purpose, but has the same effect.

 

[kol12]

Is anyone here aware of this? I quote:

"Upgrading to Windows 10 via a clean install is much easier since the big Version 1511 “November update,” which allows you to clean install Windows 10 and activate it using a Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 product key. Before this update, you had to do an in-place upgrade in order to get the free upgrade offer from Microsoft, and then you could do a clean install of Windows 10. Now you can skip the in-between step."

http://www.pcworld.com/article/3042481/windows/how-to-clean-install-windows-the-right-way.html

Absolutely. I've probably mentioned this to you recently.

I don't recall discussing this, I still believed I had to do the upgrade first. If I read this correctly, it's saying I can skip the in-place upgrade and clean install Windows 10 with my Win 8.1 licence key straight away. That means I would have to clean install before the free upgrade closes though which is not what I was planning on doing. I think I'll stick to doing the upgrade first, preparing my backups and then clean install.

 

[kol12]

If you want to do a clean install of Windows 10, download the Media Creation Tool and create the bootable Windows 10 USB. Simply boot from the USB and install the OS as you normally would. Windows 10 is very good about installing the correct drivers, so you shouldn't need to download anything unless there's a problem.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10/

I was going to get to this soon, - "Proper way to clean install Windows 10". But since you've started, are Microsoft providing the media creation tool for the sole purpose of people being able to clean install Windows 10?

Not the sole purpose, but has the same effect.

Right, so if you download the media creation tool from Microsoft your getting the correct/legitimate copy of Windows 10?

 

[BadActor]

Yes. And should even activate without having to insert your Windows 8.1 key.

 

[USAFRet]

I don't recall discussing this, I still believed I had to do the upgrade first. If I read this correctly, it's saying I can skip the in-place upgrade and clean install Windows 10 with my Win 8.1 licence key straight away. That means I would have to clean install before the free upgrade closes though which is not what I was planning on doing. I think I'll stick to doing the upgrade first, preparing my backups and then clean install.

Either way, it must be installed and activated prior to July 29.

 

[kol12]

Well things are getting off to a great start. The Win 10 media creation tool has wiped my usb drive! I must have completely ignored the warning about the drive or dvd needing to blank!

Is it worth trying to recover the stick or am I wasting my time?

 

[USAFRet]

Well things are getting off to a great start. The Win 10 media creation tool has wiped my usb drive! I must have completely ignored the warning about the drive or dvd needing to blank!

Is it worth trying to recover the stick or am I wasting my time?

Yews, that's what it does. It tells you on the screen.
They could have made the text a little bigger, but it does tell you it will wipe out the drive.

 

[kol12]

Well things are getting off to a great start. The Win 10 media creation tool has wiped my usb drive! I must have completely ignored the warning about the drive or dvd needing to blank!

Is it worth trying to recover the stick or am I wasting my time?

Yews, that's what it does. It tells you on the screen.
They could have made the text a little bigger, but it does tell you it will wipe out the drive.

Yes I think bigger and clearer warnings may have helped. I just didn't think too much about it. I'm also used to putting ISO's on discs not usb's...

I think I've lost a few bios profiles, possibly other semi important things. Once it's gone it's so hard to remember what was on it. I've done it before and it always leads to me trying to recover it never with any joy. I have to wonder if even the professional recovery software's can do it.

Data or no data I'll have to push on with the upgrade I suppose...