Doing a clean install of Windows 10 can be a lifesaver if your system is crawling, riddled with bugs, or if you’re just looking to start fresh before selling the thing. It\u2019s not super complicated, but there are a few quirks that can trip you up\u2014for example, Secure Boot and Fast Boot can interfere with booting from your install media, and Windows tends to push for a Microsoft account if you’re online during setup. Also, if you\u2019re not careful and don\u2019t back up your files first, poof\u2014everything\u2019s gone. So, this guide aims to help you navigate the mess, with some tips and tricks I\u2019ve picked up along the way.<\/p>\n
Before diving in, it\u2019s smart to disable Secure Boot and Fast Boot in your BIOS\/UEFI because some motherboards just don\u2019t like booting from USB or DVD with those features turned on. Also, disconnect from the internet if you want to create a local account instead of a Microsoft one\u2014Windows tends to force it if you’re online. And don\u2019t forget: back up your files unless you\u2019re okay with losing everything. Now, when you go through the process, expect some restarts and maybe a bit of patience. It\u2019s worth it for a fresh start or fixing those stubborn errors.<\/p>\n
If you don\u2019t already have an ISO or any fancy tools, Microsoft\u2019s Media Creation Tool is the way to go. It\u2019s straightforward, though it takes a few steps. Here\u2019s the usual drill:<\/p>\n
If you already have an ISO file \u2014 maybe downloaded elsewhere \u2014 the easiest way to get it onto a USB is with Next, mount your ISO (double-click should do it if it’s in Windows).Copy all the files from the mounted ISO to the USB, and you’re basically set. It\u2019s kinda clunky, but it does the job\u2014just make sure you get all the files over.<\/p>\n Now, restart your PC, but you need to get into the BIOS\/UEFI and change the boot order:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/strong><\/ol>\n <\/p>\n Once booted from the USB, the Windows installer greets you. Here\u2019s where the fun begins:<\/p>\n After reboot, Windows wants a few more details:<\/p>\n Once Windows is installed, don\u2019t forget to update. Hit Windows Update<\/strong> in Settings (Win + I<\/kbd>) and check for updates. Sometimes, it\u2019ll find optional driver updates\u2014good idea to install those too. If any hardware isn\u2019t behaving, head over to the manufacturer\u2019s website. AMD\u2019s support site (AMD Drivers and Support<\/a>) or Intel\u2019s download page (Intel Download Drivers & Software<\/a>) are solid places to get the latest drivers. For GPU drivers, go straight to the GPU\u2019s website\u2014NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel.<\/p>\n Finally, make sure Windows is activated by visiting Settings > Update & Security > Activation<\/strong>. If you skipped entering a key, activation can sometimes be done after setup with a digital license linked to your hardware.<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Doing a clean install of Windows 10 can be a lifesaver if your system is crawling, riddled with bugs, or if you’re just looking to start fresh before selling the thing. It\u2019s not super complicated, but there are a few quirks that can trip you up\u2014for example, Secure Boot and Fast Boot can interfere with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13107","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-how-to"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/howtogeek.blog\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13107","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/howtogeek.blog\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/howtogeek.blog\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/howtogeek.blog\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/howtogeek.blog\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13107"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/howtogeek.blog\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13107\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13108,"href":"https:\/\/howtogeek.blog\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13107\/revisions\/13108"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/howtogeek.blog\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13107"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/howtogeek.blog\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13107"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/howtogeek.blog\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13107"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}diskpart<\/code>. This isn\u2019t foolproof, but it worked for me on one setup and not so much on another. Here\u2019s what to do:<\/p>\n\n
diskpart<\/code> and hit Enter. This opens the disk management CLI.<\/li>\nlist disk<\/code> to see all disks. Identify your USB by size, then select disk #<\/code> (replace # with your disk number).<\/li>\nclean<\/code>\u2014this wipes the USB!<\/li>\ncreate partition primary<\/code><\/li>\nselect partition 1<\/code><\/li>\nformat fs=fat32 quick<\/code><\/li>\nactive<\/code><\/li>\nexit<\/code> to close diskpart.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nBoot Into Your Installation Media<\/h3>\n
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Performing a Clean Windows 10 Install<\/h3>\n
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Final Setup and Personalization<\/h3>\n
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C:\\Windows\\System32\\shutdown -s -t 0 -f<\/code>.<\/li>\nLet’s Bring It All Together: Drivers & Updates<\/h3>\n