Updated November 13, 2024
Doing computer repair for a living, I see quite a few computers that could benefit from a clean, fresh installation of Windows 10. Almost always, these computers started out running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 and, at some point in time, were upgraded to Windows 10.
Then, of course, there are times that the registry has gotten corrupted or the hard drive has failed. But whatever the case, a clean, fresh installation of Windows 10 is always a great way to get your computer back to tip-top shape.
Now, you might think that just performing a reset of Windows 10 would work perfectly fine. And in most cases, you would be right. But if your computer originally came with Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, you could have problems. Let me explain.
When you bought your new computer, it came with a hidden recovery partition with all of the installation files for your version of Windows. If that version was Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, the data was replaced when you upgraded to Windows 10.
The recovery media issue with upgrading to Windows 10
However, the problem that I have encountered is that the upgraded recovery partition sometimes doesn't work. So, when you try and reset Windows 10, it fails. A clean installation of Windows 10 fixes that issue. With a clean, fresh Windows 10 installation, you will know that everything will work.
The only downside to a clean Windows 10 install is that you have to reinstall all the programs you installed. But if your system will not boot, then it is a moot point. You would have to reinstall them anyway.
Backup and inventory
So, the first thing to do is to back up your computer. You will need an external drive that is relatively large (I use 1TB, and 2TB drives myself) and a blank CD/DVD (system repair disk). Here is an article on how to use Windows 10 Backup.
Backup your files with File History and Windows Backup in Windows 10
The second thing to do is to take inventory of the hardware and software inside your computer. Use a program like Belarc Advisor to create a list of hardware and software on your computer.
Make sure you print a copy of the results. You can also save a copy to an external drive if you like. But a printed copy will work best, as you can check off items that you install after the reinstallation of Windows 10.
Create the Windows 10 installation media
This step is relatively easy. All you have to do is download the Windows 10 media creation tool. It is a stand-alone program that does not require installation to run. Just double-click on the application, and you are ready to start.
Windows 10 Media Creation Tool options
You will need either a blank DVD or an 8GB USB drive to create the bootable installation media. If you run the media creation tool on the same computer as you are going to reinstall Windows 10 on, it will automatically select the recommended options.
Clearing the hard drive
Now comes the time to wipe the drive or just the Windows 10 partition. If you have a Dell or HP computer, they have a diagnostic partition, so you may want to wipe just the OS partition only.
Keep in mind that if you upgraded from Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, the recovery partition that came with your computer to restore factory settings no longer functions. Sometimes it might be better to wipe the whole drive clean and be done with it. But that is entirely up to you.
There are several ways to wipe a drive, it just depends on how far you want to go. If your computer only had a corrupt registry or system file(s), simply deleting the partitions on the drive may be all you need to do. But if you think you may have had some type of infection, doing a DoD (Department of Defense) wipe might be what you want to do.
Simply erasing the drive partitions can be done during the reinstallation of Windows 10 (see below). But for doing a DoD wipe requires special software. I like using the disk wiping tools on the Ultimate Boot CD (UBCD). All you have to do is download the most current ISO image and burn it to a CD. You can create a bootable USB drive too. The instructions are on the UBCD website.
Since the UBCD uses a version of Linux, it may take a little work to get your computer to boot up. If your system has Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) enabled, you will have to go into the BIOS and disable it temporarily.
Installing Windows 10
Now it is time to install Windows 10. Insert the installation media that you created earlier and start your computer. If you used a disk wiping utility, like those found on the UBCD, your computer will search all available media for a boot record. Once it finds the Windows 10 media, the installation will begin.
If you plan on erasing the partitions during the installation, you may have to change the boot order in the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System). To access the BIOS, you can usually tap the F2 or DEL key when your computer starts. Once inside the BIOS, look for a category titled Boot. This is where you would change the boot order or perform a boot override.
During the installation, you may get a dialog box requesting your Windows 10 product key. Windows 10 is a little different from previous versions of Windows in that the product key is not stored on your computer but in the cloud. Microsoft calls it Digital Entitlement.
With Digital Entitlement, you do not need to enter your product key during installation. Just click on the I don't have a product key link on the bottom of the screen. Once the installation is complete, Windows will automatically activate the first time your system can get online.
Eventually the installation will get to the Which type of installation do you want? screen.
Select Custom: Install Windows only (advanced). The next screen is Where do you want to install Windows. If you previously wiped your drive, then you should see Drive 0 as empty. If Drive 0 is not empty, just highlight each partition and select Delete.
Once Drive 0 is empty, highlight it and select Next. The installation will continue.
Once the installation is done, all you have to do is install the programs and features you want. Then sit back and enjoy your clean, fresh Windows 10 installation.