Computer Repair

How to Do a Clean Install of Windows 10 with a Fresh Start

February 14, 2024

How to Do a Clean Install of Windows 10 with a Fresh Start

Introduction

A clean install of Windows 10 is the process of installing a fresh copy of the Windows 10 operating system on a computer by reformatting the hard drive and performing a fresh installation. This erases all data and settings, allowing you to start over with a clean slate. A clean install is useful when your Windows installation has become corrupt, sluggish, or full of unnecessary files and programs. It can help improve system performance and stability. In this guide, I will walk you through the steps to do a clean install of Windows 10 from start to finish.

Back Up Your Data

Before beginning a clean install, it is crucial that you back up your important files and data. A clean install will wipe your hard drive, so you want to make sure your files are safely backed up elsewhere. Here are some tips for backing up your data before a clean install:

Copy important files to an external hard drive or cloud storage. Manually copy your critical files like documents, photos, videos and music to a USB flash drive, external hard drive or cloud storage like OneDrive.
Back up drive using backup software. Use Windows’ built-in backup tools or third party software to do a full system backup or image backup of your drive. This will save a snapshot of your whole system.
Syn synchronize folders to cloud storage. Use the sync function in cloud services like OneDrive or Google Drive to continuously backup important folders. This ensures they stay up to date.

Taking the time to properly back up your data can save you from catastrophe in case anything goes wrong during the clean install process.

Download Windows 10 Installation Media

Before doing a clean install, you will need to download the Windows 10 installation media from Microsoft. This will allow you to boot up your computer from the installation files and install a fresh copy of Windows. Here are the steps:

Go to https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10 on a working computer.
Click Download tool now under the Create Windows 10 installation media header.
Run the Media Creation Tool once it finishes downloading.
Select Create installation media for another PC.
Choose the language, edition, and architecture (64-bit or 32-bit) you want.
Select USB flash drive as your installation target.
Plug in a 8GB or larger USB drive and select it. All data will be erased!
Review the settings to confirm they are correct.
Click Next to download Windows 10 and create bootable installation media. This may take a while depending on your internet speed.

The tool will prepare the USB drive with everything needed to install a fresh copy of Windows 10.

Boot From the Installation Media

With your installation media ready, you can now boot your computer from the USB drive to begin the clean install process:

Insert the USB drive into your computer.
Restart your computer. As it is booting, press the boot menu key (F12, F2, Esc etc) to access the boot menu.
Select your USB drive from the boot menu to boot from the installation media instead of the hard drive.
The Windows 10 installer will launch. Click Install Now to begin.
Make sure both the language and time format are correct on the next screen. The time format can’t be changed later without reinstalling Windows.
Click Next to continue with the clean install.

The installer will now walk you through the clean install process.

Delete Existing Partitions

When you get to the installation type screen, you will want to delete all existing partitions on your drive to perform a true clean install. Here’s how:

Select Custom: Install Windows only (advanced).
On the next page you will see all partitions and drives listed. These will need to be deleted.
Click on each existing partition and select Delete. Delete ALL existing partitions until only unallocated space remains.
Once all partitions are deleted, click the unallocated space drive to select it and click Next to continue.

This will remove all previous partitions and data, preparing the entire drive for a completely clean Windows installation.

Complete the Clean Install

With the hard drive partitions and data erased, complete the clean install:

The installer will now create new partitions and copy Windows files. This may take several minutes.
Once complete, you will go through the initial Windows setup:
Choose your region and keyboard layout.
Connect to your Wi-Fi network and select privacy settings.
Sign in with your Microsoft account or create a new local account.
After finishing setup, the desktop will appear and you will be using a completely clean installation of Windows 10!
Install any desired applications, transfer data from your backups, and customize Windows to your liking.

Conclusion

Performing a clean install of Windows 10 gives you a fresh start and can overcome many system issues caused by corrupt files or clutter. Just be absolutely sure to backup your data, create your bootable installation media, delete all partitions during installation, and complete the setup steps. With this guide, you now have an optimized Windows 10 machine. Enjoy the clean slate!