Changing to Windows 11

[B Poot]

Hi all, I bought my desktop PC from PC Specialist back in 2021 https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/threads/new-pc-spec-feedback-welcome.82092/post-626243

It has been working fantastically. It came with Windows 10, which I like, but recently I have been considering changing to Windows 11 given that Windows 10 has had its final major update.

I have a few questions:
1) Firstly - is changing to Windows 11 worth it? Or is Windows 10 considered better?
2) If I did change to Windows 11, presumably that wouldn't affect my PCS warranty?
3) There is the option to 'Upgrade' to Windows 11 within the Windows 10 updates - I am thinking that it would be better to do a clean install, but would I need to 'upgrade' first to be registered as a Windows 11 user, and then clean install, or can I just clean install in one step?
4) The PCS welcome booklet said that my licence key was 'injected' into my PC - will this work for Windows 11, or do I need something else?
5) Does anyone have any handy guides for installing Windows 11, e.g. a youtube walkthrough including avoiding common pitfalls?

 

[Martinr36]

1) Yes

1. Yes
2. No it wouldn't
3. No just do a clean install
4. Yes it is so no you don't
5. Here you go

Download a new copy of Windows using the Media Creation Tool (Second option on linked page) to an 8GB (min) USB.
Boot that USB and choose a Custom Install.
Delete all UEFI partitions on the system drive (EFI System, Recovery, MSR Reserved, Primary).
Select the unallocated space that results and click the Next button. The installer will create the correct partitions and install Windows.
Run Windows Update repeatedly, even across reboots, until no more updates are found.
You may need/want to download and install the latest graphics driver from the Nvidia/AMD website (they change so regularly the latest version isn't always in the Windows libraries).
This is also worth a watch

 

[B Poot]

1) Yes

1. Yes
2. No it wouldn't
3. No just do a clean install
4. Yes it is so no you don't
5. Here you go

Download a new copy of Windows using the Media Creation Tool (Second option on linked page) to an 8GB (min) USB.
Boot that USB and choose a Custom Install.
Delete all UEFI partitions on the system drive (EFI System, Recovery, MSR Reserved, Primary).
Select the unallocated space that results and click the Next button. The installer will create the correct partitions and install Windows.
Run Windows Update repeatedly, even across reboots, until no more updates are found.
You may need/want to download and install the latest graphics driver from the Nvidia/AMD website (they change so regularly the latest version isn't always in the Windows libraries).
This is also worth a watch

Thanks Martin - helpful as always!

 

[B Poot]

This is also worth a watch

@Martinr36 the video that you linked was very helpful (JayzTwocents is always good). In the video, one of the steps he takes is to flash the BIOS with the latest version. He does that because the video is talking about building a computer from scratch, whereas mine is already built. Consequently - should I skip that stage and just focus on the Windows install, or is it worth checking that I have the latest version of the BIOS for my motherboard? It's not something that I have done before, and the fact that I am asking shows that I am no expert! However, I am an electronics engineer, so not completely oblivious to these sorts of things.

 

[SpyderTracks]

@Martinr36 the video that you linked was very helpful (JayzTwocents is always good). In the video, one of the steps he takes is to flash the BIOS with the latest version. He does that because the video is talking about building a computer from scratch, whereas mine is already built. Consequently - should I skip that stage and just focus on the Windows install, or is it worth checking that I have the latest version of the BIOS for my motherboard? It's not something that I have done before, and the fact that I am asking shows that I am no expert! However, I am an electronics engineer, so not completely oblivious to these sorts of things.

Yeah, should be no need to flash the BIOS anyway, but you'd need PCS approval to do so to keep warranty. But you won't need to flash it anyway.