Reminder for how to clean install Windows 10

[B Poot]

Hello again. I bought my PC from PCS half-way through last year, and figured that it was about time for a clean install of Windows 10. (I am not interested in 'upgrading to Windows 11' at this time!).

This was my build: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am4-gen3-pc/pmxGPXSdk2/

I think that I know what I'm doing for a clean install of Windows, but just wanted to check:

1. Download the Windows 10 media creation tool from the Microsoft website
2. Format a USB stick of sufficient size (mine is 64 GB, but I think you only need 8 GB)
3. Use the media creation tool to create an installation drive on the USB stick
4. Turn off the computer and disconnect all hard drives except that which will be used to hold Windows
5. Restart the computer with the USB stick inserted, choosing to boot from this USB stick
6. Follow the installation proceedure, which will include formatting the harddrive that will hold Windows
7. Once installed, check for updates and install them until there are no more left!
8. Get the latest drivers for the graphics card from the graphics card manufacturer's website
9. Reinstall any other software
10. Turn off the computer and reconnect the old hard drives

Have I missed anything or got anything wrong?

P.S. Where can I find my Windows licence key?

 

[B Poot]

I just found the old PCS Welcome Booklet. That says that my PC will have been 'injected' with the licence key. Presumably that means it's encoded into the hardware somewhere so I won't need to enter it. Is that right? Or is it tied to a Windows account or something?

Basically, I'm trying to work out what passwords or licence key numbers I need to have ready before pressing the big red button!

 

[Scott]

You don't need to worry about step 2 as the media creation tool will wipe the drive for you.
After step 3 I would download the Chipset drivers & GPU Drivers from the official websites and copy them onto the USB. Just in case you have any network connection problems initially.
Step 4 is optional, it's more if you're worried that you won't be able to tell which drive to install on.
Before step 7 I would install the latest chipset drivers from your chipset manufacturer (AMD or Intel) and the GPU drivers (rather than after).
Regarding step 10, as soon as the Windows installation is done you can reconnect your drives after the first reboot. Just shutdown and you're good to go.

License key will be registered via your hardware ID. It should automatically activate once you have connected to the network. I would recommend registering it to a microsoft account though, that way it's digital and linked to your outlook/hotmail/microsoft account.

 

[B Poot]

You don't need to worry about step 2 as the media creation tool will wipe the drive for you.
After step 3 I would download the Chipset drivers & GPU Drivers from the official websites and copy them onto the USB. Just in case you have any network connection problems initially.
Step 4 is optional, it's more if you're worried that you won't be able to tell which drive to install on.
Before step 7 I would install the latest chipset drivers from your chipset manufacturer (AMD or Intel) and the GPU drivers (rather than after).
Regarding step 10, as soon as the Windows installation is done you can reconnect your drives after the first reboot. Just shutdown and you're good to go.

License key will be registered via your hardware ID. It should automatically activate once you have connected to the network. I would recommend registering it to a microsoft account though, that way it's digital and linked to your outlook/hotmail/microsoft account.

Thanks Scott, much appreciated.

My concern is that I think that I may have created a new microsoft account (having survived all these years without one previously) when I first got my new PC and written the details on a post it. A certain wife, who shall remain nameless, may have cleared away said post it note when having a spring clean...

 

[B4zookaw]

6. Follow the installation proceedure, which will include formatting the harddrive that will hold Windows

I would delete all partitions on this drive, then select the drive as the target for install. The installation will then recreate the required boot and recovering partitions. That way you know it's 100% clean and no remanents from previous install.

 

[B Poot]

Thanks Scott, much appreciated.

My concern is that I think that I may have created a new microsoft account (having survived all these years without one previously) when I first got my new PC and written the details on a post it. A certain wife, who shall remain nameless, may have cleared away said post it note when having a spring clean...

I'm being very slow today, but at least I'm figuring it out eventually. Searching for 'account' in the Windows search bar confirms the account that I used for my Microsoft account. Clicking on 'Manage' takes me to a page where I can reset my password (using the forgot password option). Hopefully I won't need this information when I do the reinstall if the system recognises my hardware, but better safe than sorry!

 

[B4zookaw]

I'm being very slow today, but at least I'm figuring it out eventually. Searching for 'account' in the Windows search bar confirms the account that I used for my Microsoft account. Clicking on 'Manage' takes me to a page where I can reset my password (using the forgot password option). Hopefully I won't need this information when I do the reinstall if the system recognises my hardware, but better safe than sorry!

You could always set it up as a local account (which is my perference for Windows install). Disconnect the PC from internet (wifi and ethernet) when you start the install process and you'll get an option to skip the MS Account setup and just setup a local admin instead.

 

[B Poot]

Another couple of questions on this before I throw the big red switch:
1) if I got MSOffice from PCS when I got my computer, will this be associated with the same account as my Windows OS? Or is there a separate license number?
2) Currently I have iCue, Armoury Crate (although this has stopped working) and another RGB package for my graphics card. I have seen a few “universal“ RGB packages implying that I would only need one. Does anyone use these/have any recommendations, or are they too good to be true and don’t work as I might hope?

 

[SpyderTracks]

1) if I got MSOffice from PCS when I got my computer, will this be associated with the same account as my Windows OS? Or is there a separate license number?

It's on whichever email address is logged into it. You can see this in any office app in the top right hand corner, or go to file / account

2) Currently I have iCue, Armoury Crate (although this has stopped working) and another RGB package for my graphics card. I have seen a few “universal“ RGB packages implying that I would only need one. Does anyone use these/have any recommendations, or are they too good to be true and don’t work as I might hope?

Not something I'm familiar with, but these are proprietary platforms, they're not open source and each manufacturer uses their own, so I would suggest claims as such are suspect and likely riddled with viruses.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Further edit to the above, apologies, posted that before actually looking into it.

I've just had a search on universal RGB programs, and this one is hosted on GitHub which means that it's overviewed by a lot of coders on there, and they input to changes and code reviews, so it's pretty trustworthy.

Reviews look pretty promising

AuroraRGB - Open-Source, Powerful RGB Software for Logitech, Razer, Corsair and more

Aurora is a free open source software that can control various brands of RGB devices and integrate game effects. You can customize profiles to your liking.

www.project-aurora.com

Releases · antonpup/Aurora

Unified lighting effects across multiple brands and various games. - antonpup/Aurora

github.com

 

[B Poot]

... Yet another question from me: Am I right in thinking that a clean reinstall of the operating system won't affect hardware settings, e.g. XMP?
I know that the settings that the computer came with work (i.e. as set up by PCS), so I don't want to have to reset any of those settings if I can help it. Also, I don't want to do anything that might void my warranty.

 

[Scott]

... Yet another question from me: Am I right in thinking that a clean reinstall of the operating system won't affect hardware settings, e.g. XMP?
I know that the settings that the computer came with work (i.e. as set up by PCS), so I don't want to have to reset any of those settings if I can help it. Also, I don't want to do anything that might void my warranty.

No issues there at all. The Windows installation only affects the data on your harddrive. The BIOS is another software system altogether.

For full disclosure, you can access certain BIOS settings & operations through the OS once it's installed..... but you would know that you were doing such a thing and requires specific softwares