How to Perform Windows Clean Install? Everything You Need to Know

Is your PC giving you trouble lately? If yes, there is probably a glitch in the operating system, and it could be anything from a minor driver issue to a major system file error. Either way, the best way to eliminate these issues is to install the operating system cleanly. 

What is a Windows Clean Install? Well, it is a fundamental technique that allows you to remove every component available on Windows, uninstall it completely, and then reinstall a new copy of the operating system. When resetting a PC, you keep your files and settings the same as the old one. Only the copy of the OS is replaced. 

In a clean install, however, you are supposed to get rid of all the files and all the data to ensure that the memory registers are completely ‘clean’ for a newer copy of Windows. 

Ways to Perform Windows 10, 11 Clean Install

Please keep in mind that uninstalling the current version of the OS and installing a new one requires both power and time. So, make sure you connect your laptop to a direct power source. And if you are on a desktop computer, do not unplug until the process is finished. 

First things first, you have to get your hands on the official release of the Windows version that you want to install. You can get the same via Microsoft’s official website. After choosing the version and its type, you now choose the type of installation media. 

When you are using the Reset This PC option available to reset the operating system, you might not require an external source of OS to finish the process. However, when it comes to completely uninstalling and reinstalling a version of Windows, you need an external installation media to finish the process. You have three choices – 

• You can use the Installation Assistant offered by Windows.
• You can download an ISO image of the file from official sources. Simply select the type of ISO file. In the case of Windows 10, you can also use x32 devices.
• Or you can create a bootable media to connect to and start the process.

You may download the official Windows 11 or Windows 10 copy from Microsoft’s website for free. However, there are several requirements that your PC should meet to ensure that the desired OS runs successfully. Read the same and ensure you choose the correct OS supported by the hardware you use.

After securing a reliable Windows installation media, connect the media to your computer and use the setup file to initiate the installation directly.

During the installation, you will be asked whether you want to keep the old files, and you will click on Remove Everything to continue with the process.

Continue the process until it is over, and you can perform a clean installation of Windows on your computer without any worries. 

Things to Keep in Mind Before Performing Clean Installation of Windows

While installing a copy of Windows on your computer, you must understand when you should go for a clean install and what it will do to your current PC. 

First, clean installation only makes sense if you have encountered a severe error or have multiple issues that keep you from using your PC to its full potential. Usually, when there are PC startup or shutdown issues, the recovery tools and automatic repair make it easy for you to resolve them.

However, in situations where it is not possible to directly fix the error with these tools, you are left with no choice but to perform a clean install of Windows. It can take a bit longer to finish the process, but once you have done it successfully, it instantly enhances the PC’s performance. 

There are no leftover files, which means faster processing. The system files are completely replaced by the new operating system, meaning they are practically unused and are faster. Glitches while opening Explorer or any other Windows app are completely fixed. 

The only downside, which is often a major issue for the users, is that all the data has to be erased. You should take a backup of all your files and folders to ensure the data is secure. The data can be copied back to the freshly installed Windows, and you can use it as if nothing changed. The approach here is to clean your PC and create a user experience that is brand new. 

While at it, remember that Windows will require updates after installation. Enable updates while setting up the PC. Also, to ensure that the drivers used on the PC are up to date, we recommend using the Advanced Driver Updater. The tool is seamless in the experience and makes it easy to handle the device driver updates. 

All you have to do is – 

Step 1 – Download and install the application.

Step 2 – Use the inbuilt scan mechanism to find out the details about outdated drivers.

Step 3 – Allow the tool to download and install the updates using the Update All button. 

Finish the process easily, and you should be good to go. You are officially ready to use your PC as there are no glitches, the OS is fine-tuned, and the drivers are current. 

Let us know in the comments if you have any doubts about clean installation, what it is, and how you can do it. That will be all for this post. Thanks for reading. Good luck!

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