Windows 10: Clean install questions

Hello

I need some help/confirmation on what I intend to do in the near future.

I am currently a windows insider on the slow ring and I have build 14342 installed, I want to get out of the insider program (I know how to do that in settings) but it raises a few questions. Since the build that I have installed is not a build that was publicly released what will happen? It is my intention to clean install the anniversary edition and let windows update as normal with it cumulative updates and whatnot. I am currently freeing up space on an external drive for a backup of my hard disk (or a system image with Macrium Reflect) - what is the difference? And do images take up as much space as the data they are imaged from? Also, do I wait until the insiders on the slow ring get the anniversary edition and then clean install it from the ISO that Ive downloaded?, another possible route is to let my system upgrade to this anniversary edition and then create the ISO from the update - I have no idea how to do that so if it is an option could somebody please point me in the right direction.

My ultimate goal is to have the anniversary release clean installed and to have regular backups created either by Macrium Reflect or another program so I can easily restore if there is a problem. I have never used Macrium but I need to create a backup (or image) to restore my installed program I have quite a few.

Thanks

:)

 

clean install questions please help

Hi,

Thank you for your interest in Windows 10.

To install Windows 10 from the ISO you will need to have a bootable media. I would suggest you to download Windows 10 ISO from the link below and create a bootable media(USB/DVD) and install Windows 10 on your laptop.

Download Windows 10

Download Windows 10

Windows 10 FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions: Windows 10

Hope this information is helpful. Please do let us know if you need further assistance, we’ll be glad to assist you.

 

clean install questions please help

I have reformatted my external hdd, backed up all files onto it and I put the ISO on it because the windows creation would not do it as a usb.

I have a hp laptop. How do I boot from the ISO on the hdd?

 

Is your current Windows installation activated with a digital entitlement? (Settings, Updates and Security, Activation tab on left). If it is then you can either clean install the Anniversary Update or upgrade to it, either way.

A system image created by Macrium Reflect will be a single file that is 80-90% in size of the used space of whatever you are backing up. You should image your entire hard drive, so the image file would be 80-90% in size of the used space of your entire hard drive.

 

Thanks for the response, my current copy has digital entitlement. Are you saying that if I choose to leave the insider program on build 14342 that my windows 10 will not roll back to the last public build (cant remember but ends in 58 I think) but in time will update to new builds as they are made available to the public?

 

Yep. The only way to go backwards is if you still have Windows.old on your hard drive and have the option to revert to previous OS on the troubleshooting menu. That has proved to be not so reliable in the past, so I wouldn't bother with it, if everything was working OK on the insider build. Leave the current build on and it will update to the Anniversary Update. And if it doesn't automatically, just download the ISO file when it comes out and do it manually.

 

You are setting my mind at rest, thankyou.

Ive read all over the place that a clean install is the way to go, are you saying that that is not the case?
Also creating an ISO for a clean install from an upgrade - what is that process called, I think esd to iso, Im sure there is a tutorial about that.

 

Sorry just reread your post...
My steps
get out of the insider program
do a macrium reflect image of the entire hard disk
let my build 14342 update to the anniversary edition - make an iso from the update for clean install
failing that download the iso and clean install

 

Yep, pretty much.

 

Thanks Navy. I just watched Kari's video tutorial about creating an iso from an esd. Does the iso file need to be on a bootable drive like the media creation tool?

 

You will need to burn a USB flash drive or DVD from it if you want to use it for a clean install. To upgrade from it, you just need to mount the ISO file and run setup.exe from the drive letter that is created when you mount it.