Windows 10: Do I Want Clean Install Or Upgrade?

I want neither. I want a fix.

I downloaded and put on USB that Microsoft thing designed for when you've got a BSOD or that BCD thing - when you're computer is in dire need of help.

Lucky I did. Come home today and my computer is sitting there with a blue screen asking me what keyboard type I want - USA, etc . ?

Where the hell that came from I don't know.

But it wouldn't boot.

So I put that USB in and tried again. It still wouldn't boot into Win10 but it did boot into something and questioned me about what I wanted: go to device or this or that or USB.

So I selected USB and it rebooted and hung on the 'press F2 or Del for BIOS' screen.

I figured it wanted me to go to BIOS and set boot order for USB so that's what I did.

So then it proceeds for a whlle and stops again asking me 'it looks like you started an upgrade and booted from install media... do you want to continue if so pull the media and pick 'Yes' or a clean install if so pull the media (implied) and pick 'No'.

I want neither.

Which should I do?

How much does it complicate things if I go the wrong way?

Perhaps either way leads to the choice I"m looking for (was promised, I think) 'repair' ?

:)

 

Clean Install Workaround for Vista

You may remember this news story on techPowerUp! a couple of days ago relating to the lack of clean installs when using the Upgrade Editions of Vista, which required an old OS to be installed. However, Paul Thurrott has managed to find a workaround for this issue, which ironically lets users do a clean install Vista without any previous version of Windows, albeit a little tedious. Here are the steps:

• Boot from the Windows Vista Upgrade DVD as normal
• When prompted for a product code, leave this blank
• Select the version of Vista you have purchased and let Vista install
• When you boot to your desktop for the first time, run the Vista setup from Windows
• This time enter your product key
• When asked whether you want to do an Upgrade of Custom install, select custom and choose a clean install
• Windows will now install for a second time and you should be able to activate it

Remember, these steps are only advised for use in order to achieve a clean install of Vista, it is only legal to use the upgrade editions if you have previously purchased the appropriate version of Windows.

Source: DailyTech

 

No More Clean-Installs for Vista Upgrades

When users were upgrading to Windows XP, the procedure was that users could simply insert their old Windows 98 or Windows 2000 CD at the appropriate time during a clean install without the need for the old OS to be installed at the time. However, Microsoft has decided to change this for Vista, and now requires a fully installed and activated version of your old OS already on the machine. This comes as an attempt to prevent illegal use of upgrade CDs, but could be inconvenient and time consuming when the time comes to reinstall. The new procedure for a reinstall is as follows:

• Install your old copy of Windows XP
• Activate it either online or over the phone
• Install Vista

Source: DailyTech

 

Windows Vista Clean Installation

To do a clean install on a fresh hard drive with Vista on an upgrade disc, you have to follow certain steps. Buying a full install CD would've been easier, but using the upgrade disc only adds more time, so it's not that big of a deal.

Follow the instructions here to do a clean install with an upgrade disc: http://www.vistarewired.com/2007/02/28/perform-a-clean-install-with-a-vista-upgrade-disc