Windows 10: Fresh Install Windows 10 - Recovery Partition

I think you can delete only the Windows system partition and clean-install Windows 10 in the resultant unallocated space.

 

That's why anyone upgrading or doing a Clean Install from their old Windows OS, no matter what version their upgrading should ALWAYS MAKE A Complete IMAGE Backup. Before upgrading to Windows 10. Use a free program like Macrium Reflect, store the image backup on a 2nd drive, or USB stick. Then if anything happens you can reinstall your old Windows OS with no problem at all. Everyone should be making regular image backups!! Would save people so many head ache's down the road.

 

I have made several image backups, including Macrium Reflect and Windows Custom Refresh images - but I have very rarely been able to actually use them either because Windows doesn't 'see' my custom refresh images or because I cannot remember how to get into UEFI and choose the right boot option! I used to be able to use my Custom Refresh images or boot from a recovery disc etc. quite easily before Microsoft forced secure boot on us all! But I'm afraid that I find getting into and configuring secure boot is just one step too many for a 68-year old to master.

 

I did not have to make such a backup because I had a Windows 7 installation disk and backups of all personal files.

Shamefully, I have never made it.

 

Takes me to make 1 complete image backup of my Windows 10 Pro about 6 to 8 mins. I do have 2 SSD's thou. That is not much time for me to take, for having some insurance and piece of mind incase I have a serious Windows Problem at some point. *Smile
I would never use Windows 10 to make any image backup, as I have seen too many people have problems when they needed to restore their Windows. That's why lots of us here recommend using Macrium Reflect.

 

Once you upgrade to Windows 10, chances are that you would not be able to use the original HP recovery partition anyway. For example - how would you propose that you could use it after Windows 10 is installed? The manufacturer's recovery partition typically requires the manufacturer's software to restore the computer from it and especially with a clean install of Windows 10 the manufacturer's software to use the recovery partition will be gone, and probably won't work after an upgrade to Windows 10.

 

Use the HP Utility to make a Factory Recovery Drive - FIRST...
Then perform the upgrade or clean installation of the new OS

 

That's true! I But if I made another disc image with Macrium Reflect and stored it on an external drive. Then reinstalled Macrium Reflect after attempting a clean install of Windows 10, would I still be able to use that image to put my system back to its current state (with Windows 10 Upgrade in place)?