Windows 10: Fresh Install

Hello, I just did a fresh install of Windows 10 Home. I opted to delete everything (save nothing) to try to get a totally clean install. Overall, I'd say it worked fine. A couple of questions though...

• For some reason, it looks like the install process saved a copy of my old system to a "Windows.old" directory. It won't allow me to delete this (even when using disk cleanup tool). Any idea how I can delete this to get my disk space back?
• Does defragmenting the drive do much?
• I have one item in the device manager that is saying it's not installed (the driver's aren't). Any idea how I can figure out what is needed?

Thanks in advance!

:)

 

Fresh Install

You cannot clean install during the upgrade. Clean installs require a custom install (format) and you can only clean install after the hardware has been registered and the qualifying OS validated with the windows store. After that you can
do a clean install when ever you like from the ISO that will be available on or about July 29

 

fresh Install

The Media Creation Tool is not the best way to create a bootable copy. I am going to ask you try creating another bootable copy using Rufus:

Step 1: How
to download official Windows 10 ISO files

Step 2:

• How
  to Prepare Bootable Install Media for Windows 10 - DVD, USB or SD Card

Step 3:

• How to: Perform a clean install of Windows 10

If the problem persists, try the following:

• How to: 10 Tips before installing Windows 10
• How to: 10 things to do if Windows 10 Setup fails.

 

When using disk cleanup, you have to click to remove old system files and check all boxes in popup list. Sometimes it does not remove every file - boot to safe mode to delete.

 

Start with this:
Open and Use Disk Cleanup in Windows 10

Option 2. Select everything in the list, then OK.

If it is an SSD, you don't want to defrag it. If it is a hard disk drive, defragging might improve performance a little bit.

Right click on the device. Select properties. The details tab. Select Hardware IDs from the drop down list. Copy the Hardware ID. Google it. Then you will have to look on the manufacturer website for the driver.

 

Sometimes there`s a driver you`re still using in the windows.old folder, so you can`t delete it.

If all else fails, a live version of Linux will do the trick.

 

Below is the hardware ID for the item in the Device Manager that I can't seem to find a driver for. Any thoughts?

ACPI\VEN_SMO&DEC_8800
ACPI\SMO8800
*SMO8800

 

Unknown Device - on PCI Bus - ACPI\SMO8800 / ~SMO8800 - IRQ 0x00000017 (23) - Productivity Software Forum - Software & Operating Systems - Dell Community