Windows 10: Help needed to reinstall Windows 10.

Hi guys,

I have some questions about clean installing Windows 10. Basically I am trying to get around having to download Windows 10, burn it to cd, and reinstall. Can I use reset feature to clean install Windows 10? Will this give me a completely clean image to work from? I have three hard drives. The system drive is a Samsung EVO 840 Pro. The next drive is a OCZ Vertex 4. Finally I have a Hitachi 750GB platter. Will these other drives be formatted as well? If not what is the proper way to clean them? Would I just use their software to do a secure erase?

A while back when I first built this PC there was a website for drivers. I can't remember what it was called. It had all the newest and latest drivers as well as old ones. It also had driver downloads for motherboards with all the latest drivers. This way you would have the latest drivers instead of old original files from the motherboard manufacturer. Does anyone know which page this might be or have the link to a similar page? This would save me a lot of time of having to manually go to each hardware manufacturer and download the latest driver.

Thanks,
Rocky

:)

 

Need Help Reinstalling Windows 10

You can install Windows 10 again from this page. Since you already had Windows 10 on that computer, it will be free to install again. Go to Download
Windows 10 to get started.

 

Need help with reinstalling windows 10

If SFC won't repair System files after running 3 times, then the next step is to run a Windows 7

Repair Install.

But since that reinstalls the OS over programs and settings that may remain corrupt and cause the Upgrade to choke and end up with issues, I'd recommend instead a

Clean Reinstall Windows 7, deleting all partitions during the booted install. When it starts up get online, only install
Microsoft Security Essentials, fully update, Activate, save a System Image in Backup Center so you can go back at any time.

Then Install Windows 10 using the media creation tool - Windows Help .

Tick the checkbox in first option to automate the process, or select "For another PC" to create bootable flash media or download an ISO to burn to DVD with Windows Image Burner. Now you have media for reinstalls or needed repairs. But to run the
Upgrade the media must be opened in Windows 7/8.1, then right click Setup file to Run as Administrator.

If asked do not insert a Product Key at any time, just click Skip or Next. Choose to Save Nothing which will be the same as a Clean Install.

To improve the Upgrade's chances turn off everything at Startup:

In Windows 7, type msconfig in Start Search Box, uncheck everything on Startup and Services tabs,
after Hiding all MS Services. Apply, restart.

In Windows 8.1, right click Task Bar to open Task Manager, disable everything in Startup Tab, Apply, Reboot.

Uninstall any anti-virus except Defender. Bloated AV's like Norton, MacAfee, AVG and Avast need to have special
Uninstallers (removal tools) for common antivirus software - ESET Knowledgebase.

Stick with built-in Defender in Windows 10 for best performance and adequate protection. If you get infected add the inexpensive Real Time protection from the best-in-class free malware scanner
Malwarebytes . No one I’ve had do this has ever been infected again. I'd also periodically scan with Malwarebytes, SUPERAntiSpyware
or the more powerful AdwCleaner scanners, also best-in-class and free.

Immediately after install, type Update in Start Search box to Check for Updates, expedite these through requested restart, then check again until no more are offered.

Next right click Start button to open Device Manager, import any drivers still missing from the PC or Device's Support Downloads webpage.
How to: Install and Update drivers in Windows 10 - Microsoft Community

Feel free to ask back any questions and keep us posted on how it goes.

 

If your windows 10 install is working fine driver wise, you can do the reset, if you choose to not keep files (assuming you have backed them up or moved them to one of the other two drives), then yes it would be a clean image so to speak.

I'd recommend to unplug the other two drives when doing this, however it shouldn't be necessary, as it is not an initial install or upgrade TO 10, when that has cause issues in some cases.

The reset procedure should not touch your other drives, only the C: (that upon which windows is installed)

I don't recommend all in one driver sites, my own opinion, grab from the hardware manufacturer,so you know it is genuine.

 

Cool thanks for your help. How should I go about formatting the other two drives? Should I use the secure erase feature that comes with the software for the drives?

 

If you want to secure erase the other two drives, I recommend MiniTool Partition Wizard Free. It has a function to wipe drives by writing zeros to the entire drive, writing ones to the entire drive, and combinations depending on how secure you want the erase to be.

Best Free Partition Manager for Windows | MiniTool Partition Free

I would highly recommend that you make yourself a rescue USB flash drive or DVD, though. It can be invaluable if something on your system crashes. My favorite is a combination Windows 10 USB installation disk/Kyhi Recovery drive.

USB Flash Drive - Create to Install Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums

Then read my quote in the middle of the OP of this thread:
Windows 10 Recovery Tools - Bootable Rescue Disk - Windows 10 Forums

With the combination installation/Kyhi recovery drive you can fix just about that would cause your computer not to boot, including doing a clean install of Windows 10.

 

Thanks for your help guys. I really appreciate you taking the time to respond.