Windows 10: How do YOU clean install ? Do you follow a plan ?

I always feel happier restarting before making an image and would certainly do so after updates have been installed or after having run a full disk clean. I guess its a case of 'you just don't know' what files or processes are in limbo and waiting in the background for a restart.

Occasionally I have run a full disk clean and upon restarting had the 'Windows is configuring your PC....' message which confirms that some cleanup processes really do reconfigure things pretty drastically. Not often that happens... but it has.

Well I switched to AOMEI sometime last year and really like it. Even the free version allows incremental backups (which I normally use day to day). Its really simple to use, for me it has been 100% good all the times I do call on it, and it also is a small installation size and not plagued by constant updates.

It probably hasn't as many bells and whistles as the much liked Macrium and I think it probably integrates itself less (which in my book is a good thing) with the operating system. That said, its still pretty comprehensive if you need it to be and it probably covers everything the vast majority of users require of a disk imaging program.

 

I guess everyone will have their own methods and ultimately they will settle on what works for them.

There is no one single 'correct' method but I do think it important to have a plan and to write that down. Its so easy to miss and forget things along the way.

Of all the steps taken to clean install, my one pet hate is setting up Edge with all its passwords for the sites I use. Why oh why Edge lacks an export feature this is beyond me. It will accept passwords and cookies etc from other browser exports (even IE) but its flaky. Some are carried over correctly and some are not in my experience. So I usually go through the laborious task of re-entering them all on the clean install.

 

@Mooly

Awesome Clean Setup Log. I like it a lot. Only thing I would change is the backup/recovery tool you use. Macrium Reflect is an awesome tool and it does all what you need and a lot more for free. If you also need incremental backups at some point the price is small to upgrade.

Great job there. *Smile

 

Thanks *Smile

This is how it looks when its all done.

 

You are very organized, that is a good thing.

My system is always a mess and all data (a lot of it) is scattered all over my drives. *chuckle

 

You could use nested folders in start menu, saving yourself more room for other items.