Windows 10: Need to wipe & reinstall Windows 10 on an HP desktop before selling

The HP Pavilion desktop originally came with Windows 7 and I still have the product key on the sticker. We did the free upgrade to Windows 10.

I plan on using DBAN to completely wipe it before reinstalling Windows 10 so I can sell it to a stranger. How would I go about keeping the licensed Windows 10 that I currently have on the machine?

If I make a Windows 10 USB installer from the same computer, can I activate it on a fresh install even though the license is for Windows 7?

:)

 

Most painless way to reinstall windows 10?

It depends on the junk accumulated honestly, but there are various methods. You can always remove programs, delete download folder, media locations, etc. As some have suggested, keeping some items on a separate internal storage drive is an option as well. Depends on what you have, what your budget is and how you want to handle your system and data.

The method @RejZoR suggests is sound and a method I've used dozens if not hundreds of time with great success in the field. In many cases though the goal is to keep user data intact, and to repair the OS. In place upgrade as it is called is also only doable in that method if you can boot to desktop, if you can't, it is time for some more advanced options or a format & reinstall.

With Windows 8 and 10 there are refresh and reset options that can be leveraged as well. Hold Shift and click Restart to reboot your system, this will get you into the advanced boot menu, which you'll need to choose advanced options (I forget ATM what it is called) and choose one of a couple items, refresh or reset.

Refresh is essentially In Place Upgrade but a little more aggressive as it wipes the Windows Apps and you may need to reinstall programs. Reset is like an OS reinstall, wipes user data, wipes profiles, registry, performs a install from the system image. Often times I'll do this and bypass using a USB key on a system. Though there are instances where these options will not work if a system has a level of corruption that has not been repaired/resolved. Check the OS Repair link in my sig for more info if ya need.

*Toast :toast:

 

Reinstalling Windows 10 to sell a PC - is the 'Remove everything' option enough?

Hello,

I'm reinstalling Windows 10 on a laptop to sell. I would normally wipe the hard drive with DBAN and reinstall; however I have seen that Windows 10 has options which seem to do the equivalent and quicker.





Would any information be recoverable from the 'Remove everything' or 'Restore factory settings' options? Or should I stick to DBAN and use the Windows 10 media creation tool instead?

Many thanks,

Layton

 

Reinstalling Windows 10 to sell a PC - is the 'Remove everything' option enough?

Restore factory settings do list Removes your personal files, apps and settings, and reinstalls the version of Windows that came on this PC.

So if this isn't true well than just erase the drive and install a clean Windows 10 with all the drivers u need but why should it be true
@FordGT90Concept ? *Laugh :laugh: