Windows 10: Old Guy Purchases Used Win10 PC- Clean Install, MS Account, etc.

Hi All. Thanks for the patience. I have read many threads and still confused. I contributed greatly to an XPS laptop forum, albeit years ago. Any insight would be most appreciated here. I've done dozens of Win7 clean installs. I install the drivers & SP1 file. Then turn on Windows Update and use my list of KB's NOT to be installed. The updates take a few hours, then disable Windows Update. But Win10 has me confused as he_ _ . I just bought a used 2018 Dell Optiplex Micro with OEM Win10 Pro. Most likely came from a business, he had 70 of them for sale. This seller "reset" the box but I would like to do a clean install myself and clean the SSD drive too. 1) Will this "Reset" just be installing the 2018 Win10 version that came with the PC? 2) Do I download a newer Win10 version to a bootable USB to do a clean install? 3) Does an OEM license require I create an MS account, or Local Account? I have a paid Outlook.com account. 4) Will the original owner need to release this license that is tied to his "MS Account"? 5) Does anyone use the "Refresh Windows Tool" download from MS? (Installs clean copy of latest Win10). I'm not worried about loosing drivers. I rather install drivers myself from Dell. Thank you all so much. Forums are a lifeline!!!

:)

 

Old Guy Purchases Used Win10 PC- Clean Install, MS Account, etc.

Hi All. Thanks for the patience. I have read many threads and still confused. I contributed greatly to an XPS laptop forum, albeit years ago. Any insight would be most appreciated here.

I've done dozens of Win7 clean installs. I install the drivers & SP1 file. Then turn on Windows Update and use my list of KB's NOT to be installed. The updates take a few hours, then disable Windows Update. But Win10 has me confused as he_ _ .

I just bought a used 2018 Dell Optiplex Micro with OEM Win10 Pro. Most likely came from a business, he had 70 of them for sale. This seller "reset" the box but I would like to do a clean install myself and clean the SSD drive too.

1) Will this "Reset" just be installing the 2018 Win10 version that came with the PC?
2) Do I download a newer Win10 version to a bootable USB to do a clean install?
3) Does an OEM license require I create an MS account, or Local Account? I have a paid Outlook.com account.
4) Will the original owner need to release this license that is tied to his "MS Account"?
5) Does anyone use the "Refresh Windows Tool" download from MS? (Installs clean copy of latest Win10).

I'm not worried about loosing drivers. I rather install drivers myself from Dell.
Thank you all so much. Forums are a lifeline!!!

 

Old Guy Purchases Used Win10 PC- Clean Install, MS Account, etc.

It will reset to the version that is currently installed, if it is 2018, then it will be it.
If you would use a recovery that came with PC then it would reset to the original.

It would be preferable, the current install might be "altered" to fit the company or something else.

No, it is tied to the hardware and will be activated automatically. The latest version wants you to use MS account, which you can create using any email, but you can create a local account, if you unplug the network.

The license is tied to the device and the device is tied to the MS account.
Once sold, I believe he would remove devices, at least for security reasons.

It is a good option, if you want to clean install/upgrade from within Windows.

 

Old Guy Purchases Used Win10 PC- Clean Install, MS Account, etc.

I have done a few and done clean install when it was activated before against a ms account and it activated ok on a new ms account