Windows 10: Preparing my PC for a fresh, clean install...

After 5 years and W 7, 8.1 and 10 upgrades the time has come to refresh my Thinkpad T540p. I have read the tutorial here on the clean Windows 10 install steps and I'm comfortable with that. I have a full, mirrored Macrium Reflect disk image of the current setup and important stuff is also archived elsewhere. Never having done this operation before I'm worrying about what I should be doing about the actual programmes on the computer. I guess they should be freshly downloaded from the relevant sites and installed that way and the working files then restored to them from the backups.

I'm more concerned about this aspect than the clean install. Any tips at all on this gratefully received.

Windows 10 version 1909 18363.836.

Thanks.
Worried from Seville *Confused

:)

 

Clean Install Workaround for Vista

You may remember this news story on techPowerUp! a couple of days ago relating to the lack of clean installs when using the Upgrade Editions of Vista, which required an old OS to be installed. However, Paul Thurrott has managed to find a workaround for this issue, which ironically lets users do a clean install Vista without any previous version of Windows, albeit a little tedious. Here are the steps:

• Boot from the Windows Vista Upgrade DVD as normal
• When prompted for a product code, leave this blank
• Select the version of Vista you have purchased and let Vista install
• When you boot to your desktop for the first time, run the Vista setup from Windows
• This time enter your product key
• When asked whether you want to do an Upgrade of Custom install, select custom and choose a clean install
• Windows will now install for a second time and you should be able to activate it

Remember, these steps are only advised for use in order to achieve a clean install of Vista, it is only legal to use the upgrade editions if you have previously purchased the appropriate version of Windows.

Source: DailyTech

 

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.

 

How do i fresh install Vista?

Which one would i get? And can someone tell me the steps for a clean install of Vista?