Windows 10: Reformat HDD and clean install Win 10

I'd like to do a clean install of Windows 10.


My laptop came with Win 7 and I did the upgrade to Win 10 some time ago but I do not have a product key or an installation disk.


As I'm purchasing a new laptop I want to pass my old machine on but want to clean it up before I do.


Would like to reformat the HDD and reinstall Win 10.


Any advice on how to do this?

:)

 

Fresh Install of Win 10 without Serial Key?

Looking to reformat a laptops HDD, and then reinstall Win 10 fresh. The problem is it came pre-installed with Win 8 and I did the free upgrade to Win 10. How exactly would I re-format the HDD, reinstall Win 10 and ensure it reactivates properly? I don't see a Win 8 serial key anywhere in the contents of the box.

 

Win 10 clean install question

So I spend the day yesterday installing the computer, using a prepared usb key with windows 10 on it.

I got it all sorted in the end but I'll share my fails anyways so others might learn:

Do not try to do a clean install win with win 10 home N, when you come from a machine with just win 10 home. It won't activate *Wink After reinstalling with the right copy, it was already activated right away after the first boot, didn't even have to initialise it.

There hasn't changed a whole lot in making clean install compared to older versions of windows, it's slightly better streamlined, though being asked at 3 different stages to enter a product key when it's not needed during install seems a bit annoying.

Further more it would be lovely if Microsoft finally learned to ask ALL questions regarding preferences updates and whatnot in one go, so you can then go away from your computer and come back to a fully installed/updated system including reboots.. Not impossible I would say.


There's still some little bugs, like when I installed realtek audio drivers, they'd go into an infinite loop asking for reboot and install the driver. And as a PDF reader isn't in the list of standard programs to select, foxitreader keeps saying it is not the default reader for pdf's even though I had said yes to the question 3x. If this fails to get file associations for PDF's I do hope Microsoft will fix this asap.


Thanks for the fast answers earlier guys, it gave me the confidence that all would be well, even when I cocked up the first install with the N version.

 

reformat hdd

I am trying to reformat an old dell ispirion 5100 pata hdd with w7 from a new hp laptop using a usb adapter for the hdd. I can boot the hp to the w7 startup menu, but it doesn't give me the option of choosing the hdd connected with the usb adapter, it
only lists the partitions on the hp internal hdd. Can I format this hdd with the hp computer using a usb adapter? The dvd I am using is an oem version that comes with its own product key that I purchased from eBay.