Windows 10: Upgrade vs Clean Install

The current ISO's available are for an older build. 10074. Even on MSDN. To get the current build your going to have to do at least 1 upgrade. Unless you cheat an nab an ESD file to build a current ISO. If you upgrade from Windows 8 or 7 your looking at two upgrades. If you could easily get an ISO for todays build there would be a lot less upgrades done.

 

I wish I could set up a clean install in 2 1/2 hours. I never actually timed it but I know it takes me a lot more hours than that to get everything installed and set up as I want it. I usually do a few programs at a time and stretch it out over 2 or 3 days. I'm still not sure if I'm going to upgrade install from Win 8.1.1 to Win 10 or do a clean install when Win 10 released.

 

But it's better to do the slow re-installation of your programs for 2 to 3 days rather than wasting your time figuring out how to fix your upgrade issues for weeks before deciding to do a clean install. *Biggrin

 

Well, it's not like you will have to do it many times once it comes out as finished product, it may be well worth to do all that to get a squeaky clean system, make a good backup of it and be at peace for some time to come.

 

Yup, I can and I did, Alpha. *Smile Using Kari's and WHS's tutorial.

Funny thing on the way to the clean install . . . I plugged in the bootable flash drive, and away it went! Problem? I had picked the wrong "ISO" and reinstalled 10074! Sigh . . .

<StarFerret's over there in her corner giggling>

 

And that's why I normally avoid doing a clean install of my day to day OS; too many programs to be reinstalled. First I gotta write 'em all down, then do a whole house search for some that have disappeared; now why did I leave that one there? This one has to be upgraded through three or four iterations . . .

I wonder if there's a way to bring Windows 8.1 back to a pristine condition (since I didn't do an image when it was new) before installing Windows 10 as an upgrade? Because that's the only way I'd do an upgrade over 8.1.

 

For the first part, I keep all the programs I usually install in one folder and rest with all of installation files zipped in another folder on a HDD and on another for backup.
For the second part, yes you can use any windows ISO to do repair installation of clan windows. Check tutorial in 8forums.

 

Would this help? I used it when I bought my Surface Pro 3, which of course came straight from MS, un-bundled. No install media, so I did this and it was fine!

Oops! forgot link! Create installation media for Windows 8.1 - Windows Help

 

It is my belief that MS has intentionally confused everyone. How do you do an Upgrade and a clean install MS is not going to take your key over the phone. So my question is how is MS going to verify if you have a legit Win 7 or 8 if they can't verify it through the upgrade process? I am back on Seven till the release. I have wasted way too much time on 10.

 

License?? You might/have to enter a license to perform an upgrade.

 

I have some that only come on DVD/CD, which I don't have on my hard drive. Those are the ones I have to track down. I have a full version of Expression Studio and thought it was on the shelf where I keep all my programs. Can't remember where I found it, but it was nowhere near where it should have been.
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Now why didn't I think of that!? *Smile

 

Yes but how are they to verify it, You can enter any key....

 

Maybe you will have to request a new key. When Windows 8 came out you could put in a Windows 7 product key to a website and receive a key in return which gave you a discount off Windows 8. No reason why they couldn't do that with Windows 10.

 

You can use ImgBurn to go backward, DVD ---> HD iso file. I just tested it, took about 5 minutes. Mounted from HD fine and looks fine.

 

Gary, I've installed so many upgrades in my life that I could do it with my eyes closed and one hand tied behind me. Of course, I cannot remember the exact verbiage, so I'll improvise. More interesting that way . . . *Smile

My first clean install with upgrade media went something like this . . . An upgrade from Windows 3.1 to Windows 95.

1. Insert CD (Windows was smaller back then) with Windows 95 Upgrade on it. Start Installation; Windows says I need to see your CD with Windows 3.1 on it; insert the Windows 3.1 CD; Windows says, OK, I see you're legal, take this one out and put the Upgrade back in . . . whirr, gimme your product key, questions, whirr, more questions until Installation is complete.

2. Then there was the "partial install" You put the CD of the old OS into the drive, let it get to a certain point of installation, then stopped it. Reboot the PC, put in the Upgrade CD, Windows checks to see if the prior OS is there; what it needs to see is, so it goes on to complete installation.

3. There are instructions on the Vista, Seven, Eight, Ten Forums on how to clean install from an Upgrade DVD (by this time).

4. Now we have the ability to create an ISO from the Install.ESD file.

What I've shared here are memories from the Stone Age of Windows, so don't hold me to the exact method of installation.

The point is that when the time comes, Microsoft will have figured out exactly how we'll be able to upgrade from our qualifying OS to Windows 10 and we'll be instructed accordingly.

As many have said, there should be installation DVDs available. The simplest method of doing a clean install would be that during installation, when the product key is requested, you would enter the product key of your qualifying OS; thus, rendering it useless for re-installation on another computer. Will Microsoft do that? Who knows?