Windows 10: What is the best sequence to Reistall Windows 10?

You can click on the thumbs up icons on the bottoms of the posts that you find helpful. Also, always post back if something solved a problem for you so that others can benefit from what worked for you.

 

NavyLCDR
Having followed your list, I have now completed point4. and have my own USB with a vanilla Windows10 on it.
When using the Media Creation Tool it warned me that if I was upgrading, I would not need a Key. .... but if it was a new install, then I would need a Key.
I have Belarc results for both my old Lenovo notebook which had Windows 8.1 64bit and also for this HP Windows 10 64bit HP envy notebook.
They look like [ EDITED BY MOD] Is this the key?, if so which one would you recommend that I use 8.1 OR 10 ?... (once my SSD arrives in the post).
Is this likely to be an HP only key which I will be barred from using?
Otherwise, any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

First, you should not post unique product keys on a public forum, they could get stolen and used by others to illegally activate their own copies of Windows.

Second, run showkey plus from this forum:
Showkey - Windows 10 Forums

Before you post the results, if you click on the product keys shown in the result it will blank them out automatically. Post the results here. The specific key itself is not nearly as important (although you will want to write it down) as is the OEM Edition. If your OEM Edition is showing as Windows 8/8.1 or Windows 10, then the same version of Windows 10, current download, will read the product key from bios and not ask you for a product key. If you have an OEM Key for Windows 8, 8.1 or 10 and the Windows 10 install is asking you for a product key it is probably because you have downloaded the wrong version of Windows 10.

 

@MrChips
Please edit or delete your post #15 its shows your Windows key to everyone!!!

 

Thank you . Done .. or at least, I have done more of them .... silly to put any correct ones up there, methinks. Won't do it again..

 

Navy.
SSD arrived, is installed and Windows is now on it in accordance with you list.
It went very easily. I am very pleased. All my drivers are updated. All my major applications are loaded
I have effected a Restore Point and backed up Windows, so hopefully, if things go belly-up again, recovery will be far less traumatic.

I am very grateful to you for all the time you spent on me and for your excellent advice.

Thank you

 

That is GREAT NEWS MrChips Glad you were successful and I'm sure @NavyLCDR will be pleased too. *Thumbs

 

As my teenage daughter likes to say.....

YAY!

 

The real shame is that the Forum would only allow me to give him one 'thumbs up' . . . he persevered more