How to do a Windows 10 clean install

To be able to do a clean install of Windows 10 you need to create a USB drive with Windows installation. You can do that using either the Microsoft Media Creation tool or a third party application called Rufus and Windows 10 iso file. I have covered the former method in a previous blog.

Once you have your bootable media ready, you can start following these steps for a clean install of Windows 10:

(Please ignore the picture quality. I used a basic smartphone to take snapshots)

1. Load the BIOS/UEFI to select the boot media.

This step is very laptop model specific. A lot of the systems require you to press one of the function keys and/or ESC and/or DEL keys during the boot. I have a Lenovo Yoga 710. This system requires me to press a tiny button (usually with a safety pin or a similar object) on the left side for the system to load up the UEFI.

2. Once the Boot Manager loads up. Select the USB device which has the Windows installer.

3. Windows installer will launch and starts asking you for Regional options. Enter your preferences and click “Next” to continue.

4. Select Install Now. You’ll see a screen with the message “Starting Setup” for few moments.

5. Read (your call :-P) and accept the terms and then click Next.

6. Select Custom Install to install a clean copy of Windows 10.

7. Select the partition where you want to install Windows 10.

I will go ahead and delete my old partition and then create two new partitions out of that memory.

Once the partitions have been created you can format them. Now select the one where you want the Windows to get installed and click Next.

This will bring up a screen saying “Installing Windows”. Once the installer files have been loaded on the system the device will restart and start the installation.

8. Recent Windows installers come with Cortana support. Don’t be surprised if suddenly you hear Cortana talking to you. It will try to guide you through certain settings that you can select using voice commands.

Create your login name and password.

Security questions.

Some more setting options.

And then this…

It will take a couple of minutes and you are all set.

Depending on your system model, you may or may not have to install additional drivers on your own. For my Lenovo Yoga 710, unfortunately, I’ll have to. With a clean install I can’t even connect to the internet. I’ll have to download the required drivers on a different system, copy them on my system and then install them. The drivers are usually available on the company websites.

Congratulations, you have a fresh clean installation of Windows 10 ready on your system!

Please post any questions/suggestions/concerns if you have any.