I have downloaded the new O.S onto a USB memory stick ready for the clean install.
My question is, will I be better off by formatting my SSD 'C' drive before performing the process or, does the install format the drive as it goes along?
I would like to think that the drive is really nice and clean before doing the clean install and so, if formatting prior to the installation is best, then that is the way I would prefer to go.
Many thanks.
- Temporarily disconnect all other HD/SSD except the one you plan to install Windows.
- Disable Secure Boot in BIOS if enabled.
- Boot up the PC with Windows Installation USB
- On the first screen. Hold down SHIFT + F10. A command Windows will pop up.
- Type: diskpart
- select disk 0
- clean
- exit
- exit
- Continue with the installation, select Customize, click on Disk 0 then click Next, Windows Installation wil create all needed partitions then install the rest to the SSD.
Hello topgundcp, thank you for your help with this, much appreciated. I thought that I would do a quick check this morning and so I switched off and restarted my pc, I was given a couple of options, F2 to enter setup and F12 for the BIOS. I pressed F12 but couldn't see any reference to 'secure boot' anywhere. There just seems to be a list of the drives that I have. Does that mean that secure boot doesn't exist on my machine.
- Temporarily disconnect all other HD/SSD except the one you plan to install Windows.
- Disable Secure Boot in BIOS if enabled.
- Boot up the PC with Windows Installation USB
- On the first screen. Hold down SHIFT + F10. A command Windows will pop up.
- Type: diskpart
- select disk 0
- clean
- exit
- exit
- Continue with the installation, select Customize, click on Disk 0 then click Next, Windows Installation wil create all needed partitions then install the rest to the SSD.
Number 7 on your list says 'clean', is that the same as 'format' giving me what I am looking for, i.e. a formatted disk prior to installation?
Thanks again for your help.
Your Model is quite several years old so I guess it only has the legacy MBR support then you don't have the secure boot option. That means you will be installing Windows 10 using the legacy MBR.
clean is not the same as format. just an unallocated space which you will need to create partition then format. However, with MBR partition scheme, If you create a partition and format first then install Windows, Windows will install everything in C drive without creating a 500MB System Reserved partition.
My suggestion above is to leave it unallocated and let Windows Installation creates the needed partitions, format them then install Windows.
I have a question - Have you ever had Windows 10 activated on that PC yet ??
If you have never activated windows 10 on that pc - there are a few steps that will need to be added to the above steps..
To get a GenuineTicket.xml
Hello, yes I did do the upgrade and so am running 10 at the moment.I have a question - Have you ever had Windows 10 activated on that PC yet ??
If you have never activated windows 10 on that pc - there are a few steps that will need to be added to the above steps..
To get a GenuineTicket.xml
