Windows 10 Clean Install After Free Upgrade

| 30-06-2021
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How to wipe and install a clean copy of Windows 10, step by step:1. Download Windows 10 Media Creation Tool from https://www.microsoft.com/en-g. After you complete the steps, Rufus will download the ISO file from the Microsoft servers, and it'll create the bootable media to perform a clean install of Windows 10. How to perform clean. Previously, Microsoft forced users to upgrade to Windows 10 before they could start fresh and do a clean install–which was annoyingly complicated and time-consuming. Now, things are much easier, since you can activate Windows 10 with a Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 key. Option One: Create Installation Media and Install Windows from Scratch.

Updated, July 31 @ 15:55 BST (10:55 EDT): This story has been updated with a few more details, and some other (quicker) ways of achieving an almost-clean installation of Windows 10.

Original story

Windows 10 is an unusual release for Microsoft: if you have a licensed version of Windows 7 or 8/8.1, it will very easily upgrade to Windows 10—you don't even need to enter a licence key. Clean installations, however, are a bit trickier: you do need to enter a licence key, and your Windows 7/8 key probably won't work.

Fortunately, if you're running Windows 7 or 8, and you really want to use your free Windows 10 licence key to perform a clean installation rather than upgrade, there is a solution. It's pretty convoluted, but it works.

First, you need to do an in-place upgrade to Windows 10. You can do this via Windows Update, or if Windows Update isn't playing ball you can use the direct download tool: English/American/German/French/Italian/Dutch. If you use the download tool, make sure you select 'Upgrade this PC now.' It goes without saying that, before you install any new operating system, you should back up any important data beforehand.

Once the upgrade has completed, make sure you've been activated by Microsoft. Open up the new Settings app, then head to Update & Security, Activation. It will say on the right whether you're activated or not (see image). Also note down what version of Windows 10 you have (Home, Pro).

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If you haven't yet been activated, you can try forcing it via command prompt: run cmd.exe as an administrator, then type slmgr.vbs /ato. You may need to try a few times, as the activation servers were being hit quite hard.

This first step will convert your current Windows 7/8 key into a Windows 10 key.

Now you need to install Windows 10 again! Grab the Windows 10 download tool and run it. This time, select 'Create installation media for another PC.' Select the appropriate version (Home, Pro) and the tool will generate an ISO for you. Let the tool help you burn the ISO to a DVD or USB memory stick.

Can i do a clean install of windows 10 after free upgrade

Now, proceed with a clean installation of Windows 10 (select 'Custom: Install Windows only' when prompted.) When it asks you for a product key, click Skip. If it asks you multiple times, just keep hitting Skip.

Once you've installed Windows 10, it should activate normally. Again, you might need to manually slam the servers using slmgr.vbs /ato. Voilà: a clean installation of Windows 10.

In theory, you should be able to reinstall Windows 10 again in the future on the same PC, but if you make significant hardware changes you might need to use the manual telephone activation process. Currently, it isn't clear if you can take your freebie Windows 10 licence key and use it to install Windows 10 on another machine. Some users are reporting that ProduKey, Magic Jelly Bean, and other key-viewing tools have enabled them to get a new Windows 10 licence key that can be used on another machine, but some users are just getting a generic licence key that isn't transferable. Your mileage may vary.

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Caveats and other gotchas

Obviously, it's crazy that you have to go through a full OS installation just to upgrade a licence key. It would be a lot easier and faster if Microsoft provided some kind of tool that converted Windows 7/8 keys to Windows 10.

If you bought a retail copy of Windows 10, this guide doesn't apply to you at all: you'll have a Windows 10 licence key that can be used directly during the installation process.

Another option, rather than installing Windows 10 twice, is to click the small 'change what to keep' button during installation, and then select 'nothing' from the following screen. This will delete all of your files, apps, and settings. This will be functionally the same as performing a clean installation, but there may be small underlying differences.

Another method is to upgrade to Windows 10, head into the new Settings app, and go to 'Update and recovery.' From there, you can click 'Reset this PC,' which gives you the option of reinstalling Windows 10 and either a) keeping your apps and files, or b) wiping everything clean. Again, this isn't quite the same as a clean installation, but it's very similar.

If you do opt for the upgrade-then-install method, one slightly faster route is to download and burn an ISO the first time you run the tool, and then upgrade from that ISO. You can then use the same installation media to do a clean installation, rather than downloading Windows 10 again using the tool.

Download Windows 10 Upgrade Reinstall

If you get the following error when trying to activate Windows 10, don't panic: 'Error code: 0xC004C003. Activation server determined that the key has been blocked.' Some users are reporting that they are seeing that error, even with a legitimate key, perhaps due to the activation servers being overloaded. Of course, if you're not actually using a legitimate licence key, then... well... do panic.

Activate Free Windows 10 Upgrade

If you have a Windows 7 or 8 PC on July 29th, you will be able to upgrade to Windows 10 for free. This free license will only be offered for one year, but what happens if you need to reinstall your OS? The good news is that the license Microsoft is providing will allow you to clean install Windows 10 on the same device at any time.

The news comes from Gabe Aul, the head of the Windows Insider program at Microsoft. For those who do not like upgrading their machines and prefer to clean install Windows every time a new version is released, this is good news for you. Gabe said the following on Twitter:

Once you upgrade W10 w/ the free upgrade offer you will able to clean reinstall Windows 10 on same device any time

Can I Do A Clean Install Of Windows 10 After Free Upgrade

Microsoft is moving aggressively with Windows 10 by prompting Windows 7 and 8 users on their desktop with a free upgrade offer. The company is targeting to have one billion installs of the OS in the next 2-3 years, which means that they have to get users to upgrade quickly if they are going to meet this goal.

Windows 10 Clean Install After Free Upgrade

The flexibility of the upgrade license will likely put to rest concern that some users were having as they were expecting to have to install Windows 7/8 and then upgrade with the free key that Microsoft is providing if they needed to wipe their machine.