which partition to place clean install on

hvphotog said:

I am doing a clean install via a thumb drive being i am unable to get to safe mode or any windows screen on my desk top, so used my laptop to download from MS the win 10 install

I am getting asked which partition to select.. ?

Also if i select the wrong one if there is a wrong one what would be the ramifications?

For a clean install, it is best to delete all partitions, and select unallocated space and let the installer sort itself out.

The only partition you might want to keep is partition 6 which looks like a Windows 8 recovery partition, but frankly I would delete it as well as it is easy to download Windows 8 if you ever needed to revert.

Hi, firstly, do you need to recover any data from your existing installation before you delete it completely - or do you already have a full backup? There are ways to do that.

Secondly, a Windows 10 installation creates several partitions. If you are doing a clean install, you need to delete all the partitions you don't need.

For example, my UEFI Win 10 includes all these (of which 1 450Mb is actually redundant).


What you need to do is either

format your whole disk- if you need to keep nothing on it, which is probably the case, (unless you wished to keep your manufacturer's recovery partition should you wish to sell the machine on as you originally bought it for some reason)

or delete the partitions you don't need.

A convenient way to do that is to use this partition manager on a boot medium:
Bootable Partition Manager| MiniTool Partition Wizard Bootable Edition

and then install Win 10 on unallocated space.

Hi, as you seem not to have appropriate backups, recovering your data is your first priority.

We strongly recommend disk imaging here- that both lets you restore your PC to a previous working state without technical help when things go wrong- and even if your PC is unbootable or your hard disk fails. It also acts as a full backup. So that's something to start using when you're up and running again.

So how can you recover your data?
Here's one way: Download and create this bootable disk (or you could create a usb drive if you prefer and know how):
Windows 10 Recovery Tools - Bootable Rescue Disk - Windows 10 Forums

This will give you a Windows-like environment, so you can then copy data off your PC to an external USB disk, for example.

That's your first priority, and it's best we wait for your confirmation you've done that. Hope it works out ok.. good luck.

Start simply by recovering your data.
If you can't manage to boot using a disk or USB device you could connect your disk via USB to another PC, of course.