Clean install options

Hi, first post here, seems like an amiable and knowledgeable bunch. Hi to all!

On an ASUS 64-bit desktop, I'm running 8.1 (build 9600) 32-bit and want to move to W10 in 64-bit, because so many things now just don't work with 32-bit systems. I know an upgrade is not possible and am debating how to do a clean 10 install. I read the excellent tutorial here on clean W10 installs, and it seems complicated -- with a lot of opportunities for mischief. I'm wondering if a few seeming alternatives are possible and less complicated...

1. Reformat the hard drive, wiping off everything, and then install 10 from a DVD. This I think I can do. I mean, how hard can it be?

2. Partition the hard drive (if needed) and load W10 on a different drive, then migrate everything personal from C: to the new drive and then wipe 8.1 off my machine (oh happy day) by formatting C: or whatever. I have never done all this, but it does not seem difficult with modern formatting software. Not sure how to make the machine boot to W10 on the new drive, though.

3) Buy and install a new hard drive and just load 10 on it.

The unlisted alternative is to have the clean install done by someone who knows what they are doing, but I'm new in this small town and don't know one. And I have known a couple of disastrously bad computer techs in my day. Obviously, I'm not much of a gear head.

What do you folks think?

Easier than you think.

1) Copy all your personal files to external media. Most of all the stuff you can´t get back easily from the internet.

2) Format and do a clean install. Windows 10 can format the hard drive for you. Or you can just install it without formating and get your stuff back from the Windows.old folder.

xaccell said:

Easier than you think.

1) Copy all your personal files to external media. Most of all the stuff you can´t get back easily from the internet.

2) Format and do a clean install. Windows 10 can format the hard drive for you. Or you can just install it without formating and get your stuff back from the Windows.old folder.

Thanks, this is encouraging. I don't think my dvd will install without first formatting, though. Because 8.1/32-bit is on there, it thinks I am trying to upgrade and won't allow it to install. I get the message that says "can't go from 32 to 64 bit, ya knucklehead."

Would you format using the tools inside Windows or a 3rd-party software?

Standard advice is to use the Windows Media Creation Tool and a USB stick, not a DVD. Boot from it, follow the prompts, and let it take care of what's necessary---formatting, partitioning, etc.

Make sure any other drives are disconnected.

you have to boot the PC from the DVD or create a bootable flashdrive. It would be much faster.

brashboy said:

Would you format using the tools inside Windows or a 3rd-party software?

Windows Setup will automatically format it. You can use DiskPart or third-party software if you want to play.

brashboy said:

install 10 from a DVD.

Do so from a USB stick: Create Bootable USB Flash Drive to Install Windows 10

Do you have a licensed version of Windows 10 in addition to Windows 8?
If you have a licensed version of Windows 10 you can backup files and clean install Windows 10 64x.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...cle-fact-sheet

Windows upgrades from 7 or 8 to 10 are still free.

Windows 7 support ended January 2020 and most of the failure to upgrade troubleshooting has been with Windows 7.
For Windows 8 you can make similar steps.

Consider upgrading Windows 8 32x to Windows 10 64x first.
This gets a license on Microsoft servers allowing a future clean install.
A clean install is needed moving from 32x to 64x.
Once there is a free license upgrade on the Microsoft servers clean install from WIndows 10 32x to Windows 64x.

Windows 10 - Test & Try with No Risk, No Install - Windows 7 Help Forums
Upgrade to Windows 10 from Windows 7 for Free
Clean Install Windows 10 Directly without having to Upgrade First




Update the specs in the "My Computer" section:

System Specs - Fill in at Ten Forums
In the left corner below in your post you find 'My System Specs'.
After clicking it you can find a link a little below that says 'Update your System Spec', click on this link to get to the page where you can fill in your system specs.
System Info - See Your System Specs - Windows 7 Help Forums

Include PSU. cooler, case, peripherals and anything attached to the computer by wired or wireless (mouse, keyboard, headset, printer, xbox, USB wireless network card, etc.)

xaccell said:

you have to boot the PC from the DVD or create a bootable flashdrive. It would be much faster.

I have not been able to do that. I have a very slow connection and creating a bootable usb from the Windows site takes like 10 hours, and then it fails. Twice now. So that is not an option.

- - - Updated - - -

zbook said:

Do you have a licensed version of Windows 10 in addition to Windows 8?
If you have a licensed version of Windows 10 you can backup files and clean install Windows 10 64x.

Consider upgrading Windows 8 32x to Windows 10 64x first.
This gets a license on Microsoft servers allowing a future clean install.
A clean install is needed moving from 32x to 64x.
Once there is a free license upgrade on the Microsoft servers clean install from WIndows 10 32x to Windows 64x.

Lots of info to chew on, thanks. I think an upgrade is not in the cards, mostly because MS keeps saying on its site that W10 works best on on a new PC. Well, I'm not going to buy a new PC, but a big new hard drive is pretty close. And since my HD is only 300 gigs, a more robust one is in order. So I'm still cogitating...

- - - Updated - - -

There are lots of ways to download things from MS to create a bootable dvd or usb, plus the media creation tool. NONE of this worked for me. Creating a bootable usb took over 10 hours (overnight) and somehow failed -- no error message or dialog box, nothing was on the usb drive, etc. This happened twice. I meticulously followed instructions.

I also tried twice to use the media creation tool but that failed after hours of downloading and installing and endless machine restarts. For this I got an error message that the installation failed in the first boot phase, error 0xC1900101 - 0x30017. Same error message, twice.

So I really don't want to waste any more time trying to get things from the MS web site. I have a laptop running W10 that works with the MS web site and downloads things just fine. But not this desktop. Don't know why.

It seems the best options are to wipe the HD and do a clean install or just install W10 a new HD. I'll follow up with what I did and the results.

brashboy said:

I have not been able to do that. I have a very slow connection and creating a bootable usb from the Windows site takes like 10 hours, and then it fails. Twice now. So that is not an option.

(snip)

I recommend downloading the .iso (disk image file) rather than directly creating a bootbale USB drive using the Media Creation Tool. It's an option under the MCT, but here are other ways to get one. Download Windows 10 ISO File (Try to not be intimidated by all the choices.)

Dealing with an .iso in Windows 7 needs a little more effort than in Windows 8 or 10, but it's not difficult. How to Mount an ISO image in Windows 7, 8, and 10

It takes you 10 hours to download a Win10 installer? Yikes. Doing the arithmetic, that would be consistent with 1 Mb/s. That would have been blindingly fast, back in the late 1990s.

For a bootable Windows 10 iso see if you can find a friend, neighbor, relative, public library, or local computer store to create it.

It takes < 3hrs to download at 5 GB.

If you give someone the flash drive they could create it overnight.
Alternatively you may be able to create one at a public library.

For the Windows 10 iso find a flash drive that you can format (> or = 8 GB)

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/soft...load/windows10
Download Windows 10 ISO File
Create Bootable USB Flash Drive to Install Windows 10


Run setupdiag > post a share link into the thread
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/win...rade/setupdiag