Is there any difference between updating Windows and Clean install?

I just bought Windows 10 and have not used a Windows OS since the XP days. I remember people always saying that upgrading Windows is worse than a clean install so the recommendation was to buy the full version and do a format. So now that Windows does major releases through updates, I wanted to know if this rule of thumb applies to major version releases as well?

I have version 1909 ISO file. Would it be better to wait a few weeks until version 2004 releases and then install that particular ISO or will it even matter? I just want to avoid any issues or loss of performance because historically Windows has given me PTSD since it used to be so finicky.

Secondary question. Years ago you used to do a lot of manual tweaking and cleaning etc to keep Windows performing well and it performed better if you disabled all of the features that you don't use. Is this still true today? Is it better to keep everything at default or will I get better performance from tweaking it? I will mostly be using 3rd party apps so any recommended tweaks is appreciated.

Windows 7 and 8 can still be upgraded to Windows 10 for free.

The windows 10 iso can be installed at any time and then upgraded to the latest build.
Some prefer not to upgrade early in case there are unexpected problems.

The best method is to clean install now then install drivers and applications then make a free backup image.

In the future if there are any problems you can restore the image.

Clean Install Windows 10

Macrium Software | Your Image is Everything
Backup and Restore with Macrium Reflect


If the computer has a HD you can use selective startup for a faster boot.
If the computer has a SSD you can use normal boot.

Plankton said:

1. Which version of 10 did you buy....the OEM or retail?

2. If this were me....yes I would wait, if that wait was a guarantee release date. As it stands now....with Covid-19, not sure when that will happen. So in this case/situation....I would probably do both. Clean install 1909 and then when 2004 comes out do a clean install of that.

3. Yes...still applies to tweaking/cleaning/deleting and turn off stuff one doesn't use. For the delete part, as long as it's not part of or detrimental to the OS. With windows 10, there's a lot of features that are integrated into the OS and can't be removed/deleted.

Thanks. Not sure that I would want to reformat all over again if I install 1909 now. But then again I'd like to use my new computer without wondering when 2004 will actually come out. I got Pro edition Retail. It's a new XPS laptop but came with Home OEM and all of Dell's junkware so I wiped the disk as soon as I got it and downloaded offline files of all of Dell's drivers that I will need.

Granted my preference would be Linux which is what I've been using since the XP days but I don't think this laptop has much in the way of Linux drivers and I want it to be fully functional. Thanks for your input.

Atari said:

I just bought Windows 10 and have not used a Windows OS since the XP days. I remember people always saying that upgrading Windows is worse than a clean install so the recommendation was to buy the full version and do a format. So now that Windows does major releases through updates, I wanted to know if this rule of thumb applies to major version releases as well?

I have version 1909 ISO file. Would it be better to wait a few weeks until version 2004 releases and then install that particular ISO or will it even matter? I just want to avoid any issues or loss of performance because historically Windows has given me PTSD since it used to be so finicky.

All I can say is that I have a machine (System One in my specs below) that took the free upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10 in August 2015, and since then has been upgraded through ever major release up to 1909. It runs as well today as it ever did, if not better. I have also recently clean installed 1909 on another machine, I can't say there's any noticeable performance difference between the two.

The upgrade process cleans up some of the registry settings nearly as effectively as a clean install - plus you don't have the bother of reinstalling all your software after each major update.

Secondary question. Years ago you used to do a lot of manual tweaking and cleaning etc to keep Windows performing well and it performed better if you disabled all of the features that you don't use. Is this still true today? Is it better to keep everything at default or will I get better performance from tweaking it? I will mostly be using 3rd party apps so any recommended tweaks is appreciated.

To some extent that is still true, but not as much as it use to be. What I do for all my machines is to go into Settings > Privacy > Background apps and turn off almost all background apps (I just leave Weather and Windows Security). You could even turn off 'allow apps to run in the background' completely if you like, doesn't seem to do any harm.

If you do tweak the system, try to stick to only making changes that are available through Settings. Not so much 'sticking to the defaults' as staying within the bound of allowable changes. My System One has sailed through every upgrade without a problem. A contributing factor may be that I don't use any 3rd-party tweaking tools. Some of those who have posted here after a failure to upgrade have been found to have been due to 'over-enthusiastic' use of 3rd-party tweaks.

Atari said:

Thanks. Not sure that I would want to reformat all over again if I install 1909 now. But then again I'd like to use my new computer without wondering when 2004 will actually come out...

The current rumour is that it's pencilled in for 28th May.

I hear OEMs now are set to get the code May 5; developers on May 12; and general availability is slated for May 28. Again, Microsoft has not announced this officially and these dates may change yet again.

Microsoft rolls out Windows 10 2004 release preview ahead of expected May release to mainstream users | ZDNet


The upgrade should be straight forward and painless, so if I were in your place I would install 1909 now. If and when 2004 is released the upgrade will be optional, you may want to wait a month or so for any bugs to shake out before trying the upgrade. 1909 will not reach end of support until May 2021 so there's no rush to take the upgrade.

Just want to add that I just found the insider preview ISO on MS website. Since I'm a bit anxious to use my new laptop I'm thinking about using the "Slow Ring" which I assume would then update to the official build once it releases? I know it might be a little less stable but from what I'm reading it seems 2004 is fairly close to official release and maybe this would be better than installing 1909 version?

Any thoughts on that?

Atari said:

I just bought Windows 10 and have not used a Windows OS since the XP days. I remember people always saying that upgrading Windows is worse than a clean install so the recommendation was to buy the full version and do a format. So now that Windows does major releases through updates, I wanted to know if this rule of thumb applies to major version releases as well?

If you maintain a healthy system, and don't mess with it too much with your "tweaking and cleaning etc.", then you shouldn't have much trouble just letting it update, as @Bree has also alluded to.

Atari said:

I have version 1909 ISO file. Would it be better to wait a few weeks until version 2004 releases and then install that particular ISO or will it even matter? I just want to avoid any issues or loss of performance because historically Windows has given me PTSD since it used to be so finicky.

You can get version 2004 now via UUP Dump website:
UUP dump

You would want Feature update to Windows 10, version 2004 (19041.208) amd64. If you don't want to download it, then install your 1909 now and just let it upgrade.

Atari said:

Secondary question. Years ago you used to do a lot of manual tweaking and cleaning etc to keep Windows performing well and it performed better if you disabled all of the features that you don't use. Is this still true today? Is it better to keep everything at default or will I get better performance from tweaking it? I will mostly be using 3rd party apps so any recommended tweaks is appreciated.

As @Bree also alluded to, I would not "tweak and clean etc" anything more that what is available to do within Windows 10 settings and menus. The more people mess with Windows 10 with tweaking programs, registry entries, etc, the more problems they have, especially with Windows updates. I just open the full programs menu from the start icon and right click+uninstall all the extras I don't want, and after that delete a few items from the tiles on the start menu. I've have several computers running for years now, through all the updates to Windows 10, without any update/upgrade failures and no noticeable degradation of performance.

Atari said:

Just want to add that I just found the insider preview ISO on MS website. Since I'm a bit anxious to use my new laptop I'm thinking about using the "Slow Ring" which I assume would then update to the official build once it releases? I know it might be a little less stable but from what I'm reading it seems 2004 is fairly close to official release and maybe this would be better than installing 1909 version?

Any thoughts on that?

2004 is in two Insider rings, the Slow Ring and the Release Preview ring. Of the two the Release Preview will likely be the more stable. I have a 'clone' of my System One machine running as a virtual machine which I have upgraded to the Release Preview 2004, build 19041.208. It seem to work OK in a VM, but to be honest it seems little changed from 1909.