Clean Install - Partitions

Hello Forum,

I attempted to clean install Win 10 Pro v1909 from ISO on a DVD. I simply clicked on the ISO setup file, and let the system do its thing.

Typically, I end up doing these clean installs several times for various reasons. This was my first attempt at a clean install of Win 10 on a HP laptop. On the first attempt, I did get the dialogue box to delete partitions. I deleted all the partitions and let Win 10 do its thing.

It was a bit of a challenge, because I couldn't connect to the internet, I didn't have mouse function, and there are a lot of HP software and device drivers that weren't installed.

I attempted this clean install a couple of times and on the subsequent attempts, I didn't get the dialogue box to delete the partitions. Why is that?

Also, the version of Win 10 that installed was Win 10 Home. The ISO is a Home/Pro ISO v1909. I've got a digital license for upgrade from Home to Pro from the Microsoft Store. I eventually was able to login to my Microsoft account, but I couldn't find a way to upgrade from Home to Pro. What's the solution without contacting Microsoft?

Regards

Ghot said:

@tjg79

Settings > Update and Security > Activation > Change Product Key

Or you can just type Activation in the Taskbar search box.

What product key? I know they use a dummy product key to initiate the upgrade for a digital license. I've got a couple, but when I entered the dummy product keys, I got an indication that the product keys weren't valid.

What about the partitions dialogue box on my subsequent attempts? Why didn't they appear?

tjg79 said:

Hello Forum,

I attempted to clean install Win 10 Pro v1909 from ISO on a DVD. I simply clicked on the ISO setup file, and let the system do its thing.

First, this isn't a clean install. To do a clean install you boot the computer from the USB flash drive or DVD and it boots to the first setup screen that asks you for language and keyboard. There is no setup.exe file to click on.

Home was installed because that is the version of Windows that there is a product key stored in the computer's firmware for. If the computer does already have a digital license for Windows 10 Pro, then you just change the product key to VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T.

It would be interesting to see a screenshot of disk management and see what partitions you really have:
Disk Management - How to Post a Screenshot of

NavyLCDR said:

First, this isn't a clean install. To do a clean install you boot the computer from the USB flash drive or DVD and it boots to the first setup screen that asks you for language and keyboard. There is no setup.exe file to click on.

Home was installed because that is the version of Windows that there is a product key stored in the computer's firmware for. If the computer does already have a digital license for Windows 10 Pro, then you just change the product key to VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T.

It would be interesting to see a screenshot of disk management and see what partitions you really have:
Disk Management - How to Post a Screenshot of

It appeared to be a clean install, because I did get the first blue screen asking for the language and keyboard. I got the screen that allowed me to delete partitions. I ended up restoring my system from a Macricum Reflect image, and I'll make another attempt at the clean install of Win 10 v1909 from a DVD/ISO. The attached screen shot is the DVD ISO image, and you can see the setup file. If you click on it, it will take some time to load, then take you to the blue clean install screens. I'd post a screen shot of the disk management, but I'm back to my pre-clean install system.

tjg79 said:

The attached screen shot is the DVD ISO image, and you can see the setup file. If you click on it, it will take some time to load, then take you to the blue clean install screens. I'd post a screen shot of the disk management, but I'm back to my pre-clean install system.

You cannot do a clean install by clicking on setup.exe. You must boot from the DVD in order to do a clean install.