Clean install of Windows 10 on a laptop purchased from DELL

bluetea55z said:

Thank you for the answer! I am going to use Dell Backup and Recovery to create a flash drive. However, I am wondering if the recovery relies on those recovery partitions that Dell creates that I said I was planning on deleting. Will the usb recovery that I create be able to take me back to factory regardless of those partitions? I am assuming they are only there to do factory resets without any media creation.

All you need to do know is follow Word Mans instructions he posted in msg #10 He is VERY good with Dell computers!!
Then you should be all set, for your installation of Windows 10.
Take care, Mike.

Word Man said:

The recovery media you create with DBR will be entirely self contained and bootable, not dependent on partitions on your disk. It will recreate the partitions that it was set up with at the factory. If you have time and inclination later WITH a complete disk image made (plus a separate Macrium rescue DVD/USB) to an external drive, you can give the USB factory restore a try and see the result - then, once done seeing the result, restore your image completely (complete disk restore from Macrium will just replace all the partitions) to get back where you started from.

P.S. - Just to be crystal clear - the Dell Backup and Recovery option I consider to be bonus, used for possible resale, or particularly if everything just goes so far south on you that you need it back to OOTB condition. By all means, I strongly recommend that, as a bottom line, you first of all rely on complete disk imaging (Macrium Reflect Free or Paid is my preference, others have their own preference) to an external drive as your primary protection.

Great responses. I am all set now. Thanks!