Clean install of windows 11
Author: s | 2025-04-24
Windows 11 clean install process. After the preparation instructions, you will be ready to proceed with the clean installation of Windows 11. To do a clean installation of Windows 11, use these steps: Windows 11 clean install process. After the preparation instructions, you will be ready to proceed with the clean installation of Windows 11. To do a clean installation of Windows 11, use these steps:
Clean installation of Windows 11
Windows 11 Install(Image credit: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central)What you need to knowUpgrading directly from Windows 7 to Windows 11 will require a clean install or for you to reimage your PC.In contrast, PCs moving from Windows 10 will also have the option to upgrade through Windows Settings.Only PCs that meet the minimum requirements for Windows 11 will be able to upgrade to the new operating system.If you plan to upgrade your PC directly from Windows 7 to Windows 11, you'll have to go through a bit of a longer process. PCs that meet the Windows 11 minimum requirements will have to perform a clean install or reimage a PC to go directly to Windows 11. The details for the upgrade process are answered in an FAQ page from Lenovo about Windows 11.When asked about the upgrade path from Windows 7 to Windows 11, Lenovo explains:Most devices available for purchase now will be upgradeable to Windows 11. You will have the option to upgrade, clean install, or reimage Windows 10 devices to move to Windows 11. For Windows 7 devices that meet hardware requirements, you will need to clean install or reimage to go directly to Windows 11.It's unclear how many PCs currently running Windows 7 meet the minimum requirements of Windows 11. Windows 7 has been out of support since January 2020 and is now quite dated for an operating system.The upgrade path from Windows 7 to Windows 11 may affect business and enterprise customers more than individual people. Some organizations still run Windows 7 across networks of PCs.If people don't want to perform a clean install, they could upgrade a PC to Windows 10 first and then upgrade to Windows 11.All the latest news, reviews, and guides for Windows and Xbox diehards.Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at
Windows Security is not installed on a clean install of Windows 11
Files are kept for diagnostics and repairing damaged Windows 11 files; or even reinstall Windows 11.Wait while Windows installsWhen this phase of setup is complete, Windows will automatically restart then reboot into setup again.Windows is detecting and installing your hardware. After this is complete, Windows will restart one last time.Out of Box ExperienceThe Out of Box Experience page is where you get to configure detailed settings in Windows, which includes creating a user account, configure privacy, sync PC settings and install modern applications.How to: Complete the Windows 11 Out of Box ExperiencePerform a Clean Install Using Reset, Recovery Drive or Refresh Tools (Start Fresh) in Windows 11If you already have Windows 11 installed, you can use the built in Reset function, Recovery Drive or Refresh Tools (Start Fresh) in Windows 10 do so. Learn how in the following article:How to: Perform a clean install using Reset this PC in WindowsHow to: Create a Recovery Drive for reinstalling WindowsHow to Perform a Clean Install of Windows with the Refresh ToolHow to Perform a Clean Install by Starting Setup from Within a Running Version of WindowsIf you are running Windows 7 or Windows 8.0, Windows 8.1 or Windows 10, launch Windows 11 setup using ISO Media:During setup, at the Ready to install screen, click Change what to keep linkSelect NothingClick Next to being the installationRelated:How to: Perform a clean install of Windows 10How to: Perform a custom installation of WindowsHow to Verify If You Downloaded or Installed the Latest Version WindowsHow to install and activate Windows 10 using your Windows 7 or Windows 8 product keyHow to Perform a Clean Install of Windows 10 with the Refresh ToolUse Recover from the Cloud to Reinstall Windows 10 on Surface Book or Surface ProHi I have just upgraded my desktop pc with a new motherboard and cpu running win10 I wish to upgrade to Win 11 but the only thing stopping me is “Secure Boot “I cannot seem to enable this in bios If I perform a fresh total install of win 10 will this be enabled ? 4 people found this comment helpfulClean install Windows 11 - IPVanish
AdvertisementSpace required to install Windows 10If you’re looking to install Windows 10 on your computer or are about to fresh Install Windows 10 but are concerned about how much space Windows 10 take after installation. This short guide will give you an estimated idea of whether you have recommended space to install and run windows 10 on your computer. Check the following points to decide whether you should install Windows 10 or not.Windows 10 and Windows 11 are updated yearly as of the current schedule. Windows 10 is set to expire somewhere in 2025. While the latest version works just fine on newer machines, old machines usually face issues when upgrading. To avoid all the mess created during the update process, We recommend that you clean-install Windows 11 every 6 months.This makes your PC clean and fast.Windows 11 storage occupied after installWindows 11 Pro English language version 22H2 takes little more than 30GB. While this is similar to the storage space Windows 10 takes. But remember once you enable the internet connection, Windows automatic update will run in the background and download and install all the patches and updates, which can quickly fill up your free space. If you have recently upgraded to a new year Windows 11 version here is how you can free up space.Windows 10 Install size on StorageTest 1 C:/ Drive is 20GB or less. Tested with: Windows 10 Nov 2019 update.A clean or fresh Windows 10 installation size took 11.6 GB, though recommended free space is 16 GB for 32-bit OS and 20 GB for 64-bit OS, it is advisable to have a partition with more free space so that you can install more software and games. For this test, we also installed Windows 10 on a partition that was 12GB in size and it occupied around 11.6GB leaving just 300MB.^^ This will applies to you when Windows is installed on C:/ drive which is just 20GB.Figure 1. Windows 10 takes 11GB on a 20GB diskTest 2 C:/ is 50GB+. Tested with: Windows 10 Nov 2019 update. We installed Windows 10 on C:/ with 50GB+. Windows 11 clean install process. After the preparation instructions, you will be ready to proceed with the clean installation of Windows 11. To do a clean installation of Windows 11, use these steps: Windows 11 clean install process. After the preparation instructions, you will be ready to proceed with the clean installation of Windows 11. To do a clean installation of Windows 11, use these steps:Clean install Windows 11 – IPVanish
Hello! Do you have a question about Windows Server or Windows Client for IT Pros? Windows 11 Top Contributors: * Please try a lower page number. * Please enter only numbers. * Please try a lower page number. * Please enter only numbers. Please be sure to follow me on Twitter @adacosta for the latest tips, tricks and updates in the world of Windows 10. -Technical Level : IntermediateSummaryIf you have installed a recent release of Windows in the past 15 years, you pretty much know what it will be like to install Windows 11. In this article, we take a look at performing a clean install. This includes starting a clean install from within a running version of Windows or a hard disk/SSD with no previous Windows installations.DetailsPerform a clean install by booting from install media (DVD or USB thumb drive)Perform a clean install using Reset in Windows 10 or Windows 10 Refresh Tools (Start Fresh)Perform a clean install from within a running version of Windows 7, Windows 8/8.1 or Windows 10Windows 11 is a free upgrade for Windows 10 users. As long as your current Windows 10 installation is activated, you can upgrade for free or perform a clean install using your existing Windows 10 product key. Just make sure you are installing the Windows 11 edition that currently corresponds with your Windows 10 edition.Perform a Clean Install on an Empty Hard Disk/SSD or Reinstall by Booting from Install Media (DVD or USB Thumb Drive)Once you have your Windows 10 installation media ready, all you need to do is boot from the disc or USB thumb drive to begin setup. If you don't have install media, see instructions: How to download official Windows ISO files Review the following guide for instructions and details about configuring your BIOS or UEFI boot settings for DVD, CD, USB or SD Card.BIOS/UEFI Setup Guide: Boot from a CD, DVD, USB Drive or SD CardOnce your computer is set to boot from the DVD, you should see this option to boot from the installation media. Press any key to load Windows setup files.Reinstall or clean install Windows 11
New 24 Dec 2021 #1 Media Creation Tool versus Disk Image It seems that there are two different ways to install Windows 11, say: download the Windows 11 image or use the Media Creation Tool to create a bootable USB image. I'd like to understand the difference between these two methods and the reasons for choosing one over the other. I assume that the same considerations apply to Windows 10. New 24 Dec 2021 #2 pwabrahams said: It seems that there are two different ways to install Windows 11, say: download the Windows 11 image or use the Media Creation Tool to create a bootable USB image. I'd like to understand the difference between these two methods and the reasons for choosing one over the other. I assume that the same considerations apply to Windows 10. I agree with everything dalchina has written.Drawing a distinction between pwabrahams said: It seems that there are two different ways to install Windows 11, say: download the Windows 11 image or use the Media Creation Tool to create a bootable USB image. is a false distinction.- Downloading the "ISO" file [the image file you referred to] allows you to upgrade Windows 10 to Windows 11. You can also use the installation USB to upgrade.- To install Windows 11, you would need to use the ISO file to create an installation USB first or to use the MCT to create an installation USB for you.You would consider exactly the same issues & do exactly the same things if you were considering whether to install or upgrade to a new Windows 10 Version.For both Windows 10 & 11, the upgrade procedure is called a "Repair install" or an "In-Place Upgrade". Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade - TenForumsTutorialsUpgrade to Windows 11 - ElevenForumTutorialsRepair Install Windows 11 with an In-place Upgrade - ElevenForumTutorialsFor both Windows 10 & 11, the install procedure is called a "Clean install".Clean Install - TenForumsTutorialsClean Install Windows 11 - ElevenForumTutorialsIn essence, the difference between a Repair install / In-place upgrade and a Clean install is that - For a Repair install / In-place upgrade, you boot into Windows in the normal way and then run the setup.exe that is within the ISO file / InstallUSB. This procedure should keep all your user accounts, installed applications & user files.- For a Clean install, you boot from the InstallUSB and it runs its setup.exe file. This procedure will remove all previous user accounts, installed applications & user files.Merry Christmas,Denisdalchina - And a Merry Christmas to you too. New 24 Dec 2021 #4 The Media Creation Tool creates either an ISO file or a USB flash drive that contains an install.esd file, which is a compressed version of install.wim. This is so that it will be less than 4 GB and a FAT32 flash drive can be created with it which is more universally compatible with UEFI computers than NTFS.The direct download link below the Media Creation Tool will download an ISO file withWindows 11 Clean Install - GitHub
Insider channel. Since this article is focused on installing Windows 11 beta, select “Beta Channel (Recommended)“. If you would like to stay on the bleeding edge, you could also choose the Dev channel, but keep in mind that you might run into critical errors there.8. You have now enrolled in the Windows Insider program. Click on “Restart Now” to reboot your PC to start installing Windows 11 beta updates.Install Windows 11 Beta Update on Your ComputerAfter the restart, head over to Settings -> Update & Security -> Windows Update to download and install Windows 11 beta on your PC. Based on your PC’s specifications and internet connection, it might take a while for the system to install and boot into Windows 11.As usual, your PC will reboot multiple times before you can start using Windows 11. And that’s it. You have successfully installed Windows 11 beta!Switch from Windows 11 Dev Channel to Beta ChannelIf you have been a Windows Insider before, you would know that moving to a build lower than the current build number would require a clean install. However, since both the Beta and Dev channels have the same build number right now, you can move from the Dev channel to the Beta channel without a clean install. If you would like to clean install anyway, follow the steps in our article on upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11.Open the Settings app on your Windows 11 PC and click on “Windows Update” from the left sidebar.2. Now, click on “Windows Insider Program” to see the options to change your Insider settings.3. Next, expand the “Choose your Insider settings” menu and choose “Beta Channel (Recommended)” from the options that appear. You will no longer receive Windows 11 builds from the Dev channel. If you are annoyed with random bugs in Windows 11 Dev channel, switch to the Beta channel for a relatively stable experience.Try Windows 11 Beta to Test Amazing New FeaturesThat brings us to the end of our guide on how to install Windows 11 beta right now. After installing Windows 11, I’m sure you would prefer disabling the Microsoft Teams Chat icon in the taskbar, turn off suggested notifications, and customize the Windows 11 start menu to your liking. You can also learn how to customize the taskbar to change its position to the top, move icons to the left, and more. If you are not. Windows 11 clean install process. After the preparation instructions, you will be ready to proceed with the clean installation of Windows 11. To do a clean installation of Windows 11, use these steps: Windows 11 clean install process. After the preparation instructions, you will be ready to proceed with the clean installation of Windows 11. To do a clean installation of Windows 11, use these steps:Comments
Windows 11 Install(Image credit: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central)What you need to knowUpgrading directly from Windows 7 to Windows 11 will require a clean install or for you to reimage your PC.In contrast, PCs moving from Windows 10 will also have the option to upgrade through Windows Settings.Only PCs that meet the minimum requirements for Windows 11 will be able to upgrade to the new operating system.If you plan to upgrade your PC directly from Windows 7 to Windows 11, you'll have to go through a bit of a longer process. PCs that meet the Windows 11 minimum requirements will have to perform a clean install or reimage a PC to go directly to Windows 11. The details for the upgrade process are answered in an FAQ page from Lenovo about Windows 11.When asked about the upgrade path from Windows 7 to Windows 11, Lenovo explains:Most devices available for purchase now will be upgradeable to Windows 11. You will have the option to upgrade, clean install, or reimage Windows 10 devices to move to Windows 11. For Windows 7 devices that meet hardware requirements, you will need to clean install or reimage to go directly to Windows 11.It's unclear how many PCs currently running Windows 7 meet the minimum requirements of Windows 11. Windows 7 has been out of support since January 2020 and is now quite dated for an operating system.The upgrade path from Windows 7 to Windows 11 may affect business and enterprise customers more than individual people. Some organizations still run Windows 7 across networks of PCs.If people don't want to perform a clean install, they could upgrade a PC to Windows 10 first and then upgrade to Windows 11.All the latest news, reviews, and guides for Windows and Xbox diehards.Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at
2025-03-26Files are kept for diagnostics and repairing damaged Windows 11 files; or even reinstall Windows 11.Wait while Windows installsWhen this phase of setup is complete, Windows will automatically restart then reboot into setup again.Windows is detecting and installing your hardware. After this is complete, Windows will restart one last time.Out of Box ExperienceThe Out of Box Experience page is where you get to configure detailed settings in Windows, which includes creating a user account, configure privacy, sync PC settings and install modern applications.How to: Complete the Windows 11 Out of Box ExperiencePerform a Clean Install Using Reset, Recovery Drive or Refresh Tools (Start Fresh) in Windows 11If you already have Windows 11 installed, you can use the built in Reset function, Recovery Drive or Refresh Tools (Start Fresh) in Windows 10 do so. Learn how in the following article:How to: Perform a clean install using Reset this PC in WindowsHow to: Create a Recovery Drive for reinstalling WindowsHow to Perform a Clean Install of Windows with the Refresh ToolHow to Perform a Clean Install by Starting Setup from Within a Running Version of WindowsIf you are running Windows 7 or Windows 8.0, Windows 8.1 or Windows 10, launch Windows 11 setup using ISO Media:During setup, at the Ready to install screen, click Change what to keep linkSelect NothingClick Next to being the installationRelated:How to: Perform a clean install of Windows 10How to: Perform a custom installation of WindowsHow to Verify If You Downloaded or Installed the Latest Version WindowsHow to install and activate Windows 10 using your Windows 7 or Windows 8 product keyHow to Perform a Clean Install of Windows 10 with the Refresh ToolUse Recover from the Cloud to Reinstall Windows 10 on Surface Book or Surface ProHi I have just upgraded my desktop pc with a new motherboard and cpu running win10 I wish to upgrade to Win 11 but the only thing stopping me is “Secure Boot “I cannot seem to enable this in bios If I perform a fresh total install of win 10 will this be enabled ? 4 people found this comment helpful
2025-04-12Hello! Do you have a question about Windows Server or Windows Client for IT Pros? Windows 11 Top Contributors: * Please try a lower page number. * Please enter only numbers. * Please try a lower page number. * Please enter only numbers. Please be sure to follow me on Twitter @adacosta for the latest tips, tricks and updates in the world of Windows 10. -Technical Level : IntermediateSummaryIf you have installed a recent release of Windows in the past 15 years, you pretty much know what it will be like to install Windows 11. In this article, we take a look at performing a clean install. This includes starting a clean install from within a running version of Windows or a hard disk/SSD with no previous Windows installations.DetailsPerform a clean install by booting from install media (DVD or USB thumb drive)Perform a clean install using Reset in Windows 10 or Windows 10 Refresh Tools (Start Fresh)Perform a clean install from within a running version of Windows 7, Windows 8/8.1 or Windows 10Windows 11 is a free upgrade for Windows 10 users. As long as your current Windows 10 installation is activated, you can upgrade for free or perform a clean install using your existing Windows 10 product key. Just make sure you are installing the Windows 11 edition that currently corresponds with your Windows 10 edition.Perform a Clean Install on an Empty Hard Disk/SSD or Reinstall by Booting from Install Media (DVD or USB Thumb Drive)Once you have your Windows 10 installation media ready, all you need to do is boot from the disc or USB thumb drive to begin setup. If you don't have install media, see instructions: How to download official Windows ISO files Review the following guide for instructions and details about configuring your BIOS or UEFI boot settings for DVD, CD, USB or SD Card.BIOS/UEFI Setup Guide: Boot from a CD, DVD, USB Drive or SD CardOnce your computer is set to boot from the DVD, you should see this option to boot from the installation media. Press any key to load Windows setup files.
2025-03-25New 24 Dec 2021 #1 Media Creation Tool versus Disk Image It seems that there are two different ways to install Windows 11, say: download the Windows 11 image or use the Media Creation Tool to create a bootable USB image. I'd like to understand the difference between these two methods and the reasons for choosing one over the other. I assume that the same considerations apply to Windows 10. New 24 Dec 2021 #2 pwabrahams said: It seems that there are two different ways to install Windows 11, say: download the Windows 11 image or use the Media Creation Tool to create a bootable USB image. I'd like to understand the difference between these two methods and the reasons for choosing one over the other. I assume that the same considerations apply to Windows 10. I agree with everything dalchina has written.Drawing a distinction between pwabrahams said: It seems that there are two different ways to install Windows 11, say: download the Windows 11 image or use the Media Creation Tool to create a bootable USB image. is a false distinction.- Downloading the "ISO" file [the image file you referred to] allows you to upgrade Windows 10 to Windows 11. You can also use the installation USB to upgrade.- To install Windows 11, you would need to use the ISO file to create an installation USB first or to use the MCT to create an installation USB for you.You would consider exactly the same issues & do exactly the same things if you were considering whether to install or upgrade to a new Windows 10 Version.For both Windows 10 & 11, the upgrade procedure is called a "Repair install" or an "In-Place Upgrade". Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade - TenForumsTutorialsUpgrade to Windows 11 - ElevenForumTutorialsRepair Install Windows 11 with an In-place Upgrade - ElevenForumTutorialsFor both Windows 10 & 11, the install procedure is called a "Clean install".Clean Install - TenForumsTutorialsClean Install Windows 11 - ElevenForumTutorialsIn essence, the difference between a Repair install / In-place upgrade and a Clean install is that - For a Repair install / In-place upgrade, you boot into Windows in the normal way and then run the setup.exe that is within the ISO file / InstallUSB. This procedure should keep all your user accounts, installed applications & user files.- For a Clean install, you boot from the InstallUSB and it runs its setup.exe file. This procedure will remove all previous user accounts, installed applications & user files.Merry Christmas,Denisdalchina - And a Merry Christmas to you too. New 24 Dec 2021 #4 The Media Creation Tool creates either an ISO file or a USB flash drive that contains an install.esd file, which is a compressed version of install.wim. This is so that it will be less than 4 GB and a FAT32 flash drive can be created with it which is more universally compatible with UEFI computers than NTFS.The direct download link below the Media Creation Tool will download an ISO file with
2025-04-07