How To Clean Install Windows 10 From USB After Free Upgrade? -

After having upgraded to Windows 10 from Windows 7 or Windows 8, Windows 10 becomes slow and laggy no matter How good system resources a PC has.

Instead of looking for ways to fix sluggish performance and speed up the overall system speed, most Windows users prefer to go back to Windows 7 and Windows 8.

I have also gone through this same terrible situation When I had upgraded to Windows 10 from Windows 7.

I used Ccleaner, updated and reinstalled drivers, uninstalled and reinstalled all necessary programs, I uninstalled my antivirus hoping it will fix the issue.

My computer was running sluggishly, so I tried everything I knew in order to get it to work again.

I then decided to clean install Windows 10 and fortunately, It worked and I felt dramatic changes in overall performance and speed.

In today’s tutorial, I will be teaching you How to clean install Windows 10 after upgrading from Windows 7 or Windows 8.

Let’s get started with the essential things.

Table of Contents

Things You Need To Do Before Clean Install Windows 10

Though, Windows 10 installation process takes 30 to 40 minutes to be completed. But there are few very important things you must take into account before going for a clean install.

You need the ISO image file of Windows 10 and a USB flash drive

You need to have the ISO image of Windows 10, a USB pen drive with a minimum of 8 GB of free disk space. You can also burn the ISO image to a DVD disk If you want. But I personally suggest you use a USB pen drive.

Backup your data stored in USB flash before clean install Windows 10

The most important thing is your data stored in partition C. Clean installation wipes out all files and folders from Drive C. Therefore, don’t forget to back up or move your important data to any other hard drive partition, external hard drive, or USB pen drive.

Write down Windows 10 product key and license keys of programs If you have

After the clean install, Although You don’t need a product key If you have upgraded from Windows 7 or Windows 8. But You need to activate your copy of Windows 10 and other softwares you’ve bought.

Just to be on the safe side, Write down your product key and serial keys of softwares you’ve bought.

As well as you can do so with Wi-Fi key. You can use a key finder to swiftly find the Windows product key and serial keys If you don’t remember or know of.

In addition, If you don’t use a Firefox or Chrome account, then the important thing is that back up bookmarks, usernames, passwords, and other details If you use the internet.

Download all necessary drivers/make drivers DVD ready

As you might know that a computer is a set of various devices and you need to install drivers to make them operational after a new or clean install.

Download all necessary drivers to avoid any inconvenience. Specifically Wi-Fi drivers.

Watch Video Tutorial

How to use Windows 10 media creation tool to download Windows 10 ISO image

We now need to download the ISO file of Windows 10. We have two download options.

You can use Windows 10 media creation tool or direct download it from the official Microsoft website. I recommend you use the media creation tool to download Windows 10 installation files to make a bootable DVD or USB.

Download the Windows media creation tool from here and launch it.

16 GB free disk space in Drive C is required to download Windows 10

Keep in mind you need 16 GB of free disk space in Drive C. Apparently there is no option to change the download location. Click accept.

Since You are going to clean install therefore select create media for another PC and click Next.

If you want to clean install on this PC you are using right now then leave it as it is. Otherwise, Remove the checkmark from use the recommended options for this PC, If you want to download it for another PC. Select your preferred language.

The most important thing you need to take into account is, download Windows 10 version you bought or upgraded to.

I’m using Windows 10 Professional edition and going to select Windows 10 from the drop-down menu. Windows 10 option contains Home and Pro editions.

Select both from the Architecture drop-down menu and click next.

Choose the USB flash drive option If you want to make only a bootable USB. You need a USB flash drive with 4 GB of free space. I recommend you use an 8 GB USB flash drive.

If you want to save the ISO image on the hard drive for future use or to burn it to a DVD disc then select the second option ISO file and click next.

Now select the download folder and give it a name If you want and click Save.

Congratulation, the Download is now complete. We now need to make a bootable USB If you had chosen the ISO file option. You don’t need to make a bootable USB If You had chosen the USB flash drive option.

How to create a bootable USB to install Windows 10?

I use a free-to-use USB creator Rufus to make a bootable USB to install Windows.

Plug the USB flash drive with 8 GB space into your PC. Keep in mind USB flash drive will be formatted and You will lose all data.

Download Rufus

Download from here and launch Rufus.

Click this CD ROM icon to select Windows 10 ISO image We’ve downloaded earlier.

Select Standard Windows installation and click Start.

The bootable USB is now ready.

Kick start the installation process

I do hope you’ve backed up your data stored on Drive C and I’m going to clean install Windows 10. Plug the USB flash drive into your PC and restart.

Swiftly press Boot Menu Key to bring up the boot menu to boot from a USB flash.

For example, In Dell desktop PCs and laptops, the F12 key is a boot menu key to bring up the boot menu to boot from a USB flash.

Press any key to boot from the USB flash drive to kick start the installation process.

Here you can choose your preferred language and keyboard or input method. It’s not necessary though. Click next.

Click install now.

Ways to activate Windows 10

Type in the product key If you’ve bought Windows 10 from Microsoft or any other place and click next.

Click I don’t have a product key If you’ve upgraded to Windows 7 or Windows 10.

After the installation is complete, Windows 10 will automatically be activated online using digital entitlement. I’m going for I don’t have a product key.

Install correct Windows 10 edition

Since my version is Windows 10 Pro, therefore, I will be installing Windows 10 Pro. Select your Windows edition and click next.

Accept the license terms and click next.

Since We are doing clean install Windows 10, therefore, double click on Custom.

How to format Drive C?

Here We need to format the Drive C. Select Drive C and Click format.

Keep in mind It will delete all files from Drive C So pay close attention to all the process.

After the format is complete, Select Drive C and click Next to install Windows 10.

How long does the Windows 10 installation process take?

For me, The installation process took 34 minutes to be completed. It could be more or less for you depending on the system resources your PC has.

You now need to install all necessary drivers and make other preferred settings.

I do hope you find today’s tutorial helpful and informative. You may ask me anything If I could not explain anything properly or You run into any problem using the comment section. I will be trying my level best to solve your problems.

Stay tuned, stay blessed, and Don’t forget to like, subscribe, comment and share.

How To Clean Install Windows 10 From USB After Free Upgrade?