Summary
Clean install this and clean install that. Looks like every time you attempt to do an upgrade, someone brings it up. But what exactly is it? You see, doing a clean install of Windows 11 means completely wiping your hard drive and putting a fresh copy of the operating system on there.
Now, this is very different from just doing an in-place upgrade, where all your existing files and settings get migrated over to the new Windows 11. A clean install isrecommended for big Windows upgrades to avoid potential issues from having old files or settings around, or performance slowdowns, whereas an in-place upgrade is recommended for when you don’t really say anything major happening, and it’s just a minute upgrade (most likely a bug fix). How to go about the clean installation, you ask? Check out our guide below!
Preparing Your Computer
Before you start,be absolutely sure to fully back up your computer. Becausea clean install will erase your entire hard drive,you need to save any important files somewhere else. Back up documents, photos, music, videos, browser bookmarks, program settings, anything you’ll want to bring over to the new OS. Store it all on an external hard drive or in the cloud, so you have those backups handy after reinstalling.
You’ll also need to have Windows 11 installation media ready on either a USB flash drive or DVD. Don’t worry, Microsoft provides a media creation tool you’re able to use to download Windows 11 and make a bootable installation drive. Just use a blank 8 GB or larger USB drive, or burn the ISO file onto a DVD.
Once you’ve got those backups done and created the installation media, you’ll be ready to start the clean install process.
Entering The BIOS
Now,if, for some weird reason, your computer doesn’t boot from your install media on the restart, no worries at all! Just pop into the BIOS again and double check that your USB or DVD drive is still set first in the boot order.Save any changes and try restarting again.
Deleting Existing Partitions
The drive is now empty and ready for a fresh Windows 11 clean installation.
Completing The OOBE
Installing Drivers, Updating Software, And Restoring Personal Data
While it does require some time and patience on your end, a fresh Windows 11 install lets you truly take full control and personalize your PC. And the effort is well worth it for a smooth running PC. Just follow this guide properly and be sure to avoid putting any bloatware into your fresh install!
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