Ask a new question

Clean install with Windows 8 upgrade

If I want to do a clean install of the Windows 8 upgrade by diskpart cleaning the drive and reinstalling Windows 7 and then reinstalling Windows 8 from a running Windows 7 system, do I need to reactivate Windows 7 and then install all 125+ pending updates before I can reinstall the Windows 8 upgrade?

Answer
Answer

How to do a clean install:

Step 1: Use the Upgrade Assistant to qualify the PC and pay the $40 (US)

Step 2: When the "Install Windows 8" message appears, select "Install by creating media" to create a bootable USB flash drive or an .iso (a disk image) file.

Step 3: Wait for the Assistant to download the Windows 8 Pro installation package and create the bootable media or .iso file. The flash drive must be have 3GB or more of free space available.

Step 4: Burn the .iso file, if that's the path you chose, to a blank DVD.

Step 5: Use that USB drive or DVD to boot the PC.

Step 6: When you get to the screen in Setup that asks, "Which type of installation do you want?' choose "Custom."

Step 7: Select a disk partition for the OS in the next screen. At this point, you can create a new partition if there's enough space available, or reformat the drive.

Step 8: Continue with the installation of Windows 8 Pro.

 

 

------------

How to reinstall Windows 8

You have a couple options:

If you would like to reinstall Windows 8, which means removing apps and personal files and settings, you can use reset and refresh. This is equivalent to a clean install.

To do it, do the following:

· Press Windows key + i on your keyboard to show the Charms bar (If you are using a touchscreen: Touch the right edge of your screen and swipe your finger to the left)

· Click Settings

· Click Change PC settings

· Click General in the left column

· Under Remove everything and reinstall Windows, click Get started

Then follow the instructions that will be provided on the screen to reinstall Windows on your PC.

Option 2:

If you create a installation DVD or Bootable thumbdrive, you can use that to reinstall Windows. First, you will need to reinstall the qualifying license, then start the upgrade again to Windows 8. Qualifying license means you will either need to reinstall Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7.

Option 3:

A workaround for this situation is to create a system image of Windows 8 just after you have upgraded. So if your drive does crash, you can simply restore the image on a new hard disk or restore the image on the same drive if you just want to reinstall Windos 8.

See the following for instructions about how to create a system image of your Windows 8 installation:

http://www.notebooks.com/2009/10/24/how-to-backup-your-installation-of-windows-7/

(references Windows 7, but the same principles apply to Windows 8).

Best,
Andre
twitter/adacosta
groovypost.com

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

Answer
Answer

Marilyn, I read where, when upgrading, if you choose the "Do Nothing" option (as opposed to importing files and setting or personal files, documents, etc., that this is the equivalent to a "clean install." 

If so, this would be much easier than some of the methods described here.   Do you know if I upgrage and chose not to import anything from W7 to W8 - will I have the same nice clean system - even if I have to manually go back in and install programs and move documents and pictures back, etc?  Thanks


Hi Kent,

 

There is some good information in this thread here that provides Screenshots.   Hope this is helpful.

 

Bill

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

 
 

Question Info

Last updated November 15, 2019 Views 61,234 Applies to: