Fresh Windows installation

So, I’ve had my current machine for about a week now, and since it’s a relatively recent laptop, I’m pretty keen on upgrading it to Windows 10. Given that I’ve never actually gone through the process of reinstalling a newer version of Windows over a laptop that already came with its own OS, I was wondering if anyone could walk me through the procedure.

Specifically, I guess the main question is whether I need to go ahead and wipe all my existing programs from the current version of Windows first, or is that just an unnecessary step? Can I basically just load the version I want onto a USB drive, boot from that via the BIOS, and just run the installation from there? And if I do go that route, I suppose I should ask what actually happens to the old version that's currently sitting on the drive? 😛

I wouldn't call myself a total novice, but I'm definitely not some kind of IT expert either, so I guess any bit of help would be much appreciated. 👍

It’s probably better if you just format the Hard Drive and start from scratch—just boot from a USB drive and follow the prompts...

I’m starting to think my best bet might just be to wipe everything off the Hard Drive entirely and just perform a clean install of Windows from scratch.

Does anyone know what the absolute easiest way to go about formatting a Hard Drive is these days?

During the installation process:
Once you kick off the installer and breeze through all the steps, you'll hit that EULA screen where you have to check the box agreeing to the terms. Right after that, the next screen gives you a choice: do you want to upgrade your current setup or go with a Custom install (for a totally clean Windows install)? Go with Custom.
Then, a window pops up asking which partition you want to use. You can format the old one, but honestly, the easiest way is just to wipe the slate clean—delete all the existing partitions and create a new one (or several, if you're feeling fancy). Just hit Delete on the old ones, then click New...
That wipes everything out, leaving you with a perfectly fresh installation...

If you’re still feeling a little shaky about it, just head over to YouTube and search for "How to install Windows 10"—watching those tutorials will probably give you the boost of confidence you need! It’s honestly not that complicated at all, though if I'm being totally real with you, I think the biggest headache is probably just hunting down all the right drivers.

...before you dive in, make sure you back up everything—documents, photos, music, emails, all that good stuff—onto an external Hard Drive or a USB stick. (And seriously, don't forget to grab everything in your Desktop folder). You should also export your browser data so you aren't stuck hunting for all those login credentials later, especially if you aren't using some kind of cloud sync.

When I'm setting things up, what's the quickest or easiest way to track down all the drivers I actually need?
The thing is, I don't have the original disc that came with my laptop, so I'll have to hunt them down individually. It's a Lenovo Z50.
Are there any specific drivers I should probably prioritize or keep a closer eye on?

https://pcsupport.lenovo.com/us/en/p...0-70/downloads

I guess I'll just download everything from that link, assuming that's a safe bet.

Go ahead and grab them from there, but whatever you do, don't mess with the BIOS settings... seriously. And make sure you actually read up on what each driver does before you just start installing stuff blindly. You really want to prioritize the ones for the Wi-Fi card and the LAN connection right at the start.

ps: I personally use Firefox, so my little trick is just copying my old profile and swapping those files and folders into the default folder on a fresh install.
c:\Users\"User"\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\xxxxxxxx.default/*.*

That way, I get all my bookmarks, extensions, and my saved logins back instantly.🙂

If you aren't worried about running low on space on your Hard Drive, setting up a dual boot is probably your best bet.
Basically, you just run Windows 7 and Windows 10 at the same time...
It’s not even that hard, you just need to make sure your Hard Drive has at least two partitions...

You can grab Windows 10 for free directly from the Microsoft website and install it without much trouble, so I was wondering what kind of restrictions actually kick in if you go that route—you know, if you set it up without providing one of their product keys?

@ analogowl122
Storage space isn't really an issue for me; I guess I have more than enough to spare, but since there's basically nothing on my laptop right now, I don't see any point in running two different operating systems at once, so I'm just looking to do a clean install of Windows 10.

Back in the day, Microsoft used to let you upgrade from Windows 7 or 8 to Windows 10 for free... but that window has pretty much slammed shut. Now, if you haven't activated it with some kind of workaround, the OS will eventually start nagging you with those "Windows isn't activated" pop-ups. It’ll turn your desktop background black and throw a few other little annoyances your way, though you can still technically use the system without much trouble. If you don't mind shelling out some cash, you can usually grab a key from one of those gaming sites—they mostly just flip OEM keys, which are legit, so you should be fine...

Sent from my ASUS_Z00AD via Tapatalk

I mean, where would be the most sensible place to pick up a license key? There is honestly an overwhelming amount of stuff floating around online, and I really wouldn't want to just toss my money into a black hole.

You won't have any issues if you just stick to a site you can actually trust. I picked mine up from a vendor recommended by some guy over on a gaming forum—those guys are always grabbing keys for legit titles and they never seem to run into trouble https://www.kinguin.net. It barely even costs $67 about 28 bucks.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S24 using Reddit

If I'm remembering correctly, I should have about a month of unrestricted use before things get complicated, so I’ll probably just look into picking up a legitimate product key once that period wraps up. During the setup process, the installer threw a bunch of different Windows versions at me, and I ended up selecting Windows 10 home 64, though I suppose there's always that small chance I might have clicked the wrong one by mistake.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S24 using Reddit

Look, if your current week's license is legit—even if you used some shady loader to get it running—don't go blowing your cash on product keys. Upgrading to Windows 10 is still totally free, and since it ties itself to your hardware ID, it’s basically fully licensed anyway.

And $67 grab a beer.

I’ve spent the last hour or so downloading various drivers straight from the official site, but I can't help but wonder if I actually grabbed everything I need or if there's some other crucial component I've somehow overlooked.

Just hit search and pull up Device Manager—it’ll tell you exactly what’s missing from the system.

There’s a pretty good chance macOS will grab those drivers automatically through a macOS Software Update. I’d suggest checking there first before you bother trying a manual installation...