Microsoft's new operating system made its successful debut yesterday, but one question from users was repeated over and over: What is the procedure for performing a clean installation of Windows 10? The buzz created by terms like upgrade, retail and OEM confused millions, and today at NeoTeo we're going to explain how to get to that desired installation without getting stranded along the way.
We must be honest: Microsoft could have made the clean installation process for Windows 10 much simpler. The forums across the Web were besieged by millions of people asking whether they can use their Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 8.1 keys in the new system. As always, official information was conspicuous by its absence, and it will be nothing more than the instinct of users that will allow us, again, to use the operating system as we really want. Let's see:
The Step-by-Step Process for a Clean Installation
- Download the so-called "Windows Media Creation Tool". This first step is fundamental to later obtain an ISO image of Windows 10 compatible with the license of Windows 7 SP1 or Windows 8.1 installed on your system, but before downloading the ISO...
- Perform the upgrade to Windows 10, either with the icon in the system tray, the offer in Windows Update, or the first option of the Media Creation Tool. If you want access to the free upgrade "and" the clean installation, this is not negotiable. Microsoft will determine the situation of the current license, download the appropriate files (the process requires about 8.5 GB of free space), and proceed with the upgrade. The procedure is slow, especially the download.
- If during the installation Windows 10 asks for a key, you must click Skip. Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 8.1 keys, regardless of version or architecture, do not work. Once the upgrade is complete, verify that your shiny new copy of Windows 10 has been activated correctly. If not, open a command prompt window with elevated privileges and type slmgr.vbs /ato. It is likely the command will need to be run several times.
- With Windows 10 installed and activated, run the Media Creation Tool again, but this time select the option to create media for another system. In the next section, specify the language, edition (be careful with this) and architecture. Finally, choose ISO image, and the path where it should be stored. Much patience here.
- Once armed with the long-awaited ISO image, you must choose how to store it on a suitable medium. You can burn a copy to DVD with tools like ImgBurn, or to a USB flash drive (4 GB minimum) using something like the popular Rufus. We're getting closer! However...
- ...we still don't have the Windows 10 key. To extract it from your activated installation, download and run as administrator the ProduKey tool from NirSoft. There you will see the Windows 10 entry, accompanied by its product ID and the key itself. While you only need the key, I recommend taking note of both elements.
- All ready! Restart your computer from the Windows 10 ISO image previously saved on DVD or USB. Choose the custom installation, purge the existing partitions and create a new one. When it comes time to enter the key, there are three options: Skip again (if the installer allows it), enter the key extracted in the previous step (there is a very remote possibility that it will be rejected), or use one of the so-called generic keys floating around the Web. If the installation finishes and Windows 10 is activated, you don't need to do anything else. Otherwise, click on "Change the product key" and enter the key obtained in the previous step. Windows 10 should activate.
To finish, remember: 'retail' licenses are transferable, 'OEM' ones are not. Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 8.1 keys do not work. And be patient with downloads, because Microsoft's servers are being hammered.
