Clean install

[Rick Settle]

Isn't it amazing that computer programmers can write programs that can steer a spacecraft smaller than a Volkswagen more than a billion mile to intercept a planetoid smaller than the State of Rhode Island? But, no one can program a clean install of an operating system without the need to re-install all the applications on a computer or having all the data corrupted.

 

[Norton]

Rick: You make a good point, but that's why it's called a "Clean Install" anything else would be pointless.
A clean install gets rid of all that "Space Junk" that's floating around inside you PC and on your H.D. This ensures you reach that planetoid as programed.

 

[bassfisher6522]

You do have the option to re-install the OS and keep your personal data. It's in the settings/update/recovery/reset this pc....then you're given the choice do a clean install or install keeping your data.

 

[Rick Settle]

You do have the option to re-install the OS and keep your personal data. It's in the settings/update/recovery/reset this pc....then you're given the choice do a clean install or install keeping your data.

That was my understanding when I changed from Win 7 to Win 10. When I did that when Win 10 became available it seemed to be doing just that, saving all the data and such. I never checked it afterward, because everything seemed to be working after re-installing my apps. Just recently, last week, as a matter of fact, I was using File Explorer to move some stuff around and decided to see what was in those files Win 10 had made. I was surprised to see that all of the original folder system was there, but guess what. EVERY SINGLE FOLDER was empty. A couple of thousand empty folder just taking up space.

 

[bassfisher6522]

Personal data....just means pictures, documents, music, videos. Anything in those folders. I can't remember if the downloads folder is effected. Everything else gets wiped.....downloaded/installed software, all apps that are not part of windows 10 originally.

 

[bassfisher6522]

Personally I don't use either method that the OS offers. I prefer to download the ISO using MS MCT (media creation tool), either on a DVD or USB and doing an actual clean install.

Beforehand I just save any pertinent data to a backup HDD and reinstall (transfer) later.

 

[Bighorn]

Personal data....just means pictures, documents, music, videos. Anything in those folders. I can't remember if the downloads folder is effected. Everything else gets wiped.....downloaded/installed software, all apps that are not part of windows 10 originally.

Also of consideration is anything on the computer that exists nowhere else, that can't be obtained any other way.

 

[BigFeet]

Personal data....just means pictures, documents, music, videos. Anything in those folders. I can't remember if the downloads folder is effected. Everything else gets wiped.....downloaded/installed software, all apps that are not part of windows 10 originally.

The downloads folder is saved also. I can confirm that.

 

[bassfisher6522]

The downloads folder is saved also. I can confirm that.

I wasn't sure and couldn't remember. Thanks for confirming.