Save yourselves! Do a Clean Install

[RanchoBob]

Ok...I fell for the old "upgrade" trap again. I don't think MS will ever get this right. After about a month of using Win 10 "things started happening". It came down to the Install system failing, weird messages about libraries, and so...I wiped the drive and reinstalled Windows 10. Which means I'm having to go back through and reinstall everything else beginning with Office 365, then Creative Cloud, printers, drivers, blah blah blah.

Save yourselves. Do a clean install. MS definitely took this cake out of the oven too soon.

 

[davidhk129]

Doing clean install without an initial upgrade install will not get activated, ever.

It has been widely released that one must first do an initial upgrade install.
After upgrade is successfully installed and activated, one can do a clean install whenever one wants to, but not before.

 

[BigFeet]

I've upgraded 3 PC's with very little issues (including my gaming PC). And that completely goes against my philosophy. I always recommend a clean install. But you HAVE TO do the upgrade first anyways. And since everything worked fine, there was no sense in doing a clean install. But, I had very lean and fairly fresh installs of Windows 7/8.1 on them.

 

[RanchoBob]

Well, I disagree, but that's what forums are for.

 

[davidhk129]

It is not about what forums are for. Forums do not make that rule.
It is about what Microsoft told us to do when we do the Windows 10 upgrade......................
Initial upgrade MUST be done via Windows Update or by using the ISO to do an in-place upgrade.
Doing Clean Install without first doing Upgrade Install will result in no activation.

The above requirement does not apply to Enterprise users.
Windows 10 free upgrade option does not apply to Enterprise versions.

 

[clifford_cooley]

Well, I disagree, but that's what forums are for.

You don't get an activation key until after you have completed the upgrade or purchase a full license. After the upgrade you can perform a clean install. The only way to do a clean install without first upgrading is to purchase Windows 10, to get a full license activation key.

 

[Clive]

I'm also having problems with 1st boot freezing every time. How do you do a clean install?

 

[RanchoBob]

Easier if you just read this stuff. I saved everything I wanted to a flash drive then RESET.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/windows-10-recovery-options