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How to clean install Windows 10 in UEFI Mode (mini-guide)

asim1999
By asim1999
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Things you will need:

PC running Windows 7/8.1

KeyFinder:https://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/

Windows Media Creation Tool:http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/media-creation-tool-install

An Internet connection to activate Windows

Something to burn the image onto (USB or DVD)

 

Step 1: Run the Windows Media Creation tool and burn a 64-bit image to your selected media (must be 64-bit for UEFI Mode to work)

Step 2: Download KeyFinder and note down all your keys in the current install.

Step 3: Run the Windows image that you previously burned and upgrade your PC as normal (do not run in a reboot, run within Windows 7/8) 

Step 4: Open KeyFinder again and note down your new Windows 10 Key

Step 5: Boot into your BIOS after backing up all of your files

Step 6: In the "Boot Options",select the "UEFI" Option on your install media.

Step 7: Boot into the setup (the logo when it is loading should be your motherboard splash screen logo (in the case of mine, it was the ROG logo )

Step 8: Proceed with Setup. When prompted to enter product key, enter your NEW key that you noted down when you installed Windows 10 and opened KeyFinder

Step 9: reconnect to the internet and your installation should be activated

 

Hope i could help, If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

 

Current Rig:   CPU: AMD 1950X @4Ghz. Cooler: Enermax Liqtech TR4 360. Motherboard:Asus Zenith Extreme. RAM: 8GB Crucial DDR4 3666. GPU: Reference GTX 970  SSD: 250GB Samsung 970 EVO.  HDD: Seagate Barracuda 7200.14 2TB. Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro. PSU: Corsair RM1000X. OS: Windows 10 Pro UEFI mode  (installed on SSD)

Peripherals:  Display: Acer XB272 1080p 240Hz G Sync Keyboard: Corsair K95 RGB Brown Mouse: Logitech G502 RGB Headhet: Roccat XTD 5.1 analogue

Daily Devices:Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact and 128GB iPad Pro

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Any questions?

It worked perfectly for me

Current Rig:   CPU: AMD 1950X @4Ghz. Cooler: Enermax Liqtech TR4 360. Motherboard:Asus Zenith Extreme. RAM: 8GB Crucial DDR4 3666. GPU: Reference GTX 970  SSD: 250GB Samsung 970 EVO.  HDD: Seagate Barracuda 7200.14 2TB. Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro. PSU: Corsair RM1000X. OS: Windows 10 Pro UEFI mode  (installed on SSD)

Peripherals:  Display: Acer XB272 1080p 240Hz G Sync Keyboard: Corsair K95 RGB Brown Mouse: Logitech G502 RGB Headhet: Roccat XTD 5.1 analogue

Daily Devices:Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact and 128GB iPad Pro

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For how long did you have this screen?

7DAf9Y6.png

Not that long, just wait

Current Rig:   CPU: AMD 1950X @4Ghz. Cooler: Enermax Liqtech TR4 360. Motherboard:Asus Zenith Extreme. RAM: 8GB Crucial DDR4 3666. GPU: Reference GTX 970  SSD: 250GB Samsung 970 EVO.  HDD: Seagate Barracuda 7200.14 2TB. Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro. PSU: Corsair RM1000X. OS: Windows 10 Pro UEFI mode  (installed on SSD)

Peripherals:  Display: Acer XB272 1080p 240Hz G Sync Keyboard: Corsair K95 RGB Brown Mouse: Logitech G502 RGB Headhet: Roccat XTD 5.1 analogue

Daily Devices:Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact and 128GB iPad Pro

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I should have been more patient :) Downloading right now. Goes up and down between 1MB/S and 6MB/S though. Annoying.

Mine fluctuates between 0.8MB and 3MB. I know how it feels 

Current Rig:   CPU: AMD 1950X @4Ghz. Cooler: Enermax Liqtech TR4 360. Motherboard:Asus Zenith Extreme. RAM: 8GB Crucial DDR4 3666. GPU: Reference GTX 970  SSD: 250GB Samsung 970 EVO.  HDD: Seagate Barracuda 7200.14 2TB. Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro. PSU: Corsair RM1000X. OS: Windows 10 Pro UEFI mode  (installed on SSD)

Peripherals:  Display: Acer XB272 1080p 240Hz G Sync Keyboard: Corsair K95 RGB Brown Mouse: Logitech G502 RGB Headhet: Roccat XTD 5.1 analogue

Daily Devices:Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact and 128GB iPad Pro

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Has anyone tried skipping the upgrade process and using their none upgraded key with the Win10 iso on a clean install?

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Has anyone tried skipping the upgrade process and using their none upgraded key with the Win10 iso on a clean install?

I did. Didnt work. I had WIndows 8.1 Pro 

Current Rig:   CPU: AMD 1950X @4Ghz. Cooler: Enermax Liqtech TR4 360. Motherboard:Asus Zenith Extreme. RAM: 8GB Crucial DDR4 3666. GPU: Reference GTX 970  SSD: 250GB Samsung 970 EVO.  HDD: Seagate Barracuda 7200.14 2TB. Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro. PSU: Corsair RM1000X. OS: Windows 10 Pro UEFI mode  (installed on SSD)

Peripherals:  Display: Acer XB272 1080p 240Hz G Sync Keyboard: Corsair K95 RGB Brown Mouse: Logitech G502 RGB Headhet: Roccat XTD 5.1 analogue

Daily Devices:Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact and 128GB iPad Pro

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I did. Didnt work. I had WIndows 8.1 Pro 

 

This is good information and will save me from a future headache. :)  I also found this. It looks like he skipped the key entering part and his Windows 10 was Activated, even though he didn't upgrade the key.  This is most likely because the key was assigned to his motherboard already

 

 

One of the big questions over the last few months about the release of Windows 10 was clean installing onto a former Windows 7 or 8.1 system and retaining proper activation of the subsequent Windows 10 install.

There is more than one way to get a clean install of Windows 10 in an upgrade scenario like this.

You could create USB installation media  using the media creation tool Microsoft released for Windows 10 today and then boot from that, remove partitions and then install to that cleared drive. That process asks for a product key to be entered and I was unsuccessful in entering a Windows 7 or 8.1 key for that. The product key step can be skipped so I did that and removed all partitions on the SSD and did a bare metal install signing in with my Microsoft Account.

When I checked the activation status following the install it showed the Windows 10 Pro was activated.  Still not sure if it was tied to my Microsoft Account or not but that was the only common denominator between the clean install below and this one after I wiped out the partitions and laid down an entirely fresh install of Windows 10.

The other way to clean install from a valid Windows 7 or 8.1 system is to use the same media creation tool but instead of creating a USB drive to boot from just select the option to Upgrade this PC now. That will download the Windows 10 ISO and begin the upgrade directly in the current OS. 

I then selected to keep nothing from the Windows 7 OS in this case so that meant no settings, files or anything was transferred into the new Windows 10 installation. I was also prompted to go through the entire Out Of Box Experience (OOBE) by selecting my basic settings including logging in with my Microsoft Account.

When I logged into the desktop it was a clean installation of Windows 10 with only my info provided during OOBE there.

This was such a clean install that the Recovery option that is normally available for 30 days after upgrading Windows 7 or 8.1 was not even present.

I then checked the system page and it showed Windows 10 was activated and ready to go.

There is no reason to believe this same process would not work with a properly activated Windows 8.1 system as well.

See the screenshot gallery for a walkthrough of the entire process. 

Let us know how your own upgrade situations go in the comments below.

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I did. Didnt work. I had WIndows 8.1 Pro 

 

I have pro as well, do I need to format my USB to work for UEFI  or is that something else I am thinking about?

 

Also am I not suppose to do the upgrade first followed by creating a media to clean install from there (currently have my OS and main programs on SSD, while other programs are on HDD. Would I be able to use the Hard drive as a backup)?

Desktop: Intel 4770k - 12GB Vengeance Pro 1866Mhz RAM - Asus Maximus VI Formula Mobo - Asus Strix 970 SLI - Cooler Master V850 PSU -  Nzxt Phantom 630 Case  - 1TB WD HDD - Samsung 840 Evo 250GB SSD - Nzxt Kraken X60 - 24" Asus VG248QE 1080p Monitor - Logitech G35 Headset -  G502 Proteus Core - Logitech G710+ Keyboard - Nzxt Hue - Windows 10

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I have pro as well, do I need to format my USB to work for UEFI  or is that something else I am thinking about?

 

Also am I not suppose to do the upgrade first followed by creating a media to clean install from there (currently have my OS and main programs on SSD, while other programs are on HDD. Would I be able to use the Hard drive as a backup)?

Get the Media Creation Tool that i linked. It will format your drive so it is UEFI ready with a fresh copy of Windows 10. Just make sure you select the 65-bit option and then boot into the UEFI installer within the BIOS.

Current Rig:   CPU: AMD 1950X @4Ghz. Cooler: Enermax Liqtech TR4 360. Motherboard:Asus Zenith Extreme. RAM: 8GB Crucial DDR4 3666. GPU: Reference GTX 970  SSD: 250GB Samsung 970 EVO.  HDD: Seagate Barracuda 7200.14 2TB. Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro. PSU: Corsair RM1000X. OS: Windows 10 Pro UEFI mode  (installed on SSD)

Peripherals:  Display: Acer XB272 1080p 240Hz G Sync Keyboard: Corsair K95 RGB Brown Mouse: Logitech G502 RGB Headhet: Roccat XTD 5.1 analogue

Daily Devices:Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact and 128GB iPad Pro

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Not required for myself, but a good guide for those who are unsure about product keys who have upgraded from 7/8/8.1.

 

Kudos for taking the time to do so.

 

 

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Not required for myself, but a good guide for those who are unsure about product keys who have upgraded from 7/8/8.1.

 

Kudos for taking the time to do so.

I did it straight after i installed it, so didnt take much time at all 

Current Rig:   CPU: AMD 1950X @4Ghz. Cooler: Enermax Liqtech TR4 360. Motherboard:Asus Zenith Extreme. RAM: 8GB Crucial DDR4 3666. GPU: Reference GTX 970  SSD: 250GB Samsung 970 EVO.  HDD: Seagate Barracuda 7200.14 2TB. Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro. PSU: Corsair RM1000X. OS: Windows 10 Pro UEFI mode  (installed on SSD)

Peripherals:  Display: Acer XB272 1080p 240Hz G Sync Keyboard: Corsair K95 RGB Brown Mouse: Logitech G502 RGB Headhet: Roccat XTD 5.1 analogue

Daily Devices:Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact and 128GB iPad Pro

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