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Clean Install better than Upgrade?

Dante0217
By Dante0217
in Operating Systems
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Hi! I want Windows 10 on my PC! I keep hearing that a clean install would be the best way to go! Unfortunately i wouldn't know where to start!

 

My PC has an SSD as the OS drive and I keep really heavy files and most of my games on an HDD.

 

I have everything ready to go, but i have a couple questions:

 

1. I can't remember where my Microsoft Office Product key is and i'm afraid to do a clean install and not be able to use it anymore. Is there any way to retrieve this information BEFORE the clean install? Office is installed on the same drive as the OS

 

2. Anything else i might want out of the boot drive and into my HDD? i don't keep pictures or much on there since it's only 120 GB. My HDD is 1TB

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1. Well......shucks. You're gonna have to root around for that product key, otherwise you're buggered as far as that's concerned. Refer to later answers.

 

2. As menial as it is, transfer anything from your user profile onto the HDD; that way you lose nothing, regardless of the necessity of it.

Edited by daniellearmouth

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I've had 0 problems straight up upgrading on 4 pcs. Two of those were pretty fresh 8.1 installs while the other two were heavily used with many apps/files and still had no problems.

 

 

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Hi! I want Windows 10 on my PC! I keep hearing that a clean install would be the best way to go! Unfortunately i wouldn't know where to start!

 

My PC has an SSD as the OS drive and I keep really heavy files and most of my games on an HDD.

 

I have everything ready to go, but i have a couple questions:

 

1. I can't remember where my Microsoft Office Product key is and i'm afraid to do a clean install and not be able to use it anymore. Is there any way to retrieve this information BEFORE the clean install? Office is installed on the same drive as the OS

 

2. Anything else i might want out of the boot drive and into my HDD? i don't keep pictures or much on there since it's only 120 GB. My HDD is 1TB

 

1. MagicJellyBean Keyfinder. Will find your OS and Office keys - is free. 

D3SL91 | Ethan | Gaming+Work System | NAS System | Photo: Nikon D750 + D5200

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I would just keep the system files and basic programs and their files on the SSD. Everything else should go onto the HDD.

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1. MagicJellyBean Keyfinder. Will find your OS and Office keys - is free. 

 

This. It will find your product keys! I use it all the time. :)

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Remember you have to upgrade first or the key won't work, trust me I did this and we had to go back to windows 8 and try to upgrade but it doesn't want too.

Steve Wozniak - "Never trust a computer you can't throw out a window."                                                                                                                                               Carl Sagan - "If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe."

 

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So  MagicJellyBean Keyfinder -> Take note of any product keys i might need -> Upgrade -> THEN do clean install AFTER Windows 10 phones home? 

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Hi! I want Windows 10 on my PC! I keep hearing that a clean install would be the best way to go! Unfortunately i wouldn't know where to start!

 

My PC has an SSD as the OS drive and I keep really heavy files and most of my games on an HDD.

 

I have everything ready to go, but i have a couple questions:

 

1. I can't remember where my Microsoft Office Product key is and i'm afraid to do a clean install and not be able to use it anymore. Is there any way to retrieve this information BEFORE the clean install? Office is installed on the same drive as the OS

 

2. Anything else i might want out of the boot drive and into my HDD? i don't keep pictures or much on there since it's only 120 GB. My HDD is 1TB

No matter what, upgrade FIRST!!!! If you want to fresh install after you can. Upgrading first will be better because then your product key will be documented by microsoft already.

You don't have to fresh install. Fresh install will make sure everything works properly and fresh but upgrading is very easy and painless. It seems to work very well. If you want to just upgrade that is perfectly fine. All of your apps and files will be there (or should. Make sure that important files/documents are saved to another drive before upgrading. This could be cloud storage or a flash drive.)

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