Reinstalling windows

[Kieran4]

How should I go about reinstalling windows 11 on my pc?

 

 

I want to do this because it's been the same windows install on the same drive for about three years or a little more and in that time it's been 2 different Nvidia GPUs then most recently I switched to an AMD 9060 XT however I did use DDU in safe mode to get rid of the old Nvidia drivers before getting the AMD GPU drivers.

 

My pc has a 500gb (nvme ssd) boot drive then a 1tb (nvme ssd) and 2tb (ssd) for games.

 

Should I reinstall by holding shift when I click restart then reinstall through that menu?

Or is there a more effective way to do it?

 

I've maybe missed something and if I have please ask!

[M4ng0]

I'd suggest creating a boot-usb with windows media creation tool. You can download it from microsoft's website. Just run the tool and it'll take you through the process. Next time you boot, choose your USB-drive as the boot-drive and go through the install steps. When choosing which drive to install windows onto, make sure to format your old boot drive (there's an option for that in the same menu)

[SundaySilence69]

here is a Guide can help you:https://www.partitionwizard.com/partitionmagic/how-to-reinstall-windows.html

[y0ur5h4d0w]

in my opinion you might not need to reinstall/reset/clean install your PC, if you don't experience any weird scenarios it's most likely fine. however, this is what you need to know about reinstalling or resetting or clean installing windows   (all based on personal experience)

 

 

depending on what you want to do you have these 2 options:

 

reinstall/reset = press the start button and type in "reinstall" the option "reset this pc" will appear, click on it and then you can read both what a "reset" or a "reinstall" do

 

clean install = this is usually the best way to avoid having crap laying around between major updates or version upgrading, however, you need to "burn" the windows iso into a USB using the official tool tool Media Creation Tool (or rufus but i would go for media creation tool since it's directly from microsoft), then boot from the USB by restarting your PC with your new USB plugged in, going into the boot menu for your motherboard (usually should be f8 or f12 iirc) then choose your USB to boot from there, press 1 key to boot from USB and then the installation takes place, just follow the on screen instructions it's sort of easy, keep in mind that this will erese EVERYTHING on the disk you choose at the point where you start to delete or add partitions.

 

 

NOTES:
resetting windows WILL KEEP the bloatware from the manufacturer's if it's a laptop! if you have something like hp wolf security installed (jesus that software is hell) you will keep it because the reset "restores" a point in time where your PC was "new" or to better put it, you will restore the disk to the state it was when you bought your PC.

 

i don't remember if reinstalling will keep the preinstalled software you had, i don't remember using it honestly

 

clean installing windows is a different story, you will have fully fledged CLEAN install without anything that's not "preinstalled" with windows, in some cases specially with the latest windows 11 25h2 isos you might need to install even the drivers for your wifi card.

i personally suggest you to UNPLUG ALL THE NON "C" DRIVES before attempting a clean install, this will ensure you that you will have only 2 volumes visible when you clean install, volume 0 is probably your main drive and volume 1 is usually the USB key so you won't have issues with your install.

 

 

i tend to go for a clean install anytime i have a new laptop or anything that i'm sure it has bloatware inside (as the HP example i have you earlier) since the manufacturer's preinstalled tool sometimes can slow down your PC, at work for example i have zbook power that was VERY SLOWED DOWN both by those crap intel CPUs and the preinstalled HP software, i simply reinstalled from a USB, installed ONLY THE ESSENTIAL software from HP which is the updater tool and my collegue gained some performance back.

[leclod]

1 hour ago, y0ur5h4d0w said:

you need to "burn" the windows iso into a USB using the tool rufus,

Why rufus when there's a  Microsoft windows media creation tool ? 

[y0ur5h4d0w]

1 minute ago, leclod said:

Why rufus when there's a  Microsoft windows media creation tool ? 

pure muscle memory honestly lol i'm using ventoy since years and i used rufus most of the time even when media creation tool existsed but your call is right, i'll fix the comment 

[Kieran4]

7 hours ago, y0ur5h4d0w said:

in my opinion you might not need to reinstall/reset/clean install your PC, if you don't experience any weird scenarios it's most likely fine. however, this is what you need to know about reinstalling or resetting or clean installing windows   (all based on personal experience)

 

 

depending on what you want to do you have these 2 options:

 

reinstall/reset = press the start button and type in "reinstall" the option "reset this pc" will appear, click on it and then you can read both what a "reset" or a "reinstall" do

 

clean install = this is usually the best way to avoid having crap laying around between major updates or version upgrading, however, you need to "burn" the windows iso into a USB using the official tool tool Media Creation Tool (or rufus but i would go for media creation tool since it's directly from microsoft), then boot from the USB by restarting your PC with your new USB plugged in, going into the boot menu for your motherboard (usually should be f8 or f12 iirc) then choose your USB to boot from there, press 1 key to boot from USB and then the installation takes place, just follow the on screen instructions it's sort of easy, keep in mind that this will erese EVERYTHING on the disk you choose at the point where you start to delete or add partitions.

 

 

NOTES:
resetting windows WILL KEEP the bloatware from the manufacturer's if it's a laptop! if you have something like hp wolf security installed (jesus that software is hell) you will keep it because the reset "restores" a point in time where your PC was "new" or to better put it, you will restore the disk to the state it was when you bought your PC.

 

i don't remember if reinstalling will keep the preinstalled software you had, i don't remember using it honestly

 

clean installing windows is a different story, you will have fully fledged CLEAN install without anything that's not "preinstalled" with windows, in some cases specially with the latest windows 11 25h2 isos you might need to install even the drivers for your wifi card.

i personally suggest you to UNPLUG ALL THE NON "C" DRIVES before attempting a clean install, this will ensure you that you will have only 2 volumes visible when you clean install, volume 0 is probably your main drive and volume 1 is usually the USB key so you won't have issues with your install.

 

 

i tend to go for a clean install anytime i have a new laptop or anything that i'm sure it has bloatware inside (as the HP example i have you earlier) since the manufacturer's preinstalled tool sometimes can slow down your PC, at work for example i have zbook power that was VERY SLOWED DOWN both by those crap intel CPUs and the preinstalled HP software, i simply reinstalled from a USB, installed ONLY THE ESSENTIAL software from HP which is the updater tool and my collegue gained some performance back.

Oh yeah sorry I forgot to mention I just can't get Minecraft to launch even after completely uninstalling it and the launcher then reinstalling I just can't get it to open.

 

I was thinking about reinstalling windows as I heard it can sometimes be good to do, I can't remember who from though, then the MC issue started and that became the decider.

 

Thank you for the thorough information and advice!!