Reset win 10 or clean install

[RobTi]

Hi my son gave me his old pc minus his os drive, so I plugged my current win 10 os drive in and started it up and after logging in to the desktop it came up trying to repair, it then gave me the option of deleting everything and starting again, is this as good as a clean install or what should I do ?
Thanks

[Ravens Nest]

Is his PC the same as your, same specs? if so then just let windows delete everything (But personally i like a clean formated PC less headaches later on.)

If it is a lot different then i would do a Clean install (i.e. format) to be safe, i had problems with windows 10 doing a removal of my OS but it kept my program files and folders but this caused a few problems and i ended up reinstalling eventually after loads of hair pulling.

Just have a back up drive to move your important files over first i.e. photos, documents, saved games, password e.t.c

[RobTi]

Thanks his spec totally different to mine only common factor is they are both amd processors although total different, so I did a reset then signed in and everything looked okay, but last night my son said the same as you do a clean install and format just to make sure, so downloaded a win 10 image file and burned to usb and reinstalled win 10, although to be fair it got so far then asked me to sign in and after that I had 5he same desktop wallpaper that was on my old system and Windows was activated, so I am happy either way, now to get back into windows after years with Apple

[arshadhussain89]

I will also recommend you to go for a clean installation. It will make new directories which will enhance your system performance also with this your system will be free of any vulnerability.

[RobTi]

So did I get a clean install or not, I started with a new image file but then it asked me to sign in with my details and it set as my old one, if not how do I proceed?
Thanks

[zakeruer]

So did I get a clean install or not, I started with a new image file but then it asked me to sign in with my details and it set as my old one, if not how do I proceed?
Thanks

You can skip the sing in request if you didn't own a MS account

[GuruNot]

So did I get a clean install or not, I started with a new image file but then it asked me to sign in with my details and it set as my old one, if not how do I proceed?
Thanks

If you deleted / formated the existing partition as part of your install you definitely have a clean installation.

Windows 10 has a Sync Setting feature that syncronises certain settings between devices that are logged in under the same windows account. Which is why when you logged in to your Microsoft Account your Wallpaper reappeared.

The following settings groups are available for end-users to enable/disable settings sync on Windows 10 devices:

Theme: desktop background, user tile, taskbar position, etc.
Internet Explorer Settings: browsing history, typed URLs, favorites, etc.
Passwords: Windows credential manager, including Wi-Fi profiles
Language Preferences: spelling dictionary, system language settings
Ease of Access: narrator, on-screen keyboard, magnifier
Other Windows Settings: see Windows Settings details
Edge browser setting: Microsoft Edge favorites, reading list, and other settings

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/...-sync-settings

[Jamksers]

Clean install--- It means you will lose everything on your computer,i don't recommend it. It's a loss. you'd better reset Window 10 to start with the ISO file .

[RobTi]

Thanks everyone, I thought I had updated 5his, in 5he end I did a reset but didn’t sign in with my Microsoft account and just signed in with my name, 5he way I used to do years ago before win10 and syncing accounts,never liked signing in with half an email, so everything working fine
Thanks