REINSTALL WINDOWS
When to do it: Problems persist after resetting Windows; you want a completely fresh Windows installation Time taken: At least 90 minutes
If you need a sure-fire way to get Windows back to its best, a complete reinstall is the way to go. Unlike resetting, this involves removing all your personal files and settings, then installing a fresh version of Windows. While not particularly complicated, it does involve more steps than resetting Windows and can take a couple of hours to complete.
Pre-reinstall checklist
Completely reinstalling Windows can be daunting, especially if you’ve had your computer for many years and feel very familiar with it. The steps outlined here won’t actually format the drive Windows is on (your existing data will be moved to a ‘windows.old’ folder within the new installation of Windows). However, we still recommend backing up your data in case something goes wrong.
You need to back up your personal files, which are likely to be in your user profile folder. To do this, open a File Explorer window, click on your Windows drive in the left pane (most likely C:), then open the Users folder. Next, highlight each user you want to copy (press Ctrl while clicking them with the mouse) and copy to an external drive or USB stick.
If you store lots of favourites in your browser, it’s worth exporting these too. In Chrome, press Ctrl+shift+o to open Bookmark Manager, then from the menu on the right select Export Bookmarks. In Firefox, press Ctrl+shift+h, click ‘Import and Backup’, then ‘Export bookmarks…’. In Edge, click Settings, ‘Import from another browser’, then ‘Export to a file’.
You should also note down the size of the drive Windows is installed on (you’ll need this during the installation process). Open File Explorer (Windows+e), right-click your Windows drive (usually C:), click Properties and make a note of the Capacity, Free Space and the drive’s name (see screenshot bottom left)
Don’t forget your Windows product key!
Windows 7 will ask you for your product key once installed, while Windows 8.1 requires it during installation, so make sure you have it handy.
If you’re reinstalling Windows 10, you shouldn’t need to enter a product key. Microsoft uses digital licences to activate Windows 10 based on your hardware, so it will activate automatically, but it’s still worth noting down the product key.
Turn back to page 55 to find out how to locate your product keys for Windows and other paid-for software.
Download the latest Windows installation
When you’ve backed up all your personal files and gone through the other steps above, it’s time to start the process of reinstalling Windows. Don’t worry if you no longer have your Windows installation CD - Microsoft provides ISO files for Windows 7, 8.1 and 10, which you can use instead of an original disc.
Even if you do have the original disc, it’s often better to download the ISO file because it will include the latest major update, which means your first experience of your reinstalled Windows won’t involve waiting an age for a barrage of updates to install.
You’ll need to download the same version of Windows you’re currently running. To find this in Windows 10, click the Start button, type about your PC, press Enter and then look for the entry under ‘System type’. Make a note of both the Edition (for example ‘Windows 10 Pro’) and ‘System type’ ( 32bit or 64bit, see screenshot above).
In Windows 8.1, you can find this information by clicking Start, Settings, ‘Change PC settings’, ‘PC and devices’, then ‘PC info’. In Windows 7, click Start, type computer, right-click the Computer option, then click Properties.
Create an installation DVD or USB stick
It’s easy to create installation files on a USB stick using Microsoft’s Media Creation Tool.
For Windows 10, visit www.snipca. com/28222 and click the ‘Download tool now’ button halfway down the page. Run the program, select ‘Create installation media...’, then click Next.
Select your language, leave Edition set to Windows 10, then choose to download either the 32bit or 64bit version, depending on which you have. Next, choose whether you want to create a USB stick, which Windows calls a ‘flash drive’ (it needs to be at least 8GB), or download the ISO file either to burn to DVD or load on to a USB stick yourself using a free ISO tool such as Rufus ( www.snipca.com/27972).
The first option is easiest because Windows does everything for you, but be warned that the USB stick will be formatted during the process, so you’ll lose everything on it. If you choose the ISO file option, the tool will download the file, then instruct you either to burn a DVD or create your own USB stick.
Microsoft has removed the Media Creation Tool for Windows 8.1 from its
download pages ( www.snipca. com/28221), and instead offers only the ISO file. However, you can still find the tool on other download sites, such as Cnet ( www.snipca.com/28213).
The process is almost identical to using the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool - you just need to select the appropriate edition of Windows 8.1 when prompted. It only requires a 4GB USB stick.
Unlike Windows 8.1 and 10, there’s no Media Creation Tool for Windows 7. You can download the Windows 7 ISO file from www.snipca.com/28214, but Microsoft asks you to provide a product key before you can download the file. You’ll then need to burn it to a DVD or load on to a USB stick as above. If you still have your original Windows 7 installation disc, you may prefer to use that instead.
Start the install process
Once you’ve created your Windows DVD or USB stick, it’s time to begin the installation. With the USB stick or DVD inserted, restart your computer. If your current version of Windows loads instead of the setup program, you’ll need to tell your computer to boot from the USB stick or DVD instead.
Some PCS let you access a one-time boot menu on startup. Look for a message that says ‘Press F12 for boot options’ or similar when you first turn on your computer - activating this lets you choose to boot from USB or DVD. If you don’t have this option, you’ll need to change the boot order in your BIOS or, on newer computers, your UEFI. You access the BIOS at startup, usually by pressing F2 or Delete (your PC manufacturer’s support website should tell you which key to use).
If your computer has a UEFI, you’ll need to access it from within Windows. Click Start, type recovery, press Enter, then click the ‘Restart now’ button. Your computer will restart and display a blue screen with various options. Click the Troubleshoot button, Advanced Options, then UEFI Firmware Settings. Next, click the Restart button and wait for the UEFI screen to load.
Once in the BIOS or UEFI, look for a menu labelled Boot Priority (or similar). You should be able to move either USB or DVD (depending on which you’re using to reinstall Windows) to the top of the order list (see screenshot above). Save the changes, then restart.
The Windows setup program will now launch. The first step is to choose your regional settings (such as UK English). Once you’ve done that, click Next, then click Install Now.
If you’re reinstalling Windows 8.1, you’ll need to enter your product key now; for Windows 10, you can just click ‘I don’t have a product key’.
The installer will now ask you which version of Windows to install. This must be the same version you currently have (as identified above). Select the appropriate version, then click Next.
After agreeing to the licence terms, choose the ‘Custom: Install Windows only’ option to ensure a fresh installation.
You now need to choose which partition to install Windows on. This must be the same partition as your existing Windows installation (see screenshot left). It’s usually selected by default, but you can double check by comparing it with the size of your C drive as explained on page 56. If you’re confident that it’s your Windows partition and you’ve backed up your data, you can choose to erase the partition first by clicking Format (this means you won’t have a ‘windows.old’ folder with your old data in it). Finally, click Next and the installation process will start, taking between 30 and 45 minutes to complete.
Personalise your new Windows
You should now have a shiny new Windows installation up and running. Don’t worry if the screen looks blurry or the text too large – you just need to install the appropriate display driver, because your old drivers will have been deleted during reinstallation. To scan for driver updates in Windows 7, 8.1 or 10, click Start, type windows update, click the Windows Update option, then in the window that appears click the ‘Check for updates’ button. From here on, it’s up to you to install the programs you need and tweak Windows so that it behaves the way you want it to.