Reinstall W10 or 'Custom'?

[Mac20nine]

I'm installing  W10 (Pro 64b) but have the W10 HDD from old system in my new build. Thinking I'd get option to overwrite (I have a backup). I think a "fresh install" is best, but it's asking if I want to 'Upgrade' or 'Custom' install. Says Upgrade will copy my files, appls, etc.

It would be nice to just switch the key and anything  w/ recognizes the new hardware. It can't act like an "Upgrade install" from W7 or W8. Only Windows on this HDD has been 10. New mobo, cpu and ram. If it overwrites W10 files it sounds like same files written as during a fresh install.

What are any downsides to choosing 'Upgrade'? Also, do you think I'll get to choose between build 1903 and 1909, released today?



Thanks for any input,

Mac

[Lisa_maree]

Hi
I would first see if the drive boots to the windows desktop on the new machine and you can activate windows on the new hardware. If you can then things may work out. If NOT then you will need another Windows 10 licence key.
If it does boot to the desktop you can do a reload or refresh of windows from  "Reset this PC"  you have the option of a clean install of windows and it will be with the latest service pack.
If you are not doing the clean install make sure the drive has at least 3 * the space used in the windows and users folders free, as copies of these folders are made first by the windows installer.

What you can do all hinges on if you can activate windows automatically on the new hardware.

[Geek-9pm]

If it was me, I would go buy a replacement hard drive and save the old as a easy way to revert back to what I had. Hard drives prices are now lower that ever, especially for older model in overstock.
Example: A new 500 GB standard drive is about $25 for reputable vendors on eBay. Think about it. What's you time worth?

[Mac20nine]

Well 1) already have a complete HDD as BU, that will boot. 2) This HDD does boot to desktop on the new hardware. But I want to besure no MS routine or future update hoses me, like my personalizations.

From my research it appears a clean install gets you two things besides wiping appls & files. A pristine registry and since all appls are wiped you have no programs at startup. You could fix that using config.sys so the main plus = a clean registry.

I'm going to try the Upgrade install for once. Mainly b/c I want to change my key, lock it to this hardware. I have read, however, that you can often get the old drive to boot on new hardware AND it will update drivers. Then run fine. But I'd rather be kosher w/MS. Don't want anything to later mess w/my MS application installs.

Should be good either way. I can always reinstall clean if I want to.


Thanks vy much for the feedback,

Mac

[Lisa_maree]

If you use the rest this PC to factory I'm going to re sell the pc option it is the same as a clean install. If windows is activated on the new hardware then you are fine with the licence.

[patio]

Noone has mentioned he is violating the EULA putting it on a new PC...
But hey...there's lotsa ideas bein thrown around

[Lisa_maree]

If it is a retail copy of Windows 10 then it is transferable as long as there is only one copy using the licence key.
If it is an OEM copy then there is a breach of the end user licence agreement if you use it on different hardware.
I suggested using the repair option as if the op installed a different version or version with a different region  then the Licence could become invalid even if it is a retail copy.

[Mac20nine]

This is a custom build, switching the key means I've purchased a new license. Sorry if that confused anyone. I'm not interested in using the old license/W10 in my new system.

Just as I was about to try "Upgrade" someone on another forum related that he's used that a handful of times and it always goofs up something. For instance, later. So he then has to do over, using clean install. Good to know. I'm wiping the HDD and will clean install. Move all my appls, re-config everything : (

My take is 'Upgrade', at least how it's described on some sites, is about as useful as Windows' backup routine. It appears to be touted as a 'Reinstall' that allows you to insert a new key & it will overwrite all MS files, giving you a completely new registry. Like clean install. But apparently not so. Old hardware & drivers still exist, are 'greyed out' in device manager and you need to manually delete.

Sounds like Windows, even W10 in this day and age, isn't so smart. For anyone else's edification I have read the .old folder of previous Windows files that gets created is deleted in 10 days.

Thank you all for the feedback. I'll go with the tried and true. I do like to cover all bases but it's time consuming. I will say for anyone who reads this in the future don't skip the UEFI and fast boot/secure boot info.

[Lisa_maree]

You are confusing upgrade with  "Reset this PC"  you have the option of a clean install of windows and it will be with the latest service pack." they are very different. Using the latter does create a new registry and there is no user files or programs left on the drive. It's the option you use if you are selling the computer and want a clean install.

This site explains it https://www.howtogeek.com/132428/everything-you-need-to-know-about-refreshing-and-resetting-your-windows-8-pc/

Quote: Sounds like Windows, even W10 in this day and age, isn't so smart. For anyone else's edification I have read the .old folder of previous Windows files that gets created is deleted in 10 days.
This is wrong there maybe a setting in windows to do this but it is not done automatically.

[2x3i5x]

If you are able to boot to windows and there's something wonky about the way windows performs, you could always try an 'in place upgrade'.

Basically, run the installation setup within windows and there should be the upgrade option and setup would just install a brand new copy of windows but with your personal apps and files should be left alone (make sure Keep personal files and apps is the option selected in the setup if not defaulted)

[Geek-9pm]

Some vendors offer cheap OEM license for Windows 10,

Here is a screenshot below.

[Lisa_maree]

I wonder when Microsoft will copy Apple and allow reloads of windows from the internet. I would save lots of problems making bootable pen drives. They are doing it now with Office so shouldn't be a problem adding the boot from network/internet into the windows reload options. Then slip stream the lastest windows build onto the drive with the drivers it backed up before the reload. Anyway dreams are free.

[Geek-9pm]

This is relevant.
Install Windows from a USB Flash Drive
Also, you can even run Windows from a quality USB device,.
https://www.pcmag.com/article/352209/how-to-run-windows-10-from-a-usb-drive
Now hat might be an option. 

[Mac20nine]

@Lisa_maree: I can't confuse 2 things when I'm only aware of the 1. AIUI, from this (and other MS pages): https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12415/windows-10-recovery-options#section2  any settings would be lost if I were to boot the old W10 and find this "Reset". 

I'm thinking it's highly probable Reset would have similar issues like 'Upgrade' install and will trust only clean install at this point. It would be nice if either option worked so I could keep my files, appls & settings but I can't find out during a busy week that I can't trust/need to re-do all those. As far as the .old folder I'm only repeating that I read that.

@2x3i5x: Unfamiliar w/In Place Upgrade as well. But I sure would like any of the 3 we're talking about to work 100% on my hardware and know that for certain in advance as I'm getting an error from the clean install now that apparently refers to usb file corruption. Have to dwnld, verify and try again. (Wish 1903 would fit on DVD 'cause I have a lot of those left.)

@Geek-9pm: Right.

Additionally, various "how to" 'clean' install webpages mention disable secure boot. Although I haven't been able to so far, it seems that deals w/not being able to boot from usb. I can do that. The process gives error 800703EE (w/points to various problems unfortunately) later. I get through partitions, so I presume it's formatted those NTFS.

Hopefully re-writing the usb = good files and this installs.


Thank you all.

[Lisa_maree]

Hi first you need to make sure you are making the windows install usb drive on a UEFI compatible drive not some 8 gb drive 4 years old OR turnoff  eufi and secure boot in the bios. Boot the pendrive on a USB 2 port this avoids the need for any drivers other than the default windows 10 usb drivers. Also as i said above if you want a clean install i suggest you at least delete the boot and windows partitions from custom option, and let windows installer recreate the partitions the error you are getting could be because you haven't deleted the boot partition and the windows install is not able to re write a new boot record with secure boot enabled.

Are you sure the motherboard, CPU and memory are compatible. I only suggest this as it has happened to me that a computer upgrade was running ok, but windows would not reinstall without a bios update.Also if the new memory has an error it could cause this error. Some bios's have a memory test built it which you could use to test the memory.

Also as your link       https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12415/windows-10-recovery-options#section2
has 4 options for Windows 10  recovery the one you should have used was Remove everything with Data erasure Off
Which is a total clean install of windows all data is deleted (just not erased) erased being when the data areas of the disk are completely over written. Hence why it takes longer.