Windows 10 Announced - Released 29-Jul-2015

Clean install is always better, no leftover drivers, no junk/corrupted files that will mess with Windows; there is no debate about it.
The only con is that you have to reinstall all your apps, it is why i prioritize portable ones; then nothing much to reinstall except few drivers; your system will be lighter , hence backups/restores will be faster.
Most people here have the skill to do clean install rather than fighting with upgrade issues...

 

My systems usually work just as well (if not better) after upgrading to a new build. There is absolutely no need to do a clean install, unless you're having issues (which are not known bugs with the new build) after upgrading. Why would I do a clean install, when my computers work just as well if I upgrade?

 

I agree. Mine work just as well (if not better) after an upgrade and I usually have more Free space in the OS partition after the upgrade. My last upgrade took 12 minutes. That's a lot shorter than the hours to days it would take me to setup a clean Win10 to my satisfaction.

My personal system is six and a half years old. It started with Win8 and has been upgraded whenever a new Windows has been released. I multi-boot this computer and I have a fresh 1903 Win10 install as one of the OS. It's no faster than my six and a half years old OS.

 

if any of you ever worked as a computer technician (aka repair guy) , you will share my opinion.

I always had less returns/calls for issues after clean installing computers than after upgrading, reason i ditched upgrades because sooner or later, upgrades will cause issues.

This is based on my experience as computer technician and from other techies, not as a computer commoner.

clean install is called clean install for a reason, it is clean, not bloated, no junk, no leftovers causing conflicts.

the only reason why you shouldnt clean install is the lack of compatible drivers for the new OS, if so you shouldn't even install the new OS, but in most case old drivers should suffice.

You have few steps to take before clean installing, it is:
- to save the proper drivers on a USB.
- backup the previous system.
- backup the license keys.

Now Average Joe may not have the skills to clean install, that is unfortunate, but you cant use that argument to say clean installs are less effective than upgrading.

In businesses, you cant upgrade, if you do, you ask for troubles; you clean install an endpoint then ghost the others.

 

^^^ bump

Did anyone else notice this?

 

i prefer prevent than fix

it is what i used to say, my personal experience shifted the balance to the clean install way; however the few upgrades i did were when the customers couldn't retrieve their license keys for an expensive soft.

 

it is a bug? i thought it is just a cosmetic effect, read that somewhere , Acrylic effect something.

 

I actually work as a technician. When Windows 10 was released, I upgraded a number of computers from Windows 7 to 10. These computers had seen a number of years of use, were running the factory install of Windows 7 and all had some issues, such as Windows running slowly. The only times that there were issues after upgrading, was when the computers weren't powerful enough to run Windows 10 well. In every other case, I never had a customer complain that they were having issues.

 

No, it's a "feature" (see the links in my post).
Just I'm asking if you are happy with it. I'm not.

 

+1

 

im not as well , i had a cool background picture, now it is ruined by it.

 

I may have no choice but to try clean install on one machine.

In case, @guest maybe a dumb question but I am curious what is your best way to do this: 'to save the proper drivers on a USB'?

 

What is your experience with upgrading Windows 7 to Windows10? Is it better to upgrade or perform clean install? I already activated Windows 10 on this computer so there should be no problem with clean install, I was just wondering what's experience from those that already done it.

 

Since it's a "complete new windows" (w7 to w10) and not just an upgrade like from 1803 to 1809 (like in windows 10) I wanted to be on the safe side and just installed from a windows 10 usb stick. All worked well. The MS software creation tool and beeing able to use a usbstick for install made it alot better than using a slow cd-drive.

 

Check your drivers versions, download them from vendors, put on USB.
Some tools allow you to transfer directly from your system but it is hit and miss.

 

I've upgraded plenty of computers from Windows 7 to Windows 10 and except for two or three cases, it went fine and Windows 10 ran at least as fast as Windows 7. I'd advise upgrading and only doing a clean install in the very rare case you have issues after upgrading.

 

I initially upgraded from Win7 the day Win10 was released, then as soon as Win10 was activated I went through a clean install and felt it was a better experience. This machine had a few clean installs but the last few were upgrades. One of my machines didn't like 1809 either from an upgrade or clean install. It now runs Linux.

Try the upgrade out first. If you're not happy clean installations don't take long, but installing software and configuring your machine is a different matter. If you use Windows Media Center, it won't be included with a clean install but should be kept with an upgrade.

Of course, image your machine first before you do anything.

 

+1. heck, i'd even use windows as portable if i could.

 

Ever since Windows 10 started I had a mixed bag experience about clean installs and upgrades, the good news is that if one does not work the other will, lately upgrades have been flawless, but as a precaution I always uninstall all security programs (in my case Sandboxie, Avira, and Shadow Defender) to minimize any possible conflict.

 

you have but it is "illegal" .

every repair guy will know what im talking about

 

Thank you all for you answers. As said I can start with upgrade and then see if I encounter any problems and do clean install if problems arise. Thnx again

 

could stay totally in the legal confines with wtg but that'd be no "go" for me using 10 without vm.