Clean windows 10 install.

[DampDog]

I'm debating with myself whether to do a clean windows 10 install as I need to replace a failing HDD. Thing is my windows 10 is a free upgrade from windows 7.

1. Does that make thinks any more complicated, re activating a new install?
2. What is the easiest way to go? ( I have a sata SSD as boot drive/ 1Tb for backups and infrequently used stuff.
Cheers.

 

[DampDog]

Cheers. Not having any additional drives connected seems a sensible way of making life easy. It isn't something I'd thought about but as I need to replace the drive I use for backups will help.

Is it as simple as using the "Reset this PC" from within the recovery options in the windows settings? Or do create an ISO disc/usb boot device from the windows site? I have no doubts there are guides, just thought I'd ask. I'll have a quick google this evening.
Thanks again.

 

[DampDog]

Cheers for pointers. I'm on it, Just created myself a bootable USB drive this morning. That said, I'm holding fire on the clean install for the moment.

What prompted it in the first place was a failing HDD, and I just had the feeling things may go south while replacing it. Thankfully it went pretty smoothly, with the exception of losing my Windows History/backup. (which I've never actually needed/used.) I back up all my important stuff every other day or so to a little external drive, so in the scheme of things it's just irritation rather than any real problem. Think I caught it right on the edge, it had some corrupted data, but I managed to recover what I needed.

Now going off at tangent which is my specialist subject. I've used SyncToy 2.1, for my backups since Noah was a lad. It's basic, but it's free and simple to use. I imagine things have moved on so are there any good free/cheap programs to make my backups a little more robust and easier/better organized?