How do you do a fresh install?

tally2425 · 26 Oct 2022 at 09:35

I like to fresh install every year or so just to keep my computer as clean as i can but i don't think i'm very efficient at doing it as i forget to install things when i do a fresh wipe, do you create a list of essential things or just go with the flow?

Haze · 26 Oct 2022 at 09:54

There is absolutely no way you need to keep reformatting your pc and reinstalling windows, mines not been done for two years, and it only got done then because I built a new pc

Mind boggles how many utube vids there are you can watch on installing windows...

something daft already!! · 26 Oct 2022 at 10:00

This may have been required back in the day of 98 and XP but not now. My install is probably 8 years old. It been upgraded with different operating systems but it is still the same profile I created back then.

Fluffybob · 26 Oct 2022 at 12:19

You really don't need to reinstall every year.

Buffalo2102 · 26 Oct 2022 at 20:50

No but he likes to. So do I actually.

I create a list of essentials and make sure I backup passwords, app settings etc..

Philtor · 27 Oct 2022 at 00:04

When I used to do this, I always took a screenshot of my add/remove programs list and also my desktop. That was it really.

Deleted member 77746 · 27 Oct 2022 at 00:24

I don’t need to install much these days as I have portable applications now that runs from a 128gb micro SD card. When I format apps are already runable without installing.

Only things I do need to install is windows, updates and couple games that can’t be ran portable.

Passwords are all stored centrally.

I would say I’ve formatted once on the last year n bit…

Django x2 · 27 Oct 2022 at 15:06

I insert one USB stick, boot from USB, and walk away. The logic in my unattended file does:

Drivers
Software
Applications
Imports WiFi Profile
Renames PC
Adds User(s) if required
Formats the start menu layout
Optimises the install
Installs MSFT Security Baseline local GPOs (and a few other GPO tweaks for things like OneDrive, etc)

I come back 20 minutes later, and the PC is fresh, and exactly where I left it, but fresh from my nonsense browsing, useless downloads, etc.

Deleted member 77746 · 28 Oct 2022 at 11:08

Django x2 said:
I insert one USB stick, boot from USB, and walk away. The logic in my unattended file does:

Drivers

Software

Applications

Imports WiFi Profile

Renames PC

Adds User(s) if required

Formats the start menu layout

Optimises the install

Installs MSFT Security Baseline local GPOs (and a few other GPO tweaks for things like OneDrive, etc)

I come back 20 minutes later, and the PC is fresh, and exactly where I left it, but fresh from my nonsense browsing, useless downloads, etc.

Too much to maintain IMO. I used to do this many moons ago but when things change this install method needs either updating or changing.

Django x2 · 28 Oct 2022 at 13:14

GaryTheSnail said:
Too much to maintain IMO. I used to do this many moons ago but when things change this install method needs either updating or changing.

Nope. it's completely dynamic and driven from CDN. The update from W10 to W11 was no more than swapping the binaries, which was no more than running one line of PoSH