What is you "fresh install" of Windows ritual?

Moleyman

Moleyman

Moleyman

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Hi,

I have been a Mac user for the last 25 years or so, but have started using my gaming PC more and more as my main computer.

I'm still learning the PC way, but am fairly computer literate, but want to learn more and more of the power-user, pro tips type stuff.

One thing that i wanted to find out was what the "best" way of performing a fresh Windows (10 Pro is what I currently have) install is.

I've been booting off my Windows 10 thumbdrive, deleting the existing partitions from the SSD and then installing - which is working fine.

But then I'm not sure of the best way of doing the rest of it (drivers etc). For example, Windows 10 Device Manager shows that I have no devices "missing", even though I haven't installed my mobo drivers and such like - is this because Windows 10 has the newest drivers built-in?

So, what I would to know from you guys is what is your preferred ritual for how you do a fresh Windows install and your power-user top tips too.

Looking forward to learning a lot.

All the best,

Moley
 
ninite to select a bunch of stuff i need to install from there in an easy 1 install package.

Then i go to the motherboard website and get their drivers and after this proceed to get gpu drivers, and any other things you may require IE intel rapid storage tech.

After this for me it's pretty much plain sailing as i have a folder dedicated to "must haves" for fresh windows installs in my opinion that are things like MSI Afterburner for overclocking my gpu.
 
Can't say I have a ritual, you just kinda do it.

Generally goes something like this though...

Install, update, drivers, Ninite, stuff not on Ninite, done.
 
I have my OS on one drive, user data on another, and games on a third (actually, and a fourth now as I hate waiting to download a game I want to play). If I'm doing a fresh install, it's pretty much:
  • Download latest Windows 10 Media Creation Tool
  • Run Windows 10 Media Creation Tool to make USB installer with latest Win 10 version
  • Reboot to the USB, delete partitions on C: drive and reinstall to C:
  • Install LAN driver if Win10 doesn't natively find it
  • Go online and get latest drivers from websites. For my PC, this is Intel Driver Update Utility, Realtek, AMD and Creative. Install drivers.
  • Set up User Accounts for other family members.
  • Set drive letters on other drives in machine.
  • Go through each user profile and point the Documents, Downloads, Music, etc folders to their locations on my D: drive.
  • Install Steam into the E: drive, and leave it to start recognising the games installed there.
  • Do the same for Origin and UPlay.
  • Play games! :)
 
Moleyman said:
is this because Windows 10 has the newest drivers built-in?
Click to expand...

It's more likely that those drivers have either been downloaded and installed after the installation of the OS or are just microsoft issue generic drivers which for some things I wouldn't suggest using in case issues crop up, so you should have all the latest drivers downloaded since even though some of the drivers might not be generic MS drivers, they might be outdated.
 
demonix said:
It's more likely that those drivers have either been downloaded and installed after the installation of the OS or are just microsoft issue generic drivers which for some things I wouldn't suggest using in case issues crop up, so you should have all the latest drivers downloaded since even though some of the drivers might not be generic MS drivers, they might be outdated.
Click to expand...

That's very true.

Personally the most important driver is the ethernet/wifi drivers, since if you don't have those then it's possible Microsoft can't find or does not have drivers you are out of luck connecting to the net, since that is the most critical for updates and downloads on the net I always have a backup of my latest ethernet/wifi drivers beforehand just in case.

The above scenario actually happened to me one time a few years ago when it could not find my ethernet driver(was not Win10 however), however Win10 is pretty good at finding drivers especially if it has net access, but as always no OS can be 100% perfect in getting all the right drivers all the time.


The Microsoft default installation drivers I check in Device Manager, but I always seem to find a more later version from Intel, Asmedia, JMicron, AMD, Nvidia etc in most cases.


I do keep my latest drivers on OneDrive, as well as on my backup external hard drives.
Yes I've a backup of latest Win10 on USB, always nice to be prepared for the future.
 
arc@css said:
I've never heard of Ninite. Interesting. :)
Click to expand...

Yeah, It's been around for a fair few years now and it's just so useful for making things quick when you are on a fresh install, I also love the fact it automatically stops anything from adding bloatware and such and just installs the required software.
 
I have had my documents, pictures, video, music folders etc, all stored on other drives, and so, at any one time, if I ever fancied wiping and starting over, I could do without any worries at all.

I also dont really use those folders that much anyway, not as much as Windows wants me to as I have too much files and so I only use them for my most recent rubbish.

My drivers are also another thing that I like to have that are as ready as they can be.

In order, I think that as soon as it is installed, the Chipset drivers are the first thing in.

SATA, VGA and Audio next, if needed.

AntiVirus as soon as possible too!

Everything else is really up to you!

I know that the biggest thing that I have, is my steam folder, and thankfully, I have not had to bother with that for years... I just re-run STEAM.EXE and everything goes in fine... The games that are all stil there, just ask to reinstall DirectX bits before each first run and its all peachy.
 
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