How do I clean install Windows 10?

[Season2mask]

I have a few questions:

1. Do I really need a 'flash drive' to install windows 10 or will an external HDD work? I'm also confused as to what exactly a flash drive is compared to what I'd called a 'usb stick'

2. Can I still get windows 10 for free if I'm clean installing it as opposed to upgrading the windows 7 from where it's currently installed on my ssd?

3. Do I get to choose which drive I'm installing the clean windows 10 on?

4. What would happen to my windows 7 if I installed windows 10 on another, seperate ssd?

Thank you.

[Temp name]

1: You should use a flash drive. Which is probably what you call a USB stick. They have a bunch of names, including thumb drive and others.

2: Not sure, if you have the patience you can always upgrade to win10, then do a fresh install

3: Yes. But to be sure, you should probably unplug other drives than what you're using

4: Nothing. Depending on how you set up the BIOS, you can choose on startup which OS you want to boot into

[chazus]

Just a note/second opinion, everything Temp Name said is correct.

1) I've attempted to install Win10 from an external drive, and have had difficulties with it. It has something to do with how drives are formatted and build and how the USB exchange occurs. Flash drives/Thumb Drives/etc generally dont have that issue (some very cheap USB drives may, but they're rare.)

2) If you have your Windows 7 license key sticker, you can do a clean install and use the Win7 license to activate Win10, as long as Win7 was activated before like 2019, which it probably was. If your situation is any different (digital license, oem, pirated, etc), I'd recommend upgrading to Win10 first to lock it in, then do a clean install. Keep the Win7 license key regardless

3) Yes, however as Temp said, its best to uninstall. If you install Win10 on another drive while the Win7 drive is still active, the bootstrap remains on the WIn7 drive, which in turn means if you ever remove the Win7 drive, Win10 will fail to boot.

4) Depends on the situation. Are you going to use the WIn7 license?

Another note: If you REALLY want to use Win7 and Win10, I'd recommend installign Win10 on a separate drive with all others unplugged, add the Win7 drive, wipe it, and reinstall win7 on it, so the bootstrap remains on the Win10 drive.

[Season2mask]

Just a note/second opinion, everything Temp Name said is correct.

1) I've attempted to install Win10 from an external drive, and have had difficulties with it. It has something to do with how drives are formatted and build and how the USB exchange occurs. Flash drives/Thumb Drives/etc generally dont have that issue (some very cheap USB drives may, but they're rare.)

2) If you have your Windows 7 license key sticker, you can do a clean install and use the Win7 license to activate Win10, as long as Win7 was activated before like 2019, which it probably was. If your situation is any different (digital license, oem, pirated, etc), I'd recommend upgrading to Win10 first to lock it in, then do a clean install. Keep the Win7 license key regardless

3) Yes, however as Temp said, its best to uninstall. If you install Win10 on another drive while the Win7 drive is still active, the bootstrap remains on the WIn7 drive, which in turn means if you ever remove the Win7 drive, Win10 will fail to boot.

4) Depends on the situation. Are you going to use the WIn7 license?

Another note: If you REALLY want to use Win7 and Win10, I'd recommend installign Win10 on a separate drive with all others unplugged, add the Win7 drive, wipe it, and reinstall win7 on it, so the bootstrap remains on the Win10 drive.

Thank you both for the replies.

I still haven't been able to upgrade windows 7 to windows 10. So, what are my next options? Get a sufficient flash drive and clean install?

My question then is: If I boot from this flash drive, do I get the option to install windows 10 onto the same ssd that windows 7 is currently on? I guess I'm fine with wiping everything off it, I just want to know if that's an option I'll be given. Is it as simple as downloading the win10 media onto the flash drive, selecting the flash drive as the 1st boot option and then installing it onto my ssd where windows 7 is? Because that would be ideal since I can't get windows 7 to upgrade.

[chazus]

[B]I still haven't been able to upgrade windows 7 to windows 10. So, what are my next options? Get a sufficient flash drive and clean install?

When you say you 'still havent been able to', do you mean 'havent had time yet' or 'tried to and it failed in some fashion'?

Is it as simple as downloading the win10 media onto the flash drive, selecting the flash drive as the 1st boot option and then installing it onto my ssd where windows 7 is?

Yup. That's pretty much it. Mash buttons on power to get it to give you boot select, boot from USB flash, pick the drive, delete all partitions on the SSD (assuming thats what you want to do), and select the drive, and it will format, partition, and install appropriately.

Make sure you have your Win7 license key handy

[Rechird]

Yes, you can install the windows using the flash drive also ensure that while installing unplug other external device. Allocate necessary space for the c drive for the smooth working of OS