I'm planning to do a clean install of Windows after dealing with some serious lag in resource-heavy games. I've talked to friends who suggest replacing the thermal paste since my CPU was overheating, and it looks like the rest of my system is in good shape. I want to make sure I keep all my important data during the clean install. I have an SSD (C drive) with Windows on it and two HDDs (E and D drives). Should I just move all the stuff I want to save from the C drive to the E and D drives before starting the clean install? Do I need to unplug the HDDs while I'm doing this?
4 Answers
Just a heads up, if you're worried about any software causing issues, doing a clean install is the best way to ensure everything is fresh. If you choose to run the installation inside Windows instead, you can keep your apps and files, but that wouldn't be a complete 'clean' install. I'd recommend going all in for the clean install if you're troubleshooting!
Technically, a clean install means you'll lose all your data, which is why you need to manually move anything you want to keep to another drive. Another option is using Windows' reset feature which allows you to keep your files without losing everything, but for a fresh start, the clean install is the way to go.
You're spot on! Just move the files you want to keep to your other drives. For safety, make sure to disconnect those HDDs during the installation. After the OS installs on the C drive, you may need to set up the HDDs again in device manager, but otherwise, you're good to go!
Great plan! First, back up your important files from the C drive to your E and D drives. It's also a good idea to disconnect your HDDs while installing Windows to avoid any accidental deletions. This keeps everything safe during the process. You can follow a guide online for the clean install steps to make sure you get it right!
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