I recently upgraded my gaming PC from an Intel 11400 with an RX 580 to a Ryzen 7 9700x and RX 9070 XT. I replaced nearly everything—RAM, motherboard, power supply, and case—but I kept my SSD. When I booted up, it went straight to the Windows sign-in screen, but it soon became clear that things weren't performing as expected. After browsing on Reddit, I learned that switching from Intel to AMD usually calls for a clean install of Windows. I have two main questions: First, how do I go about doing a clean install? Second, if I do a clean install, can I just plug my SSDs back in afterward, or will that mess with my performance since they have old drivers and programs on them? I have two SSDs mostly filled with games and files. Thanks in advance for any advice!
2 Answers
You generally don’t need a fresh install unless you switch to a dual CCD X3D CPU like the 7900X3D, 7950X3D, 9900X3D, or 9950X3D, where special versions of Windows are required. For typical upgrades, a fresh install cleans out old data and can improve performance, but it’s not mandatory.
Yeah, I’d recommend a reinstall with any significant motherboard change, particularly going from Intel to AMD.
Did you install the new AMD drivers and uninstall the old Intel ones? That could really help resolve any performance issues. I’ve switched between multiple CPUs and motherboards without reinstalling Windows, but you might want to be safe and do a fresh install just to ensure everything’s running smoothly.
Thanks for your input! I’ve installed the new drivers but haven’t uninstalled the Intel ones yet. That could be the cause of my issues!
Thanks for the clarification! I agree—a fresh install might help, especially since it’s a new build.