I'm upgrading my motherboard and processor from a Z390 system with an i9-9900K to a Z790 board with an i7-14700K. I'll be keeping the same M.2 drive. After installing the new hardware, can I use Windows' built-in "Reset this PC" option and choose "Remove everything," or should I create a USB installer and perform a clean installation? I'd like to handle the transition properly and avoid driver or boot issues.
3 Answers
Since you’re reusing the same M.2 drive, Windows usually doesn’t have to be reinstalled. A USB clean install is more relevant when moving to a new drive or when the existing installation has problems. Make sure your important files are backed up first, and be prepared to reactivate Windows if the motherboard change affects the digital license.
Windows 10 and 11 will often boot normally after a motherboard and CPU swap, especially when you’re keeping the same drive. You can install the new chipset, network, and other motherboard drivers afterward. A clean installation is a good option for peace of mind, but the built-in reset isn’t necessarily required.
For peace of mind, I’ll probably do a clean reinstall since this is a fairly large hardware change. I mainly wanted to make sure I was doing it the proper way.
You don’t strictly need either option before trying the upgrade. Install the new hardware, boot into Windows from the existing M.2 drive, and see whether everything starts correctly. If you still want a fresh installation, you can run the Windows installer from within the operating system or use installation media on a USB drive.
I’ll be using the same M.2 drive, so I may try booting normally first and then decide whether a clean installation is worth the extra work.