I suspect my Windows PC may be infected and want to erase everything, going beyond the usual factory-reset option. I do not need to keep any files, so a completely clean installation is fine. Could someone explain the process in beginner-friendly steps?
3 Answers
A partition is simply a section of a physical drive that Windows treats like a separate storage area. During a custom installation, the installer lists the partitions and provides a Delete option for each one. Delete the partitions belonging to the target drive, then install to the unallocated space. If the computer has multiple drives, disconnect the ones you do not intend to erase so you cannot accidentally choose the wrong disk.
Before starting, unplug the computer from the network and create the installer using a known-clean computer. After Windows is installed, connect to the internet, install all updates, and run a security scan. If you have additional internal drives and want them wiped too, they need to be erased separately after the reinstall. If you are unsure which drive is which, a reputable repair shop can perform the clean install safely.
The usual approach is a clean Windows installation from a USB drive. Use a different computer that you trust to download the official Windows installation media and create a bootable USB. Disconnect the possibly infected PC from the internet, boot it from that USB, and choose a custom installation. At the drive-selection screen, delete every partition on the Windows drive, select the resulting unallocated space, and let Windows create new partitions automatically. This erases the operating system, programs, and files on that drive, so make sure there is nothing you need first.
I’m not very familiar with partitions or booting from USB. Is there a beginner-friendly guide that explains those parts?