Discussion on:

The complete guide to a Windows 8 clean installation

On my test machines, I have done both and I have not run into any problems. What is your preference? Why?

not bloated

But I chose to install Win 8 in a VM, mostly because I'm more interested in just playing with it for now.

I did a clean install, but kept my existing partitions for Windows 7. I wasn't quite ready to abandon Win 7 and Win 8 created a dual boot automagically. I had a nearly empty partition from my Win 7 install and used that one. On a separate partition, I created a Data partition to keep Documents, pictures, music, videos and downloads. Then added them to both Win 7 and Win 8's libraries to have access to all my data from each operating system.

You stated that 'performing a clean install means blowing away all existing partitions' but this is not correct, is it? In fact, the process of performing a clean install of Windows 8 appears exactly the same as it was for Vista and Windows 7, in that you choose custom and when you are presented with the partition list, you can click Drive Options (advanced) where you can then choose on which paritition you wish to install Win 8. You can also choose to format or delete any of your other partitions - ie: you do not have to delete (blow away) any of your other partitions!

A lot of so-called destructive recovery programs also make incorrect statements (dire warnings) like 'performing this will delete all your data' etc.!' without adding 'on your C: drive' ! And whilst it is never a bad idea to back up all your personal data before performing either a 'Restore to Factory Conditions' recovery or indeed a custom, clean install of the OS, in case YOU accidentally choose the wrong partition on which to perform the process. However, if run correctly, these procedures do NOT affect your other partitions. And dire warnings telling you they do are not helpful!

...that installing to a separate partition could be considered a "Clean Install" in that you are not upgrading over top of an existing version of Windows, but then you are actually setting up a dual-boot configuration. Dual-booting is a perfectly fine solution and you can choose to go that route instead, but it is not what this article is about.

In the case of this article, a "Clean Install" refers to wiping your hard disk "clean" and then installing a new operating system.

This article presents nothing new as far as I can tell. That's just how it worked with Windows 7. The real question is, can you do a clean install on a blank hard drive, or how would one RE-install Windows 8 clean later if needed, using this special "Upgrade" install of Windows 8. Microsoft has said so far that a previous version of Windows 7 must be installed on the PC to install the upgraded. Especially, once you upgrade to Windows 8 and might need to do a clean reinstall of 8 later, does that mean I first have to reinstall 7 (or Vista or XP) and then use the 8 install to wipe that out and reinstall 8? And even with just my initial upgrade to 8, what if I want to use the opportunity to upgrade my hard drive, or maybe switch to an SSD? Do I really have to install Win 7 (or vista or XP), on it and then use the 8 "upgrade" to do the 8 clean install? THOSE are the questions I want to know the answers to and hope somebody tests thoroughly.

I have one. But what if I dont need to enter it what happens so I will not benefit from other features.

I had no problems upgrading from W7 ultimate to W8 pro...went in smooth and run and works great but, hear it comes, and most may never run into this, IE9 and W8 pro have a few issues. IE9 runs fine initially but doesn't like clicking on to other sites...just stops working but will go back to the other site OK...doesn't do this in Foxfire, Chrome, or Opera...works just fine on these...and then ther is one other issue that started immediately after upgrade...Net Flix, using any browser, will go to the site, let you do everything you paid for except it won't let you download a movie to watch, says it's the wrong date, it's not, so go figure (Net Flix tech support doesn't get it either). I can still stream it to my TV via router Wi Fi and everythin still works fine on my wife's machine and my laptop which both are equipped with w7 ultimate (all 3 machines are 64 bit and none have viruses on them, so I did the troubleshooting and it seems to be a compatability issue with W8 pro & IE9...unless there is a fix I'm not aware of.

...performed a Windows 8 upgrade over top of Windows 7, so don't know for sure, but I would have assumed that the upgrade process would have automatically replaced IE9 with IE10.

Were you given the opportunity to keep IE9? Did it also install IE10?

Thank you very much!

I've had experience with an upgrade version of Windows 7 and the requirement for a clean install - upgrade from 32-bit Vista to 64-bit Windows 7. I have not tested this with Windows 8 and hoped Greg would do that for us. Instead he doesn't even show the screen on which the product key is entered! Let alone the validation successful screen.

Windows 8 does not permit installation without entering a product key, Windows 7 did. With Win7 the easiest work-around is to install Win7 without entering a product key. Then before doing anything else, install it again. Right over itself.

So to me the question of the Windows 8 clean install of the upgrade version remains unanswered. My plan, which I did test, is to do a quick Win7 install with no product key entered, then install Windows 8. This does work and only takes an extra 20 or so minutes.

One big caveat follows: Windows 7 drivers are not necessarily replaced when Windows 8 installs and Windows 8 does not necessarily work with Windows 7 drivers. So you will get an upgrade installation that needs some tweaking. As in reinstall the hardware drivers that come with your motherboard after downloading the Windows 8 versions.

For me, a clean installation would be: System&ProgsApps on drive C:, and ALL data (users-directory) on a data-partition (D:). I heard that it would be possible, but not simple.

You need to be more detailed on how to backup your personal data and to advise how to partition a drive if needed, especially in a single hard drive configuration like laptops.

a. Personal Data - have all you date included in My Documents; this should be a disciplined act during normal computer usage. Go to C: drive and open Users. Here select your folder i.e. John or Richard or LivingRm etc. in your folder are a list of folders including My Document. For each of the folders right-click > Properties > Location > change the location to a USB or external drive. All your files are copied and saved away from the C: Drive.

b. Partitioning Hard Drive during a Window 8 Installation - A typical laptop hard drive is always bought with a C: Drive partition and no D: Drive. Place a D: Drive after the process of deleting the partitions during Windows 8 installation. A good size would be between 80 and 120 GB. Do not attempt to format D: Drive during installation because it will place a boot sector. Format the second drive once your in and working with Windows 8 through the Disk Manager program.

c. Personal Files after Installtion - Copy your personal files to D: Drive first. Now go to C: Drive to the User Folder and select your personal folder John or Richard etc. If the folder is named differently from the previous installation, change the old folder to reflect the new name 1st. Then in C: Drive > Users > "John" right-click each of the folders select Properties then Location and change everything to D: Drive.

This method protects you from a corrupt OS where you may freely and tirelessly reinstall without effecting personal data. Having a second partition (D: Drive) allow you to use an imaging program and store the image; this cannot be done on a singe partitioned hard drive unless it is transferred to an external hard drive.

Just wonder if I replace the HD, how I can install Windows 8 Upgrade on it without putting back Windows 7 first. Is it possible?

The problem I am having (and it is a known issue) is that once you install a CLEAN WINDOWS 8, you will lose your CD/DVD drive...meaning, it won't recognize it. YOu will have to go in and do a registry hack and remove some lines....if they are there. On my system they aren't. I am still trying to figure it out.

This only happened if I did a CLEAN install. If I did an "upgrade"....still worked. But, after you install it, DO NOT run the UPDATES...this too will get rid of the DVD/CD.

I bet MS will remedy this problem with SP1

THe reason I read is that Microsoft in their infinite wisdom seems to think that the user only streams video and music content these days and has no need for the use of a DVD/CD. This is something I see happening in about 5 years maybe, but not so drastic from one version of the OS to the next.

Maybe some of you are experiencing this and have a solution. My PC is ancient (in computer years....4 years old)...but ran/runs WIndoes 7 perfectly.

I've done 4 installs. One was an upgrade from Windows 7. I had the strangest problem.

After initial Windows 8 setup, every time I attempted to perform a task that required elevation, the elevation prompt would appear and then disappear. I was cursing, yelling, getting angry etc... Until I discovered that the "elevate prompt" sound file was corrupt! And I was using the stock standard Windows 7 sound theme. Who'd have thought???

Apparently this has been experienced by a few people. Upgrading always brings its share of problems so I guess the odd issue here and there is to be expected.

Oh, and kschlotthauer - I haven't had any issues with the DVD/CD drive going missing. Unlucky maybe?