
- #How to wipe a computer clean windows 7 how to#
- #How to wipe a computer clean windows 7 update#
- #How to wipe a computer clean windows 7 windows 10#
- #How to wipe a computer clean windows 7 software#
- #How to wipe a computer clean windows 7 windows 8.1#
The Boot section of this menu will allow you to change the boot order so that your computer boots from the USB or DVD drive. Hold down ⇧ Shift and click “Restart.” Select “Troubleshoot” from the menu that appears, and then “Advanced options.” Click the “UEFI Firmware Settings” button to open your UEFI menu.
Windows 8 or later (UEFI) – Open the Start menu and right-click on the Power button. Open the BOOT menu and set your DVD or USB drive to be the primary boot device. Typical keys include F2, F10, F11, or Del. This key will be displayed on the screen while your computer is booting before Windows loads. Windows 7 or earlier (BIOS) – Reboot your computer and then press the BIOS, Setup, or Boot key. The process is different depending on if your computer came installed with Windows 7 or earlier or with Windows 8 or later (BIOS vs. You’ll need to set your computer to boot from the installation disc or drive that you just created. You’ll be booting your computer from the installation disc or drive instead of your hard drive. Boot from the installation disc or USB drive. After everything important has been backed up, you’re ready to start the wipe and reinstallation process. See How to Back Up Data for instructions on backing up your important files. Any programs that you have will need to be reinstalled after you’re finished. Make sure that you save any important files to another location, such as an external hard drive or a cloud storage service. Back up any files that you want to save. When you wipe your computer and reinstall Windows, all of the files on the drive will be erased. #How to wipe a computer clean windows 7 windows 10#
Follow the prompts in the tool to download the Windows 10 files and create an installation DVD or USB drive.
Windows 10 – Visit the Windows 10 download page and click the “Download tool now” button. Run the tool and follow the prompts to download and create an installation DVD or USB drive. #How to wipe a computer clean windows 7 windows 8.1#
Windows 8 – Visit the Microsoft Windows 8.1 download page and click the “Create media” button.Then download the Windows DVD/USB Download Tool to create an installation DVD or USB drive using the ISO file that you just downloaded. Windows 7 – Use your product key to download the ISO file from Microsoft.You’ll need a blank DVD or a USB drive with at least 4 GB of storage:
You can either use the disc that came with your computer, or you can create one yourself. For example, if you use Windows 7 you’ll need a Windows 7 installation disc. This will need to be the same version of Windows that you currently have installed.
Obtain or create a Windows installation disc or USB drive. The easiest way to wipe your computer and start over is to use a Windows installation disc or USB drive. Windows – Wipe Clean a Computer and Start Over If the link takes you to the Microsoft Store to purchase Windows 10 Pro, BitLocker won’t be an option without paying for the upgrade. Click “BitLocker settings” and follow the directions to enable it. If Device Encryption isn’t an option for your PC, you might be able to turn on BitLocker, depending on which version of Windows 10 you have. If you see an option for “Device Encryption,” click it and follow the instructions to encrypt your hard drive. Or if you want to keep the computer, it’s almost like having a new computer. After you do this, when you give the computer away or sell it, it’s like a computer that has never been used. Since you’re not keeping the computer (or you just want to start with a completely clean computer), choose “Remove files and clean the drive” Selecting this wipes the C:\ drive (or Windows drive) of everything and then reinstalls Windows 10. Windows will ask if you want “Just remove my files ” or “Remove files and clean the drive”. Remove everything – Removes all of your personal files, apps, and settings.ħ. Keep my files – Removes apps and settings, but keeps your personal files.ī. When you click on “Get started”, you’ll have at least two options…Ī. In Recovery under Reset this PC” > click on “Get started”ĥ. #How to wipe a computer clean windows 7 update#
In Update & Security > click on RecoveryĤ. In Settings > click on Update & Security.ģ. Right-click on the Windows 10 start button & click SettingsĢ. This method will wipe everything and reinstall Windows 10.ġ. WARNING: Do not do this if you want to keep your files.
#How to wipe a computer clean windows 7 software#
If you’re going to be giving away or selling your Windows 10 computer – or you just want a completely fresh start – you don’t need to download any 3-party software to wipe your personal information from your computer and reinstall a fresh copy of Windows before you give it away or sell it.
#How to wipe a computer clean windows 7 how to#
How to Wipe Your Computer and Reinstall Windows 10