Clean installing windows 10 on laptop full of bloatware.

[waddupsam]

So basically I own a Vaio Pro 13 which is the laptop of my dreams, if not only for the bloatware. Since it runs 8.1 and update to 10 is right around the corner I was wondering if Ill be able to somehow clean install windows 10 on it. Is this possible? Can I somehow get the serial key to windows 10 copy so I can install it from USB-stick and start on a clean plate? Thank you for helping!

 

[Kyle Stilkey]

Yes

 

[owensdj]

From what I've heard you'll need to do an in-place upgrade from 8.1 to 10 to take advantage of the free upgrade to 10 offer. After you do the upgrade you can do as many clean re-installs as you wish.

 

[Jas00555]

Clean installing and removing bloatware is actually easier in Windows 10. Simply upgrade the machine, go to settings --> reset --> wipe entire drive (or whatever its called), then wait. Windows creates a bloat free image made from the system files and removes anything preinstalled.

 

[instantk]

Clean installing and removing bloatware is actually easier in Windows 10. Simply upgrade the machine, go to settings --> reset --> wipe entire drive (or whatever its called), then wait. Windows creates a bloat free image made from the system files and removes anything preinstalled.

Would reset remove viruses also?

 

[Jas00555]

Would reset remove viruses also?

In theory, yes. I don't know if its possible, but I suppose there's a very small chance that if you got a virus that somehow infected system files and could trick Windows into using them while making a new image, then you could be stuck (that being said, just download an ISO from Microsoft and you'd be fine) with a virus on your computer, but I'd say for the vast majority of problems, it'll wipe out everything.

 

[a5cent]

Clean installing and removing bloatware is actually easier in Windows 10. Simply upgrade the machine, go to settings --> reset --> wipe entire drive (or whatever its called), then wait. Windows creates a bloat free image made from the system files and removes anything preinstalled.

This is unfortunately not always true. I've had HP devices with bloatware included in the recovery partition, which Windows uses to do the reset.


I don't know how other manufacturers configure the recovery partition, but it's pretty easy for OEMs to stuff whatever they want in there.



The only way to be 100% guaranteed bloatware free is a clean install from an MS ISO.



OP:

After your initial upgrade to W10, you no longer require a serial key to do a clean install. MS stores the hardware signature of your machine and the associated W10 license key in the cloud.

 

[Jas00555]

This is unfortunately not always true. I've had HP devices with bloatware included in the recovery partition, which Windows uses to do the reset.


I don't know how other manufacturers configure the recovery partition, but it's pretty easy for OEMs to stuff whatever they want in there.



The only way to be 100% guaranteed bloatware free is a clean install from an MS ISO.



OP:

After your initial upgrade to W10, you no longer require a serial key to do a clean install. MS stores the hardware signature of your machine and the associated W10 license key in the cloud.

Not in Windows 10. Microsoft is changing how it Refreshes and Resets machines. Now, if you choose the right setting, Windows builds a clean ISO from system files.

Ed Bott explains the difference between Windows 8 and Windows 10's Reset here

http://www.zdnet.com/article/with-build-10122-windows-10-finally-starts-coming-together/

 

[a5cent]

^Thank you. I was not aware of that!