How will Windows 10 clean install work on laptops (OEM)?

[dariohead]

Hi!

I have a very good Toshiba laptop with Windows 8.1 running on it and I will definitely want to upgrade it to Windows 10 when the finished version is out.

Most laptops today don't come with a Windows installation discs OR even a Windows serial number for that matter (serial is stored in BIOS from what I understood). What you have is a "factory reset partition" and you can make your own bootable DVDs for this "factory reset" as well. Although I needed time to get used to this practice, I am OK with it now, it seems to work pretty well.

Do we have any idea so far on how this process of clean install upgrade will work when upgrading from Windows 8.1 to 10? Also, will it be possible to create a Windows 10 "factory reset partition" after upgrade?

Most importantly, will we have to wait for our laptop vendors (Toshiba, Dell, etc.) for a special Windows 10 upgrade "something" or will this be all handled by Microsoft?

 

[N_LaRUE]

Windows OS is not like Windows Phone OS where you are waiting on the OEM and or carrier to release the update. The machine you have now is yours. It shouldn't void any warranty updating to the latest OS either.

When you update Windows to a new version there are several ways to go about installing it. Microsoft offers a direct update over the previous Windows version. (however your backup partition will still be the old version). You can download an image to be burned to DVD or even stored on a USB stick. This will allow for a clean install of Windows if you choose.

You'll always be able to download an image of the version of Windows you have on your machine so long as you have a valid install.

My recommendation is for a clean install (including wiping the backup partition) which removes all vendor bloat and then do a backup of the system to DVD after the clean install or even just an image file you can store somewhere.

 

[hotphil]

It's not confirmed, but most likely:
You'll not have to wait for vendors.
It'll be an update through the Store (just as 8 to 8.1 was).
You'll not need to worry about the keys (as you say, they're stored in the (UEFI) BIOS).

The upgrade process will, likely, put your current Windows into a Windows.old folder and not touch your system restore partition (you can just re-do the 8.1 to 10 upgrade if you ever have to use that restore partition).

You mention a "clean install upgrade", but they're different things. Not sure quite what you mean by that. Personally, I'd either do an upgrade (so drivers and files etc get neatly incorporated) or wait for a full WIndows 10 ISO to be available and for my vendor to have known good Windows 10 drivers, download all relevant drivers and the Windows 10 ISO and then do a clean install.

 

[dariohead]

OK, thank you both for explanation!

I just hope that the WIndows 10 installer will work with Windows 8.1 serials stored in the BIOS!

 

[knight820]

Don't worry, After Win8, all OEM serial is bolted directly on BIOS, so no activation at all.
The simple method that I have tried in insider program, is to download an ISO to your laptop that you want to upgrade
simply click "not to keep anything", it should be like a clean istall