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Installing a fresh copy of Windows, rather than upgrading, can improve your PC’s performance. We shows you how. Windows 10 is available as a free upgrade to anyone with a genuine version of Windows 7 or 8.1. To update your current version of Windows, you just need to reserve it through the Get Windows 10 app that should have appeared in your notification area several weeks ago. This method works well enough, but it’s no good if you want to perform a clean install without any of the baggage from previous Windows versions slowing your PC. Fortunately, installing a clean version of the operating system (OS) is relatively straightforward.

Microsoft has released a special tool (bit.ly/download) designed to let you create a Windows 10 installation DVD or USB flash drive, which means you can install the new operating system on any PC. There are 32- and 64-bit versions available. The same tool will also let you immediately upgrade an existing version of Windows, in case there’s been a delay and you’re still waiting for Microsoft to send your update. With a straightforward upgrade, the new operating system is copied over the old one, so all your software, personal files and system settings are preserved. This may sound like good news, because you’ll be able to pick up where you left off once the upgrade is complete. However, all the junk you’ve accrued over the years will still be there, slowing down your PC. If you want Windows 10 to run as speedily as possible, with fewer problems, it’s best to perform a clean installation.

It’s important to understand what you can and can’t do when installing a fresh copy of Windows 10. If you update a PC running Windows 7 or 8.1, the installer will use your current valid Windows licence and upgrade your system. This will convert the licence key into one that works with Windows 10, and automatically store it in the cloud. If, in future, you want to wipe your hard drive and install Windows 10 from scratch, this converted key should work, provided you use it on the same PC.

Before you start using Windows 10, you’ll need to check that the upgraded OS is activated by going to Settings, Update & Security, Activation and making sure you see the ‘Windows is Activated’ message. You will need to ensure that you log into the Windows account linked to Windows 10. If you’re not sure sure what this is, you can check it under Settings, Accounts, Your Account.

If you don’t update an existing version of Windows, and attempt to install Windows 10 just using the setup media that the tool creates, you’ll run into problems because it won’t recognise an unconverted Windows 7 or 8.1 key. In this instance, you are left with two choices: you can either buy a Windows 10 licence, which isn’t cheap, or you can first install either Windows 7 or 8.1 on that PC, upgrade it to Windows 10 to get a new Windows 10-compatible licence, and then install a clean version of the new OS. The second option is much more time-consuming than the first, but at least it will save you having to spend any money.

When you perform a clean installation, everything on your PC will be wiped. This includes installed software, personal files, settings, browser bookmarks, passwords and more. It’s important, therefore, that you first back up a copy of everything you will want to use on your upgraded PC. You can back up your Firefox

settings using an add-on such as FEBE (bit.ly/febe), which can back up your extensions, themes, bookmarks, preferences, passwords, cookies and even your entire profile. Chrome can be backed-up using your Google account. Click the menu button and select Settings. Under ‘Sign in’, click the ‘Advanced sync settings’ button and choose whether you want to sync everything or only selected items. We recommend the former option in this case.

Personal files, such as documents, photos and music tracks, can be copied to a new location or backed up using any reputable backup program. Todo Backup Free (bit.ly/todo) is a good option. CloneApp (bit.ly/cloneapp) is a useful portable tool that can create a backup of all of your app settings from relevant Windows directories and the Registry. Run it on the PC that you’ll be installing a fresh version of Windows on, to display a list of the installed programs that have configuration files it can back up. There’s a custom tool you can use to back up the settings for programs that CloneApp doesn’t support. Select any software that has personal settings you want to keep. This won’t be every program because some, such as CCleaner, you’ll only be able to download and reinstall on your new OS. Once you’ve backed up the settings. How to reinstall from scratch using the Media Creation tool, below. You can then reinstall your missing software and, when that’s done, run CloneApp and click the Restore button. All your backed-up settings will be restored.

If you haven’t installed Windows in a long time (or ever) and don’t have your original installation media to hand, you might not know what your Windows key is. Fortunately, ProduKey (go to www.nirsoft.net and search for it) can provide this information without needing to be installed. Run it to display the key used to activate your current version of Windows, as well as your current version of Microsoft Office, if you’ve got it installed.

You don’t need a valid licence to install Windows 10 from scratch. If you choose to skip the step where you’re asked for your key, the OS will still install without any problems. It won’t be activated, and you will only be able to use Windows 10 for a short while, but you can worry about a key later. If you want to avoid using a key altogether, you can join the Windows Insider program (insider.windows.com). This will put you on the cutting edge testing program, with access to new builds of the OS as soon as they become available. You won’t need a key (because you’ll be granted a temporary one), but bear in mind that you may be running a build that’s potentially buggy and unstable.