[CatOwner]

I have a six year-old PC with Windows 7 Pro installed that I have no intention of upgrading to Windows 10. There are numerous programs and scripts I am not sure will run under Windows 10 or Linux. I'll keep it offline after 1/14/20 while I attempt to transition to another OS.

I also have a spare PC that has Linux Mint 18.3 installed. I am considering going to 19.3 - haven't heard about incompatibility issues with it like with the prior 19.X versions. I very well could end up mostly on Linux, but the timing of Windows 7's loss of support and the need for applications like TurboTax forced me to have at least one Windows 10 PC.

[cranked]

Take it to a local computer shop that does repair, etc. and have them wipe and install Win10....that what I did.

[vespa300]

Windows 10 is easy. In fact if you right click the start button you’ll get a menu similar to windows 7. Settings, system, computer management, etc. I rarely left click the start button.

I had windows 7 too on my desktop. So I purchased a Lenovo think pad P73, it’s a laptop but a tank, solid. I decided on a 2TB SSD hard drive. It’s an amazing computer and I love it so far. Wasn’t cheap but it’s a desktop replacement that’s somewhat mobile. Good luck.

https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/thinkpad/thinkpad-p/ThinkPad-P73/p/22WS2WPWP73

[joe fonebone]

I just did this with an old laptop with a defective hard drive....... ebay you can get an installers disc with code for under 10 bucks...... hard drive under 35 bucks.... took a few hours, mostly just watching it install itself

[AppyPappy]

I don’t think they include a Windows disk

[FtrPilot]

I recommend replacing the SATA drive with a 2.5" 1TB SSD.

1TB SSD

[KevinB]

Reinstall Windows 10

During the installation process it will give you the option to delete all programs. This will result in a clean Windows 10 installation without crapware added by Dell.

[RckyRaCoCo]

bfl

[Kirkwood]

I would first go to the Dell website and download all of the drivers you will need. There may be other useful things there such as bios updates. If you still gave the Dell sticker on your system, you can enter the number and it will provide information specific to your system.

[Trump.Deplorable]

This is the microsoft link to Windows 10

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

Install the installer on your desktop, buy or use an empty USB Drive, 16GB is plenty, 8 GB should be fine as well. They are cheap if you don’t have one.

What the software will do, is create a USB boot drive with windows 10 on it.

Plug in the USB drive into your new computer and delete and reinstall Windows 10.

You don’t need a license key, it is built into your Dell computer.

You can even “free” upgrade licensed Windows 7 machines using that key as well.

[Enlightened1]

Just use the search in Windows 10, and type whatever you are looking for.

Windows 10 is good.

[sloanrb]

If you want to wipe your new PC and start fresh

1. Get a USB drive of at least 8 GB
2. Go to https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10
3. Click Download tool now
4. Put in the USB drive to the computer
5. Run the download and after the EULA select Create USB Media
6. Make sure the architecture is set to x64
7. Select USB Flash drive
8. Select the USB drive you want to use
9. After it downloads and finishes you have a bootable USB drive that you can use to install Windows 10.
10. On the new Dell system insert the USB drive and press F12 during boot. Select the USB drive to boot from
When the installer boots just install like you would Windows 7. The install process is the same.

Website with pictures:
https://www.windowscentral.com/how-do-clean-installation-windows-10
Scroll halfway down the page to get to the actual creating of USB

[know.your.why]

Just sharing my experience. I bought a Dell Alienware 17 R5 Laptop from a private sale. Awesome machine BUT Dell built these with no support for Windows 7. In other words I am forced to use Windows 10. I like 7 Ultimate just because it does everything I need, does it right, and always stable. Had I known that I would have Windows 10 crammed down my throat I would have thought twice. Good news is so far Win 10 is fine...just takes some getting used to.

[Swanks]

Windows 10 is easy.

Windows 10 is NOT easy. Recent Oct '19 time frame release hosed 1000's of machines all over. One family member's, off to MIcrosoft shop who spent 3 tries across 2 weeks to fix what Windows 10 upgrade destroyed.

Off to MAC world forever after that. Don't....do it.

[TomServo]

Just delete the crap and move on.

[Erik Latranyi]

Many good suggestions here.

One advice for future purchases.....buy directly from Microsoft and other who offer the PC without the bloatware.

Reward the vendors who do not force you through cleaning a brand new PC.

[WildHighlander57]

Thanks for asking! Replies have lots of info; bookmarking....

[mountainlion]

My “clean” install is MacBook Pro. Windows 8 destroyed any confidence I had in windows. You can install Linux on later Mac.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

New Dell Windows 10 PC. Want *clean* install.

There is no such thing as a clean install, if you have Windows 10. It's dirty!

[tomkat]

< bkmk >

[jetson]

P