How to Clean Install Windows. A clean install of Windows is accomplished during the Windows setup process by removing the existing Windows installation (assuming there is one) before installing a new operating system or reinstalling the existing one. While the free upgrade offer ended last year, Microsoft will still let you install Windows 10 and activate it using a valid Windows 7 or Windows 8.x product key. When you download Windows 10 this way, your PC will receive a digital license valid for the life of the device, exactly the same way as if you had taken advantage of last year's offer.

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Summary :

To reinstall Windows 10 without CD, the easiest approach is to reset your Windows 10. Go to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Reset this PC > Get started and make your choice. Also, learn useful tips on how to prevent your files from getting erased before reinstalling Windows 10.

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Reinstalling Windows 10 Is Necessary

If your Windows 10 operating system runs into a problem, it might slow down or even stop working normally. What will you do to solve this issue?

Usually, the first thing to do is to search on the internet for a solution. If you are lucky enough, you may successfully find a solution for your issues. Nevertheless, in often times the problem may still exist even after trying all the possible methods.

In that case, the only effective solution is to reinstall Windows 10. This may be your last resort to revert your PC back to the normal working state.

However, reinstalling Windows can sacrifice your data and applications on your drive. It could also be a bit difficult, especially when there is no CD or USB.

Can I reinstall Windows 10 for free without losing data? Certainly!

In the following sections, we will teach you the process of reinstalling Windows 10 both with and without a CD or USB drive.

How to reinstall Windows 10 without CD or USB drive
How to reinstall Windows 10 from USB drive or with CD disc.

How to Reinstall Windows 10 Without Losing Data

In the following sections, you will learn how to reinstall Windows 10 without CD and how to reinstall Windows 10 with USB drive.

Case 1: Reinstall Windows 10 without CD or USB

Quick Video Guide:

① Reinstall Windows 10 While Keeping Files

Windows 10 comes with a feature called Reset This PC, using which you can either choose to keep your personal files or remove them and then reinstall Windows. Resetting is a good solution for a PC that isn't working well.

The merit of this solution is that Windows does not require any additional downloads nor installation media to initiate the setup.

Step 1: To do this, please go to Start > Settings > Update & security > Recovery.

Step 2: Click Get started under Reset this PC section.

Note: If your system encounter issues after upgrading Windows 10, you can try a downgrade from a previous version or an earlier build instead of the OS reinstallation. Under the Recovery tab, click Get started under the respective option to revert your Windows to its previous installation.

Step 3: Choose an option to continue. To reinstall Windows 10 without losing data, you should choose Keep my files.

Step 4: After the process has been prepared, a window will pop up saying that your apps will be removed. Click Next to go on.

Step 5: In Ready to reset this PC interface, click the Reset button to reinstall Windows 10 without CD or loss of personal files.

Tip:You Windows may freeze during the reset. To fix this issue, get the solutions in this post - Here Are Three Ways to Fix the Windows 10 Freezing at Reset Issue!

How to reset a computer that isn't working properly?

If the system fails to start up, how to reinstall Windows 10 from boot? Please boot your PC several times, then Windows 10 may enter the WinRE.

Note: If Windows fails to go to WinRE, you might need to use a repair disc Repair your computer to enter WinRE.

Go to Choose an option > Troubleshoot > Reset this PC. And then, continue the operation by following the wizard.

②Reinstall Windows 10 without CD or USB: Directly from ISO File

Microsoft comes with a media creation tool that can upgrade this PC to Windows 10 by creating an installation media or directly using the ISO file to install Windows 10.

If you don't have an installation CD or USB flash drive, how to reinstall Windows 10 without losing data? Here, we will use the Windows ISO file.

Step 1:Download the media creation tool from Microsoft.

Step 2: Get the Windows 10 ISO file.

1. Open the downloaded tool, and choose Create installation media for another PC.

Tip:If you want to reinstall Windows 10 on a PC that already has Windows 10 activated, use the Upgrade this PC now option. This way you can help reinstall Windows 10 without losing data and programs.

2. Choose language, architecture (32 or 64-bit) and edition to continue.

3. Check the ISO file option to create an installation ISO. Note that this tool requires the ISO to be burned to a DVD later.

Step 3: If you need to install Windows 10 directly from the ISO file without a USB drive or DVD, mount the ISO file. This also performs an upgrade of your current OS to Windows 10.

To mount the ISO file:

Find the ISO file and right-click it, select Properties.
Under the General tab, click Change, select Windows Explorer to open this file and click OK.
Right-click this file and choose Mount.
Double-click the ISO file to view the included files and double-click setup.exe to start Windows 10 setup.

Step 4: After the setup is ready, decide whether to download and install updates or not. Here, we suggest choosing the first option. These updates will smooth the installation by including important fixes and updated device drivers.

Step 5: The setup will check for some available updates.

Step 6: Click the Accept button in the License terms screen.

Step 7: The setup will start looking for updates and downloading them.

Step 8: After everything is ready, you will see Ready to install screen where you can click the link labeled - Change what to keep.

Step 9: Then, three options are offered. If you need to reinstall Windows 10 without losing data and apps, please check Keep personal files, apps, and Windows settings.

Step 10: Then, this setup will then go back to Ready to install screen. Now click Install to begin the Windows 10 reinstallation. After finishing the reinstallation, follow the instructions to customize your settings.

③ Run Windows Setup from a Partition Containing the ISO File

Another way to reinstall Windows 10 without CD or USB is by running the Command Prompt and opening Windows setup from the partition containing an ISO file. Note that this method might erase everything on your computer.

This tutorial - Clean Install Windows 10 without DVD or USB Flash Drive from tenforums gives you detailed

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