If you decide to upgrade to a newer version of Windows you can do it in two ways: clean install vs upgrade. Both of the options have their pros and cons and to help you decide which one is better for you, we will try to explain both;
- Upgrade or In-Place install is a commonly used method because of its simplicity. It does not require formatting of hard disk and due to that fact all settings, programs, and files are preserved. The new operating system simply replaces the old one. Using Windows Update Assistant, the process is pretty much automated so it doesn’t require almost any technical skills. It also allows going back to the previous system version if for any reason you don’t want to keep the new one (unlike with the clean install).
- Clean install means wiping off the current operating system, formatting hard drive and starting a fresh new installation. It requires more time, backing up personal files as well as making an installation media with Windows installer. Also, you need to have some technical skills as well.
For an average user, In-Place upgrade seems like a way to go.
According to many users, the main advantage of an In-Place upgrade is that everything is saved while on the other hand with a clean install everything is wiped off. This may sound like a big flaw of a clean install, but this is actually a recommended way to upgrade by most of the tech-expert. Why?
With In-Place upgrade, elements of the previous system remain, causing performance issues of the new system.
With In-Place upgrade Windows tempts to bring everything from the old version to the new one, resulting in an accumulation of many old and unused files, registry entries of some uninstalled programs, and all other types of junk. This way you end up with a new version of Windows cluttered at the very beginning. Also, some of the programs can be incompatible with the new version or simply uninstalled during the process so you can end up spending time troubleshooting the issues afterward.
A clean install is a great way for a fresh start, especially if you’ve been running the same system version for quite a long time.
Everyone tends to keep a lot of programs and files which aren’t really used so this is a perfect moment to install only apps that you really need. Regain control over your system apps and also, start with a clean Windows Registry. After performing a clean install, you will need to invest some time to personalize your PC and get all the benefits of the new Windows. But in the end, you will have decluttered PC with much better performances than you would have with In-Place upgrade.
Since Clean Installation requires some technical knowledge, we created detailed step-by-step instructions to simplify the process and guide you though. How to Install Windows 10, How to Install Windows 8.1 and How to Install Windows 7 already helped a lot of our customers, but if you still run into some troubles, Turnkey Point support team is there to help you.
