Microsoft Testing Tool to Wipe Windows 10 Bloatware

[RV_]

For Developers only, for now.

 

This looks to be handy, and only remains to be proven stable and it will make resetting or factory restoring Windows much easier and cleaner.

 

Excerpt:

 

"Ready for a fresh start? Microsoft is testing a new tool that allows owners of Windows 10 PCs and mobile devices to reinstall Windows from scratch.

 

Apparently, the current methods for refreshing one's system are a little tricky to figure out—and they don't remove manufacturers' pre-installed bloatware from your system. So Microsoft has launched a more powerful tool to help you out.

 

"We've heard from many of you that are attempting to perform a clean installation of Windows that it can sometimes be hard to get started. To help, we are providing a new tool that enables an easy and simple way to start fresh with a clean installation of Windows.

 

This tool is now available from the Settings app for Windows Insiders using the latest builds that installs a clean copy of the most recent version of Windows 10 and removes apps that were installed on your PC," Redmond said in a blog post.

 

It'll likely take a little time for you to download the initial 3GB Windows 10 installation file that the tool requires for the clean installation, so be prepared for that. It's also not widely available just yet; it only works on Windows Insider preview builds 14342 or later.

 

"Reminder – like your current Windows Insider Preview installation, trying out an early build (and an early new tool) like this can be risky. That's why we recommend that you don't install the preview on your primary home or business PC. Unexpected PC crashes could damage or even delete your files, so you should back up everything," Microsoft says.

 

There's an even better reason to back up all of your personal files before you try out Microsoft's new tool. In the event the Start Fresh tool actually installs a previous Windows Insider build instead of the most current one you're on (likely Build 14367), you won't be able to keep your personal files as part of the new installation."

 

The rest of the article with screen shots is here: http://in.pcmag.com/operating-systems-and-platforms-and-price/104346/news/microsoft-testing-tool-to-wipe-windows-10-bloatware

[Mark and Dale Bruss]

I just did a clean install to clean up stuff left over from 7 and 8. Didn't need a special tool but you do need to install Windows 10 as an upgrade first. That establishes you product registration for Windows 10. Once that is done, you just use the USB or iso image and do the install ignoring the registration number.

 

If doing Windows 10 Pro install, you do have to afd a tweak to the USB or iso image.

[Mark and Dale Bruss]

One of the advantages of Windows 10 is once registered, that PC no long needs the serial number to reinstall Windows 10.