Before you start

1. Back up your data. A clean install erases the drive. Copy documents, photos, browser bookmarks, and anything on the Desktop/Downloads folders to an external drive or cloud storage.
2. Note your software licenses. Save any license keys for paid programs (Office, Adobe, etc.).
3. Check your Windows license. Windows 10/11 licenses are usually tied to your hardware or Microsoft account, so it should reactivate automatically. Go to Settings > System > Activation to confirm.
4. Download drivers in advance. From your laptop maker's support site (Dell, HP, Lenovo, etc.), download the Wi-Fi/LAN, chipset, and graphics drivers, and save them to a USB drive. This avoids having no internet after install.
5. Plug in the charger. Don't let the laptop die mid-install.

Step 1: Create the bootable USB

1. Get a USB drive with 8 GB or more (it will be erased).
2. On a working PC, download the Media Creation Tool from Microsoft's official site (Windows 11 or Windows 10 version).
3. Run it, choose Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO), select language/edition, and choose your USB drive.
4. Wait until it finishes.

Step 2: Boot the laptop from the USB

1. Plug the USB into the laptop and restart it.
2. As it powers on, repeatedly press the boot menu key. Common ones:

   • Dell: F12
   • HP: F9 or Esc
   • Lenovo: F12 or Novo button
   • ASUS: Esc or F8
   • Acer: F12

3. Select your USB drive from the list (sometimes shown as "UEFI: USB...").

If the boot menu doesn't appear, enter BIOS/UEFI (usually F2 or Del) and change the boot order, or disable Fast Boot.

Step 3: Install Windows

1. Choose your language, time format, and keyboard, then click Next > Install now.
2. When asked for a product key, click I don't have a product key (it will activate automatically if previously activated).
3. Select the Windows edition that matches what you had before (Home or Pro).
4. Accept the license terms.
5. Choose Custom: Install Windows only (advanced).
6. On the drive selection screen:
   • Select each partition on Drive 0 (System, Primary, Recovery, etc.) and click Delete until you have a single block of Unallocated Space.
   • Select the unallocated space and click Next. Windows will create the needed partitions itself.

   ⚠️ If the laptop has two drives, be careful to pick the right one (Drive 0 is usually the main one).

7. Wait while Windows copies files and restarts a few times. Remove the USB when it first reboots, or ignore the "Press any key to boot from USB" prompt.

Step 4: Initial setup

1. Select your region and keyboard layout.
2. Connect to Wi-Fi (if you can't, choose "I don't have internet" and install the Wi-Fi driver later).
3. Sign in with a Microsoft account, or create a local account.
4. Set a PIN and choose privacy settings.

Step 5: After installation

1. Run Windows Update (Settings > Windows Update) and install everything, restarting as needed.
2. Install drivers. Use the ones saved on your USB, or run your manufacturer's update tool (Dell SupportAssist, HP Support Assistant, Lenovo Vantage).
3. Check Device Manager (right-click Start > Device Manager) for any yellow warning icons.
4. Verify activation in Settings > System > Activation.
5. Install your programs (browser, Office, antivirus, etc.).
6. Restore your backed-up files.
7. Create a restore point or system image once everything is set up, so you can recover quickly in the future.

Quick troubleshooting

• USB not detected: Try a different USB port, or recreate the USB using Rufus (choose GPT for UEFI or MBR for older BIOS).
• "Windows can't be installed to this disk": Usually a GPT/MBR mismatch. Delete all partitions on the drive and retry, or match the USB's partition scheme to your BIOS mode.
• No drives shown: You may need to load a storage driver (Intel RST/VMD) from the manufacturer's site, or switch SATA mode in the BIOS.