Doing A Fresh Install Of Windows - New Drive or Replacing Current Install
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
Doing A Fresh Install Of Windows
Whether you're fitting a brand new hard drive, replacing a failing one, or you just want a clean start on your existing drive, this guide walks you through the whole process from start to finish — creating your installation media, physically installing your drive, and getting through the Windows setup screens.
Create Your Windows Installation Media
Before anything else, you'll need a bootable USB drive with Windows on it. Watch the video below — it walks through downloading the Windows Installation Assistant and using the Create Windows Installation Media tool step by step. You can do this on the PC you're upgrading (if it still boots) or on a second PC if it doesn't.
Use an 8GB–32GB USB stick. 16GB is the sweet spot — plenty of room for the installer with no wasted space. There's no benefit to going bigger, so we wouldn't recommend anything over 32GB for this job.
Install Your New Drive
Once your installation USB is ready, it's time to fit the drive. Fully power off your PC and switch off (or unplug) the power supply before you open the case or touch anything inside.
SATA SSD / HDD
2.5″ or 3.5″ drive
- Mount the drive in a drive bay or bracket and secure it with screws if your case has them.
- Connect a SATA data cable from the drive to any free SATA port on the motherboard (usually labelled SATA0/1/2 etc).
- Connect a SATA power cable from a free power supply lead to the drive's power connector.
- Both connectors are L-shaped and only fit one way — don't force them, they'll click into place gently.
- Give both cables a light tug once connected to make sure they're properly seated.
NVMe Drive
M.2 slot, no cables needed
- Locate a free M.2 slot on the motherboard — usually under a heatsink cover you'll need to unscrew and lift off first.
- Remove the small mounting screw at the far end of the slot (keep it safe, you'll need it again).
- Insert the M.2 drive into the slot at a 30° angle, connector-side first, until it's fully seated.
- Press the drive flat down onto the standoff and refit the mounting screw to hold it in place.
- Refit the heatsink cover if your board has one — it helps keep the drive running cool.
Once the drive is fitted, close up the case, reconnect the power, and plug your installation USB into a USB 3 port on the back of the motherboard (avoid the front/case USB ports for this) before powering on.
Boot From The Installation USB
If there's no existing Windows install on any connected drive, the PC will usually detect the USB stick automatically and boot straight into Windows Setup — no extra steps needed.
If your old drive is still connected, the PC will likely try to boot into the existing Windows install instead. You'll need to enter the BIOS boot menu (commonly F11, F12, Esc or Del at startup — check your motherboard manual) and manually select the USB drive.
Follow The Windows Setup Screens
Windows Setup will now load. Click through each of the screens below to see what to expect at every stage.
Language, Time & Keyboard
Set your language, time/currency format and keyboard layout (typically English (UK) if you're in the UK), then click Next.
Install Now
Click the Install now button to begin setup.
Activate Windows
Enter your product key if you have one, or click "I don't have a product key" to continue and activate later — you'll pick your Windows edition on the next screen and can enter the key afterwards in Settings once installed.
Select The Operating System
Choose the Windows edition you have a licence for (e.g. Windows 11 Home or Pro), then click Next.
Licence Terms
Tick "I accept the licence terms" and click Next.
Choose Install Type
Select "Custom: Install Windows only (advanced)". This is the option you want for a fresh install — it does not carry over your old settings, apps or files.
Select & Prepare The Drive
Choose your new drive from the list. If you're reusing an existing drive and want a completely clean install, select each partition on that drive and click Delete until only "Unallocated Space" remains, then select it and click Next — Windows will create the partitions it needs automatically.
This step is destructive — deleting partitions permanently erases everything on that drive. Double-check you've selected the correct drive and backed up anything important before continuing.
Installing Windows
Setup will copy files, install features and updates, then restart your PC a couple of times automatically. Don't touch the keyboard or power button — just let it run, this can take 10–20 minutes.
Region & Keyboard Layout (OOBE)
Confirm your country/region and keyboard layout again on the first-boot setup screens.
Connect To A Network
Connect to Wi-Fi or plug in an ethernet cable — an internet connection is needed to continue with a Microsoft account, or to activate Windows.
Sign In / Create An Account
Sign in with an existing Microsoft account, create a new one, or set up a local account if you'd prefer not to use a Microsoft account (this option is sometimes tucked away behind a "sign-in options" or offline account link).
Privacy Settings
Review and choose your preferences for location, diagnostics, and other privacy toggles, then continue.
Final Setup & Desktop
Windows will finish applying settings and, after a short wait, drop you onto the desktop. From here, install your GPU/chipset drivers and run Windows Update to make sure everything's fully up to date.