It's not your imagination; variations in experiences during clean installs are indeed common, and several factors can contribute to this. Here are a few reasons why users might perceive differences in the outcome of clean installs: 1. Hardware Differences: The hardware on which Windows is being installed can greatly impact the user experience. Different systems may have varying compatibility with Windows, leading to different installation results. 2. Driver Compatibility: Issues can arise if the necessary drivers for specific hardware components are not properly installed or if they are incompatible with the version of Windows being installed. This can lead to performance variations post-installation. 3. Installation Media: While using the same DVD for installations should ideally produce similar results, the quality of the DVD, potential scratches or errors, or even the DVD drive itself can affect the installation process. 4. Configuration Choices: During the installation process, users may make different choices that can affect the outcome, such as partitioning, disk formatting, or specific settings selected during setup. 5. Environmental Factors: Variables like network stability during installation, system resources available during the process, or even software conflicts can impact the success of the installation. While clean installs should ideally be consistent, the factors mentioned above can lead to variations in the installation process and the post-installation experience. If users notice significant deviations in the outcome of clean installs, it's advisable to troubleshoot these factors to ensure a smoother and more consistent installation process.