Windows 10 Windows 10 Clean Install after Pro Upgrade

[Manotee]

I bought a PC with Windows 8 Home and performed the update to Windows 10. The only problem I had with Windows 10 was the unannounced and automatic update process. I would start a backup and find Windows would be doing an update, or I would shutdown in the middle of an update.

I upgraded to Windows 10 Pro simply to be able to control the update process. I am happy with the results.

The only confusion I have is how do I do a clean install of Windows 10 Pro if I ever need to do it? The only installation material I have for Windows 10 is the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool that was available from the Windows 10 Update site. From what I read, if I have previously activated my Windows 10 Pro, the Media Creation Tool DVD would cause Windows 10 Pro to be installed.

Now the free Windows 10 Update deal has expired, will the Media Creation Tool DVD I have still work to clean install Windows 10 Pro?

Since I have a valid and active Windows 10 Pro license, is it possible to buy an Windows 10 ISO file to create a Windows 10 Pro installation DVD?

I am hopeful I will never have to perform a clean install, but I have been through clean installs on Windows 8 and Windows 10, so I assume I may eventually need to do one for Windows 10 Pro. I want to be prepared in case the need arises.

 

[BIGBEARJEDI]

Hi and welcome to the forum

To answer your questions:
1.) The answer is YES.
2.) To my knowledge Microsoft doesn't sell the ISO file; they give it away freely. They charge you for the license Activation to continue using it and to access their online universe including their apps store and updates. You can buy the retail boxed software directly from Microsoft and pay full retail price; $199 for Pro, $119 for Home as you are already no doubt aware. If you buy from reputable Microsoft resellers it can range from $80-$205 for the Pro. Keep in mind you can also purchase W10 Pro/Home in digital download form, which costs towards the lower end of that price range ($80-$205).

In response to your last comment; I've been installing both Pro & Home on 5 different test machines I have since Sep. 2014. I'm a W10 Insider Tester (Beta tester for their new Windows), and I've done multiple upgrades to Pro from W7/W8.1 as well as clean installs to Pro on all my machines in both the Tech Preview versions of W10 as well as RTM (Release To Manufacturer) which is the commercial version released 1 year ago yesterday on July 29th 2015 with very little problems.

Most problems occur with Pro/Home on older computers; in other words pre-modern computers. Those are computers built prior to 2009, the year Microsoft released W7. I have been able to install Pro & Home on computers as old as 2006 (XP-era hardware). Machines built in 2007-2008 also can be quirky, but will work. We have no reliable reports of anyone installing W10 on hardware older than 2006. Though we have one fellow who claims to have gotten it working on 2004 hardware--he never provided us with adequate specs of his computer when requested, so it's not verifiable.

If your computer came with W8x, that's a modern computer, and W8x computers are the easiest to upgrade once you get them to W8.1.1 revision level. If your computer came with an earlier version of Windows such as XP-VISTA-W7; re-read the above paragraph and attempt to find the exact year it was built. You can do this by inspecting the factory label on the computer case or if W8x laptops, inside of the battery compartment. You can also check your BIOS; however, that's not reliable as if you or a Tech updated the BIOS, the new BIOS date could be several years newer than the actual build date. If you have Dell or HP you can run your serial number on their tech support website and it will give you the exact manufacture date. Again you probably don't have to worry about all of this if your computer was build in or after 2009 and is therefore considered by Microsoft to be a "Modern Computer".

Hope this proves helpful. The W10 Pro clean installs are no more difficult than the W10 Home clean installs fyi.

Best of luck,
<<<BIGBEARJEDI>>>