Clean Install WIndows 10

[moghm]

Hello,

I have a 250 G4 with the 128gb SSD model, very happy but lately updates are getting stuck via the HP update centre etc. Anyway, Id like to clean install windows 10 and just want to align everything up before i do. Some questions if I may ?

1. No windows 10 product key on the back, do I need to get it somehow or will windows 10 activate automatically once I reinstall windows 10 ? Is it belarc i need to use to get it from the BIOS ?

2. I have created an EFI USB by downloading windows 10 from the microsoft website so am ready to go, i trust this method will be ok ?

3. I have a Sandisk 128 SSD lying around, to play it safe im thinking of removing the installed SSD and putting the Sandisk SSD in. This way if things go wrong I can always revert back to the SSD the laptop came with. Any thoughts or is undoing the back not a good idea ?

4. Should I be worried about drivers ? Or will windows 10 take care of all that ?

Many thanks for the advice

[IT_WinSec]

Hello @moghm

Welcome to the HP Support forum. Thank you for posting.

Re.

1) It depends on what kind of license you have and if Windows came preinstalled on the PC, how it was activated >> https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12440/windows-10-activation

You can click on Start > go to Settings > Update and Security

Go to Activation and tell me everything you see about activation (on the right side)

It won't hurt if you use tools like Belarc or ProduKey to create a back up of your license keys before you start

Another (better) methods is to use a Microsoft account to activate Windows and link it to your Microsoft account >> https://www.windowscentral.com/how-re-activate-windows-10-after-hardware-change

In case of Windows reinstallation or hardware change (e.g. SSD swapping), you will not have problems.

2) It works in most cases, so I think you can trust it.

3) It won't hurt doing it

4) You should not rely on Windows 100%. I recommend you update your drivers manually with the ones taken from the HP website https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers

Do not update your BIOS.

Make sure you update Windows eventually.

Hope this helps.

[moghm]

Many thanks for the info. Attached is a screen shot showing the info as requested. 

[moghm]

This would suggest that my account is already linked ??? 🙂

[IT_WinSec]

If you see this picture you show, then it is already linked in to your MS account which is the best way and you should not have problems with hardware changes 🙂  Go ahead without worries

Let me know how it goes.