N&P: Pros and cons of using Windows Reset instead of a boot ISO

[cypress]

BTW - How do you do S-Mode on a clean install? I've never crossed that bridge.

@add - Been doing some Googling and a S-Mode install is not as easy as it could be unless you have Win10 Pro installed. I guess S-Mode is based off of Pro(?).

You can convert the S-Mode to Windows 10 Home for free. The couple that I've had, that is what I have done.

But yeah, I do the ISO clean install to blow out the recovery partitions and not deal with anything that the OEM has installed. The only thing I really install from the OEM is if it is a Lenovo, I really like Lenovo Vantage.

 

[sapphirescales]

I haven't installed an OS onto a client's computer using the Windows CD/USB in years. I work with images. It's much better and faster. I use this software to make a portable version of Windows and I stick it on an external SSD:

[Official] Best Free Windows To Go Creator Wizard Helps Create Portable Windows 11/10/8/7!

As a Windows To Go Creator Wizard alternative, WinToUSB (also called Windows To USB) allows you to install & run Windows on USB drive or Thunderbolt drive or clone currently running Windows to USB drive or Thunderbolt drive, with it you can easily create a portable Windows 11/10/8/7 on an...

www.easyuefi.com

On my portable Windows I have many tools installed including tools to diagnose HDDs/SSDs and imaging software (HD Clone, Active @ Disk Image, etc.) as well as other tools like Fabs for backup. I can image a laptop in less than 5 minutes by simply booting from my portable Windows install and imaging the computer.

It's really not that difficult to boot from an external device on computers. You just have to memorize the boot menu keys. For example, Dell is F12, ASUS is F8, Acer/Gateway you have to get into the BIOS settings first by hitting F2 and then turn on the F12 boot menu option, HP is F9 (or if it's really old, the escape key), etc. EVERY manufacturer has a boot menu key. I just worked on an MSI gaming laptop. For that computer it was F11. The only thing that does suck is sometimes you have to hold down the "fn" key while pressing the function keys depending on the function key settings in the BIOS. I just do both when I'm booting computers (i.e., hold down the fn key and hit F8 repeatedly, then release the fn key while continuing to frantically smash the F8 key).

 

[SAFCasper]

I'm a die hard clean install fan. Every new computer gets a clean install before going out, no exceptions. We have been doing this for years and Dell certainly don't have any issue regarding the warranty.

The usual OEM install is:
- 1 or 2 Windows builds behind
- Drivers/BIOS/Firmware several months outdated
- Loads of junk pre-installed
- 10GB+ space wasted on recovery partitions

By the time I "fix" all these I've saved little to zero time versus doing a clean install.


Booting from USB is very rarely an issue. Found some newer models (eg. Latitude 5520) the Windows installer won't find any drives but it's easily solved. Change from RAID to ACHI or have the Intel RST drivers available on your USB. Other than that I can't recall the last issue I had.

 

[fincoder]

I can image a laptop in less than 5 minutes by simply booting from my portable Windows install and imaging the computer.

I use WinToUSB also (portable OS for diagnostics and FABs etc). For imaging various computers, do you restore some kind of generic image? Is there an easy way to create the image that's suitable for various computers? When a new OS build is released you would need to re-create the generic image.

 

[sapphirescales]

do you restore some kind of generic image? Is there an easy way to create the image that's suitable for various computers?

sysprep

When a new OS build is released you would need to re-create the generic image.

Yes. I do this for every new build. I also do it for both legacy and UEFI boot, though I'm relieved that I'll no longer have to do this with Windows 11.