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How To Clean the Cruft Left By a Windows 10 Upgrade
MojoKid writes: Microsoft may have given you a free Windows 10 upgrade but it's not without some left over file clutter that some folks don't realize is left on a system after migration. It's not rocket science but there are a few key strategies to tidy up the file bloat an OS migration can sometimes leave behind and to further optimize an upgraded Windows 10 installation. The ability to roll back to your Windows 7 or 8.1 installation within 30 days is a very easily overlooked feature of the Windows 10 upgrade process. The feature is a lifesaver if you encounter issues, such as missing or incompatible drivers, and need to quickly recover without starting from scratch. This ability doesn't come without consequences, though. In order to offer this feature, Windows 10 is essentially keeping another completely separate Windows installation on your PC. This will need to go, once you've determined that you are sticking with Windows 10 and everything seems happy enough. These files are scattered throughout your system and include a number of hidden directories, with the bulk of them located in Windows.old and the hidden $Windows.~BT and $Windows.~WS directories.
The easiest way is just don't install this craptastic pile of shit in the first place.
Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
Don't waste your time.
If you're upgrading from Win7\8\8.1 do an in-place upgrade just to pass your product key on to win10 then format.
No they won't, those are being backported to win 7 and 8.
You don't need the activation key at all. Just upgrade to W10, make sure you are activated, then wipe and install W10 without any key at all -- once you're online Windows will automatically activate your system. There is no need for the key at any point nor for using a Microsoft - account, it works just fine even with a local account.
The old Windows installation will be removed *automatically* after the period of time to roll back ends. No need to do anything.
First there is an easier way. If you install windows10 then do a system restore (logically, a pointless thing to do right after you install an OS) a side effect is that it wipes out the old Win8. Why do I know this? well as you can imagine I installed windows 10, and then within days got suckered by a trojan (than WinDefender and Norton did not stop) that just ate my system alive. So I did a restore.
My review of win 10. I'm a diehard mac and linux user who hates windows and said goodbye to it after XP. But then I bought a computer than had windows 8 installed (factory default restored) and figured why not try the free win10 offer. I have to say that while Win10 is, relatively speaking, the best OS microsoft ever made, and is infact not very painful to use, the installation process was truly a lesson in why microsoft products are pure crap.
The install process took over 8 hours when done without mistakes from a factory install of windows 8 on a screamingly fast i7-3000 series, 8GB, and a 20Gb;sec internet connection. Plus it was not click and wait, but required lots of babysitting, reboots, and even one web search to accomplish. There is no way to go-straight-to-10. Instead you have to walk your system through all the updates of Win8, then install 8,1, then walk it through all the 8.1 updates one of which is not an automatic update, and then finally you can request Win10, a day or so later you get permission to install Win 10. Mine too 164 updates of win8. then another set I lost count of. then a long process to download and install win 8.1. Then about 40 updates of that. At that point it was stuck. Nothing more to do but there was no win 10 install icon. I ran the tool microsoft supplies to guide you through this absurd dance and it told me I was missing some file whose name started with KB. SO I googled that, downloaded it. There was an executable mks file with it so I ran that. When I re-ran the windows tool it once again told me this KB file was not installed. So I re-ran the executable and this time it told me it had already been run. So I was at an impasse. At the time I did not know what a KB file was and the tool wasn't telling me other than that it was missing. Googling I learned this was some update patch. This seemed od to me that 8.1 did not apply this update for me and that I had to download it by hand. But I re-rean the 8.1 updater and this found the file I had downloaded and now updated. At this point I could now request the Win10.
From that point on things were flawless. Win10 has a nice installer. it lists all the ways it is going to monetize your ass with brief semi-coherent explanations, and gives you the opportunity to opt out. It's really nice of them to ask. However you rapidly lose services if you do. For example Cortana requires you to share your addressbook and browser links and history with Redmond, it won't run stand alone without that. They also explain how they will brand you with an indelible advertiser ID so they can sell you to their friends. But at least they asked me unlike the serfs on the google plantation.
Here's what's so great about this OS from a mac or linux user. It just gets out of your way. you hardly notice the OS. It looks pretty much exactly like Linux Mint with some of the more handy applets installed. Gone are the crazy panel desktop with tiles filled with crap you never asked for. It's still there but in a much reduced form in the start menu (yep it's back!) and it doesn't get in your way. Infact it's becomes useful in this less dazzling form.
The bad is that it still has the usual hard to navigate directory structure (e.g. the user files are under C: but the my computer files where programs live is elsewhere). It comes loaded with crapware that tries to trick you into installing it like Norton Utilties or HP's keychain and then informs you after the install that after your free month there will be a charge. And then there's the extreme ability to get rooted when you try to install some code. They
Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
Upgrade to W10, then download the Media Creation Tool from Microsoft and choose to either make an ISO-image or to make a bootable USB-installer.