How to clean install windows 11 on a new computer?

First, make a Windows 11 bootable USB. Then boot the computer from USB and follow the screen prompt to clean install Windows 11 on a new computer.

A simple step-by-step guide: https://www.appleinsidez.com/install-windows-11-from-usb

The first time I did a clean install, I skipped checking for drivers and ended up with a computer that couldn’t connect to the internet. I had to dig around for ethernet drivers, which was a whole thing. Make sure to snag those drivers beforehand or know where to get ‘em afterward!

When you get to the part of the installation where it asks where to install Windows, make sure you understand what you’re doing. I once accidentally deleted the recovery partition thinking it wouldn’t be used since I was doing a clean install Windows 11 on a new computer. Spoiler alert: I ended up regretting that choice later!

After a clean install Windows 11 on new computer, your system will be bare bones. If you don’t take a moment to check for updates right after you install, you might miss some crucial security patches. I learned that the hard way when I found out I was running an outdated version just because I skipped the updates on the first day. Windows might throw a bunch of options your way upon first boot, and if you’re clicking through too quickly, you might mess up your privacy settings or even your device preferences. I rushed through the initial setup once and ended up turning on some tracking features I didn’t want. Had to go hunting for them later.

Speak from my experience!

• Before you clean install windows 11 new computer, double-check that your new hardware meets the Windows 11 requirements—like TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, and minimum RAM. I once dove into an install only to find out my system didn’t meet all the specs, and it’s a real buzzkill. Use the Windows Media Creation Tool to make a bootable USB, but be sure to follow all the steps carefully. Skipping any might lead to a corrupted install media. Trust me, having to redo that process is a pain!
• If you’re not upgrading from Windows 10, you’ll need a product key for activation. Don’t assume it’ll magically unlock itself. Keep that key handy—you don’t want to be scrambling for it afterward. When you go to clean install Windows 11 on new computer, make sure to boot from the USB drive in the BIOS/UEFI settings. I’ve had times where I forgot to set the boot order, and my computer just kept returning to the old OS... very confusing!
• When you're setting up your drives, take a moment to partition them properly. If you're planning to dual-boot or keep your files organized, it's good to figure that out during the install. I’ve learned the hard way that it’s way easier to sort this out at the beginning instead of dealing with it later. Once the install is done, don’t forget to run those initial Windows updates. If you skip this, you might miss out on crucial patches and features. Plus, who wants to deal with security issues later because they didn’t update?
• After you clean install Windows 11 on new computer, get the necessary drivers sorted out. You don’t want to be stuck with basic functionality. Head to your manufacturer’s website to download the latest drivers. I’ve done my share of waiting for everything to work smoothly, but it’s way easier when you’ve got the right drivers right away.
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From my past experience, it is more challenging to install Windows 11 on a new computer than Windows 10 as Windows 11 has additional system requirements. Please pay attention to the issues mentioned below before installing Windows 11 on a new PC.

1. Verify Hardware Compatibility and BIOS Settings

Before installing Windows 11 on a new computer, you must verify that your hardware meets the minimum requirements. Windows 11 mandates support for TPM 2.0 (Trusted Platform Module) and UEFI Secure Boot. If the motherboard does not have these features enabled, the installation will prompt “This computer cannot run Windows 11”. In addition, the CPU must be 8th generation Intel or AMD Ryzen 2000 series or above, otherwise you need to bypass the restriction by modifying the registry or third-party tools, but it may lead to problems with subsequent updates.

2. Proper planning of partition structure and file system

The SSD partition of a new computer should take into account both system performance and data security. It is recommended to use GPT partition table (support UEFI boot and large capacity hard disk) instead of the old MBR. during installation, the system will automatically create EFI system partition and recovery partition. It is recommended to allocate at least 120GB of space to the primary partition (C drive), and the remaining space can be divided into D/E drive for games or data storage).

3. Prepare hardware drivers and network connection in advance

After installing a new Windows 11 OS, you may lack the driver for the network card, which makes it impossible to download the driver from the network. You need to download the driver from the motherboard website in advance and save it to a USB flash drive or another device. After the installation is complete, install the chipset driver first to ensure hardware compatibility, and then install the drivers for the graphics card, sound card, etc. in turn. 

4. System Activation and Data Migration Strategy

After installation, you need to activate the system in a timely manner. It is recommended to activate the system by binding the digital license to your Microsoft account (internet connection required) or using a legal key. For temporary use, you can extend the trial period (up to 30 days) with the command slmgr /rearm. For data migration on older computers, clone the hard disk after the new system has been installed using a “transfer cable”. Do not connect directly to the old hard disk during installation to avoid accidentally deleting data. Finally, it is recommended to create a system recovery image for quick recovery from failures.

These are very helpful best practices to help you clean install Windows 11 on new PC and avoid the common issues you might come across!

As far as I know, people are planning to give a try on Windows 11 and a lot of new users need guideline on this. To clean install Windows 11 on a new computer or PC, the internal hard drive or SSD should be formatted with GPT as Windows 11 does not MBR disk. You can follow the steps listed below to partition the drive to GPT with a bootable USB:

1. Insert the created Windows 11 boot USB flash drive into your computer, turn on the computer and enter BIOS/UEFI setup (usually press F2, Del or F12 to enter).

2. Set the USB flash drive as the first boot item, save and reboot to enter the Windows installation interface.

3. After selecting the language and time format in the installation interface, click “Install Now”. Enter the product key (optional), select “I don't have a product key” to skip.

4. Select the version of Windows 11 you want to install (e.g. Windows 11 Professional) and click “Next”.
On the “Where do you want to install Windows?” screen, you will see the current unallocated space on the SSD.

5. If the SSD already has partitions (e.g. leftovers from an old system), select each partition and click “Delete” until all space becomes “Unallocated”.

6. Click “New”, enter the primary partition size (e.g. 50000 MB ≈ 50 GB) and click “Apply”. The system will create it automatically. System reserved partition (about 100 MB, to store boot files). Primary partition (i.e. C drive, for system installation). The remaining unallocated space can be partitioned later in the system using the “Disk Management” tool.

7. Select the newly created primary partition (e.g. “Drive 0 Partition 2”) and click “Format” (default NTFS file system).

8. Confirm and click “Next” to start clean installing Windows 11 on new computer.

How to clean install windows 11 on new computer?

1. Check Requirements: Make sure your new computer meets the Windows 11 specs. You need:

• A compatible 64-bit processor (1 GHz or faster with at least 2 cores)
• 4 GB of RAM minimum
• 64 GB of storage at least
• DirectX 12 compatible graphics / WDDM 2.x
• TPM version 2.0
• UEFI firmware with Secure Boot

2. Create Windows 11 installation media: You'll need a USB drive (at least 8 GB) to do this. Go to the Microsoft download page and get the Media Creation Tool. Here's how:

• Select "Create installation media for another PC."
• Select the language and version (make sure it's Windows 11).
• Select the USB flash drive as the media to use.
• Wait for the tool to finish - this may take a while.

3. Clean Install Process
Boot from USB: After you’ve got your installation media ready, plug that USB into your new computer. Restart it, and press the key to enter the boot menu (usually F2, F12, DEL, or ESC depending on your manufacturer). Select the USB drive.

4. Installing Windows 11:

• After booting from USB, you will see the Windows setup screen.
• Select your language, time, and keyboard input, then click Next.
• Click the Install Now button.
• When prompted, you may need to enter your Windows 11 product key. If your PC came with Windows 11 preinstalled, it may automatically activate later, so you can skip this step if you don't have a key.

5. Choose Custom Install:

• You will see a section asking you which type of installation you want. Select "Custom: Install Windows only (Advanced)".
• Here you will see a list of drives. If you want to clear everything, select the partitions and delete them (be careful not to delete any important partitions if you are unsure). Then, select the unallocated space and click "Next" to create a new partition for Windows. Windows will create the necessary partitions for you.

6. Let It Do Its Thing: Now,you can clean install windows 11 on new computer. This can take some time, so maybe grab a snack or do a little dance while you wait. Your computer will restart a few times.