# How do you do a clean OS install without a CD/DVD player? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 12, 2021, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-do-a-clean-os-install-without-a-cd-dvd-player/937792 "2021-03-12T17:56:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quintas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/48db29/32.png) [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2021, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-do-a-clean-os-install-without-a-cd-dvd-player/937792/1 "2021-03-12T17:56:08Z")
I’m looking to buy a new laptop soon and I see that the majority no longer come with an optical drive. I’ll probably buy an external because I still have a number of games and things on CD that i’d like to use. But for someone who didn’t otherwise need an external drive, whats the process now for doing a clean install of windows? Especially if the one installed is so corrupted for some reason that you can’t even get online? Do you get Windows on a USB stick nowadays instead of an install CD? ---
**Author:** ![Palooka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/palooka/32/2902_2.png) [@Palooka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palooka)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2021, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-do-a-clean-os-install-without-a-cd-dvd-player/937792/2 "2021-03-12T18:01:21Z")
Microsoft has a tool that’ll let you download a copy of Windows 10 to a USB key. You install it from that and enter your activation key afterwards (or sign-in with a Microsoft account) > **[Create installation media for Windows - Microsoft Support](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/create-installation-media-for-windows-99a58364-8c02-206f-aa6f-40c3b507420d)** > > Learn how to create installation media for installing or reinstalling Windows 7, Windows 8.1, or Windows 10. Probably 99% of online stores sell a new copy of Windows 10 as a product key only. You’d need to figure out how to install it. Most likely by using the above tool. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2021, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-do-a-clean-os-install-without-a-cd-dvd-player/937792/3 "2021-03-12T18:05:28Z")
New laptops often have a recovery partition on the hard drive which you can use to do a clean install. It will have the OS installation files plus whatver laptop-specific customization the manufacturer adds. As long as the hard drive still works, you can typically select the recovery partition during boot and use it to do a full install. If the whole drive fails, then you’ll have to do something like use an external drive or USB key. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2021, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-do-a-clean-os-install-without-a-cd-dvd-player/937792/4 "2021-03-12T18:10:36Z")
> [@Palooka](#): > > Microsoft has a tool that’ll let you download a copy of Windows 10 to a USB key. Small problem with that… > [@Quintas](#): > > Especially if the one installed is so corrupted for some reason that you can’t even get online? ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2021, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-do-a-clean-os-install-without-a-cd-dvd-player/937792/5 "2021-03-12T18:22:00Z")
**Palooka** has it for the Windows USB install, At Best Buy and other places there is also the option now of getting Windows 10 in a USB stick when before it was only a DVD (a pricy solution as it will be a new key), if one does the method pointed out by Palooka to download the installer and set the USB drive, there should be no cost to make a clean installation. Just be sure to back up your data and get the number key from the windows that is installed already in the laptop. BTW, that tool to set a usb installation can be downloaded and set up the installer USB in a different computer, just be sure to download the proper 64 or 32 bit installers. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2021, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-do-a-clean-os-install-without-a-cd-dvd-player/937792/6 "2021-03-12T18:28:04Z")
The assumption is everyone has at least borrowing access to another computer someplace somehow. And it’s not a crazy assumption at all. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2021, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-do-a-clean-os-install-without-a-cd-dvd-player/937792/7 "2021-03-12T19:27:59Z")
Agreed. Not unreasonable to assume that you have access to a functional computer while trying to fix the broken one. You can also plan ahead and put a recovery image on a USB stick while your computer is working. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2021, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-do-a-clean-os-install-without-a-cd-dvd-player/937792/8 "2021-03-12T20:33:53Z")
> [@Quintas](#): > > But for someone who didn’t otherwise need an external drive, whats the process now for doing a clean install of windows? Especially if the one installed is so corrupted for some reason that you can’t even get online? If the Windows installation on a brand-new computer was so corrupted you couldn’t even go online, I’d think you’d be returning the computer. ---
**Author:** ![Quintas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/48db29/32.png) [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2021, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-do-a-clean-os-install-without-a-cd-dvd-player/937792/9 "2021-03-12T20:48:16Z")
Dewey\_Finn, I was thinking about sometime in the future, not a clean install as soon as I bought it. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2021, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-do-a-clean-os-install-without-a-cd-dvd-player/937792/10 "2021-03-12T20:50:30Z")
In that case, create a USB stick for doing a clean installation of Windows, perhaps in addition to a USB recovery drive. (If you’re cautious, you can update these regularly.) ---
**Author:** ![Chickenwrangler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chickenwrangler/32/91_2.png) [@Chickenwrangler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chickenwrangler)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2021, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-do-a-clean-os-install-without-a-cd-dvd-player/937792/11 "2021-03-13T04:07:40Z")
Download and use [RUFUS] ([https://rufus.ie/](https://rufus.ie/)) _Rufus is a utility that helps format and create bootable USB flash drives, such as USB keys/pendrives, memory sticks, etc._ _It can be especially useful for cases where:_ _you need to create USB installation media from bootable ISOs (Windows, Linux, UEFI, etc.)_ _you need to work on a system that doesn’t have an OS installed_ _you need to flash a BIOS or other firmware from DOS_ _you want to run a low-level utility_ _Despite its small size, Rufus provides everything you need!_ 👍 ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2021, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-do-a-clean-os-install-without-a-cd-dvd-player/937792/12 "2021-03-14T23:10:31Z")
I just did this. My old computer died (well, I killed the BIOS) and all I had to create an old stick without going to work was an old Macbook. It was a little bit trickier but still easy, I just used the generic unregistered Win10 from Microsoft and put the key in later which is trivial.