Windows 10 Clean Install: Four Partitions by Default?

[Carbo]

Purchased a Dell XPS 13, Windows 10 Home pre-installed on 256GB SSD.
Planning on doing a clean install to be rid of all the Dell crap I don't want. But my experience with OS installs is along the lines of Windows 7 on an HDD. Straightforward task, even for a techno-clutz like me.
But now I'm reading that formatting an SSD and doing a clean install is a bit more involved. Something about disabling UEFI and enabling legacy boot? 😵
Also, I've always preferred to put the OS on the drive and leave it at that. One "C" drive, no partitions. Always worked fine for me. But a clean install of Windows 10 results in 4 separate partitions. True?

 

[JackMDS]

Partition 1 - System Boot partition (NTLDR, HAL, Boot.txt, etc.)

Partition 2 - Microsoft Reserved Partition, or MSR, is a partition of a data storage device, which is created simply to reserve a chunk of disk space for possible subsequent use by the operating system software of a Windows operating system (Installed to a separate partition).

Partition 3 - Primary - Windows, Apps, Data files.

Partition 4 - Recovery



😎

 

[postmortemIA]

Disabling UEFI = your partition will be MBR type, so you can forget about turning UEFI on again.

Edit. Instead, you could figure out way to boot from flash disk/DVD with UEFI on. Usually there's setting to disable secure boot, which enables you to boot from other devices.

 

[vailr]

But now I'm reading that formatting an SSD and doing a clean install is a bit more involved. Something about disabling UEFI and enabling legacy boot? 😵

The UEFI boot bios settings don't need to be tinkered with at all. The correct method involves creation of a GPT partitioned bootable USB thumb drive (sourced from the Windows 10 installation .iso file), which the free software Rufus is able to do correctly.
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/rufus.html

 

[Carbo]

JackMDS, so those partitions are going to be created automatically with every clean install? Nothing I need to do but sip an adult beverage while 10 does its thing?

vailr, I used Rufus to prep a thumb drive and then installed 10 on it. So now all I need to do is boot off this drive and installation begins? Are any changes to the BIOS required beforehand? I recall from Windows 7 installations that I at least needed to change the boot up sequence.

 

[Puffnstuff]

You want a UEFI windows installation for the best performance and it can have either 3 or 4 partitions. I would also back up the dell restore image to an optical disc and put it away just in case you ever want it back.

 

[Mushkins]

JackMDS, so those partitions are going to be created automatically with every clean install? Nothing I need to do but sip an adult beverage while 10 does its thing?

vailr, I used Rufus to prep a thumb drive and then installed 10 on it. So now all I need to do is boot off this drive and installation begins? Are any changes to the BIOS required beforehand? I recall from Windows 7 installations that I at least needed to change the boot up sequence.

To the first question: Yes, four partitions is correct in this case. Drink your beer and let the installer do its thing.

To the second question: Yes and No. You might need to go into the bios to make sure you have it allowed to boot from USB and that booting from a USB is a higher priority than booting from the hard disk. That's not a Windows 10 specific thing though, that's just a regular old BIOS boot order thing and is the case when installing any OS from a USB.

 

[Z15CAM]

Partition 1 - System Boot partition (NTLDR, HAL, Boot.txt, etc.)

Partition 2 - Microsoft Reserved Partition, or MSR, is a partition of a data storage device, which is created simply to reserve a chunk of disk space for possible subsequent use by the operating system software of a Windows operating system (Installed to a separate partition).

Partition 3 - Primary - Windows, Apps, Data files.

Partition 4 - Recovery

I'll do that my way by prepping drives with DELPART and DISKPART before running a Win SetUp.

One thing I do agree with is: Always do a clean install when changing to a New Win OS as you will loose SYSPrep and your ability to migrate your OS to New Hardware compared to UpDating using a SP or System UpDate through MS.