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.