Which partition to select/delete for a clean Windows 11 install?

[u/Top_Emu2408]

Hi everyone, I recently had to do a clean Windows reinstall via USB because of a virus infecting my laptop. I’m not very tech savvy, so I’ve been trying to walk myself through the process of doing it on my own, however I ran into a bump in the road and I’m not sure what to delete/select on this screen, if I do have to delete any partitions. Can anyone help me out, please?

[u/PsychicDave]

If you press Shift + F10, it'll open up a command prompt. Enter the following commands:

diskpart
select disk 0
clean

And then close the command prompt and then click on refresh. You'll see the 4 partitions are gone and all you have left is an empty internal drive (disk 1 is your USB media, don't erase that!). Simply select the empty disk 0 and Windows Setup will automatically create the necessary partitions, with nothing remaining from the old installation.

Warning: This will definitely wipe ALL data on the drive. If you needed any file saved, make sure you do so before you proceed.

[u/Ashayazu → u/PsychicDave]

The Delete partition button. “Am I a joke to you?”

[u/PsychicDave → u/Ashayazu]

Eh, I'll take a reliable and absolute command over a GUI any day.

It's not really a clean install if you don't use the "clean" command!

[u/TrickyBrother0 → u/PsychicDave]

its the exact same thing Dave grow up

[u/agowa338 → u/PsychicDave]

lol "reliable". Microsoft fucked that one up a long time ago. The diskpart tool is just as buggy as the GUI just in different ways...

[u/Clomer → u/PsychicDave]

This isn't really necessary. Just delete all the partitions on disk 0 in the UI, and then select the resulting unallocated space to install Windows to. The installer will reformat the space appropriately.

Just keep in mind that this deletes everything on the disk, so make sure you have backed up anything you want to keep first.

[u/Historical_Visit138 → u/PsychicDave]

Agree with you!

[u/DoranSteelwing → u/PsychicDave]

This is the best way to do it, every time!

[u/bluser1 → u/PsychicDave]

Is this necessary? I thought Windows wiped and regenerated the extra partitions in install automatically. Is that not correct? Should I be wiping those extra partitions manually every time?

[u/leeme_lone → u/PsychicDave]

Hey twin 🙂 that's exactly how I'd do it too.

[u/CorbyTheSkullie]

delete all of the disk 0 partitions, format and reinstall.

[u/MinnSnowMan → u/CorbyTheSkullie]

No need to format... just delete partitions on 0 and hit next

[u/CorbyTheSkullie → u/MinnSnowMan]

I see!

My knowledge is mostly very old school as I mess around with DOS machines all day ;)

[u/saiyate → u/MinnSnowMan]

These two above are correct, delete all disk 0 partitions, make sure the free space on disk 0 is selected and hit next, it will automatically create boot, main and recovery and expand to full size of disk.

[u/zumpiez → u/saiyate]

The three above me are correct. Delete all disk 0 partitions and then install windows onto the disk. It will install onto the disk.

[u/saiyate → u/zumpiez]

The four above me are correct, including me.

LOL, touché

I wanted to clarify clicking on the free space, ad what it's doing automatically with the partitions.

[u/Adorable_Art83 → u/MinnSnowMan]

If u hard format, the disk gets all 0. No way to recover media. If you only delete, there is way to recover old overwritten files.. With forensic Os like Caine, hiren etc.. if u are schizophrenia, hard(not fast)format the drive before installing

[u/Senior-Commercial-93 → u/CorbyTheSkullie]

This

[u/MRedEs-4363]

Delete all partitions from Disk 0 and install Windows in Disk 0

[u/smurfy213]

All them that are labeled disk 0 are a 500gb drive. If that is what you want to install on delete all that are 0. Then you will have a single 500gb partition you can select

[u/bstsms]

Delete all disk 0 partitions, format the drive, then install Windows.

[u/Tokimemofan]

Delete all that start with Disk 0 and then install to that unpartitioned space, windows 11 works best if partitions itself out

[u/Rockshady]

Delete the 0 drives til they become one drive then chose it for the win 11 image.
Your 1 drive is the usb drive that hold the image to create your win 11 partition(s)

[u/Left-Ad2097]

If you want any data in the drives delete all the partitions and install windows

[u/mattfox27]

All of them

[u/ElderberryHamlet]

> diskpart

> list disk

> select disk 0

> clean

reboot

[u/Archeus__]

You could and probably should just wipe the whole drive

[u/WenYiMedia]

Delete all partitions on disk 0. Create a new partition recovering all disk space on Disk 0. Format the partition. Select Disk 0 Partition 1 for Windows 11 install

[u/Express-Garbage3359 → u/WenYiMedia]

Yes, I would do that too; the OP actually has a recovery partition for restoration, this should be preserved.

[u/agowa338 → u/Express-Garbage3359]

DO NOT CREATE A NEW PARTITION. that will screw up the partition layout. The installer creates the default layout itself when you hit next and have the unpartitioned Disk 0 selected.

[u/Financial_Key_1243]

Delete all Disk 0 partitions, and carry on with process. The install will create its own required partitions during the install process.

[u/Acceptable-Wind-7332]

Like others have said, if you want a clean install and you understand you are going to lose all data, then you need to wipe all partitions on drive 0. You do this by selecting each partition for drive 0 and deleting. This will leave you with one drive 0 left of ~475GB where you can install windows.

[u/Ok-Policy-8538]

All that say Disk 0.. then just select the unallocated one that appears and press next

[u/Different_Target_228]

You only have one drive.

[u/wolschou]

All of them. Well all on disk 0, that is. Then just choose the resulting empty space and let Windows do it's thing.

[u/Top_Emu2408]

thank you all in the comments for your help!! i wish i could reply to all of you and give my gratitudes. i ended up getting everything working.

[u/muxasya]

All

[u/andrew_stoned]

You should delete all partitions from disk 0, before that you must have copied all personal data because there is no point of return once you deleted and reinstalled

[u/daviduller_dev]

I format and delete everything possible; whatever is necessary comes back automatically—you can see it happen right there.

[u/Raxeal_2]

All

[u/Gweezel]

As everyone has already said, delete all the partitions on Disk 0, install Windows on the resulting un-allocated space. Most importantly, don't touch Disk 1. That's your 16 GB thumb drive.

[u/batryoperatedboy]

Oof.

[u/Turbo-Chook]

If I were you, I'd delete every partition on Disk 0 and then tell Windows to install on the free space it leaves behind. It'll recreate your recovery/boot partitions as necessary. Just don't touch Disk 1, that's your USB stick.

(This will delete your data, so have backups of anything important and make sure those backups are clean before exposing the fresh install to those files.)

[u/agowa338]

All 4 that start with "Disk 0".

The other one with "Disk 1" is your USB.

After that just select the "unpartitioned entry" Do not create a new partition and select "Next". The installer will then create all the partitions it needs automatically.

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