If you install Windows on a partition that already contains an installation without formatting it first, your old files are moved to a Windows.old folder rather than being deleted.
While the default behavior is safe for secondary drives, you can deliberately or accidentally wipe everything under two conditions:
If your computer has multiple storage setups—such as a fast SSD for your operating system and a massive HDD for games and media—here is exactly what happens during a clean installation. 1. The Primary Drive (The Target) does clean install wipe all drives exclusive
To guarantee that your secondary drives remain completely exclusive and untouched during a clean install, follow this foolproof safety protocol. Step 1: Perform a Comprehensive Backup
: The clean all command is irreversible and can take several hours, especially on large hard drives. It is not a necessary step for a typical clean install but is crucial if you are disposing of a drive or want to ensure no data can ever be retrieved from it. If you install Windows on a partition that
The drive you select will be formatted. All data on it will be Secondary Drives:
Understanding how this process handles your data is crucial for preventing accidental data loss. This guide explains how a clean install interacts with multiple drives, how to protect your files, and how to execute the process safely. Does a Clean Install Wipe All Drives? The Primary Drive (The Target) To guarantee that
The short answer is , but with a very important "it depends" regarding how you configure the setup. The Short Answer: It Only Wipes What You Tell It To
Reinstall Windows with the installation media - Microsoft Support