Start fresh with a clean Windows 11 installation — faster, no bloatware, and properly activated.
Run the PC Health Check app from Microsoft to confirm TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot. Back up all personal files to an external drive or cloud. This process erases everything on the target drive.
Download the Windows 11 Media Creation Tool from microsoft.com. Run it, select 'USB flash drive', and let it download and write the installer. Takes 15–30 minutes depending on your internet speed.
Plug USB into target PC. Restart and enter BIOS (usually F2, F12, or Delete on startup). Set USB as first boot device. Save and exit. The Windows setup screen should appear.
Click through language/keyboard. When asked 'What type of installation?', choose Custom (advanced). Select your target drive. Delete all existing partitions on it (Windows will create the correct ones). Click Next.
If you have a Windows 10/11 product key, enter it when prompted. If your licence is tied to your Microsoft account (OEM digital licence), skip the key entry — it will activate automatically once you sign in after setup.
After setup completes: run Windows Update fully (may require 2–3 restarts). Then visit your manufacturer's website for chipset, GPU, and audio drivers. Use Device Manager to check for any yellow exclamation marks.