Does Clean Install Wipe All Drives

However, while secondary drives are typically left untouched, there are critical risks and nuances to consider before you begin. Does a Clean Install Wipe Secondary Drives?

1️⃣ The installer will show you a list of all connected drives. It will only format the partition you highlight and select. 2️⃣ Your other drives are safe... mostly. Windows Setup sees all connected drives. If you have a 1TB SSD for Windows and a 4TB HDD for games, the installer sees both. 3️⃣ The "Oops" Factor. It is terrifyingly easy to format the wrong drive when you are clicking through menus quickly. does clean install wipe all drives

Files on other physical hard drives or separate partitions are generally safe and will remain accessible once the new installation is complete. It will only format the partition you highlight and select

| Scenario | What’s Wiped | What’s Kept | |----------|--------------|--------------| | Clean install to | Everything on the selected partition (e.g., Windows, programs, user files on that partition) | Other partitions on the same physical drive + separate physical drives | | You delete all partitions on the OS drive during setup | Entire physical drive (all data gone) | Other physical drives | | You install to a different drive than your current OS drive | Only that target drive/partition | Original OS drive and all other drives | Windows Setup sees all connected drives

Myth: "If I clean install Windows, it deletes everything on every hard drive I own." Reality: It only deletes what you tell it to delete.