# Uninstalling Win 10, no roll back



## Compumess (Mar 13, 2010)

Greetings experts>

I have installed the free version of Windows 10 on 2 newer computers, that were bought with Windows 8. The desk top installed with no problems, the lap top had issues, but I solved them and all was working just peachy until windows descended upon me with one of their ill-conceived major updates. Without going into detail and making a very long and involved story much shorter... it screwed up both machines big time.
It was so bad that I needed remote intervention, and the actual windows tech had to do it for free because it was their fault, and he actually admitted it.....he was British, bless his heart.
But there is a problem; they couldn't actually fix the error, why I don't know, what they did was prompt my computer to down load the latest version, called the "anniversary edition" of windows 10, which is supposed to be the major repair for the free version they gave us all almost a year to decide to use.
In truth, I really like windows 10, it was working great until they sent me the major update; but after the remote help from a windows tech, I now have 2 windows 10 systems operating on my computer(s).
Funny thing is, after it was done downloading and installing, the initial version of windows 10 (that he could not seem to fix) started working perfect again, and that is the one I want to keep, (as it has all my files and programs) and it is the same on both computers.

In plain..., simple, concise English, how do I uninstall the Windows 10 program I don't want, and get it the hell off my computers, without having to roll back to Windows 8.1!? I don't want 2 operation systems on my computers for many reasons. The main reason is they receive updates at the same time, and it is clogging up my DSL and locking it up.

Again...., I just want to get rid of one of the windows 10 operating systems on my computers, without having to roll it back to a previous system. Just a clean uninstall, can this be done? I can't seem to find any instructions for doing that without having to roll back to a previous program.
I don't want to roll back.......Thanks

Regards;

Rick


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## lochlomonder (Jul 24, 2015)

I would recommend reading this article and working through it. It's comprehensive to me, and should be able to walk you through the process of a clean installation. For media, I'd definitely recommend a USB drive over a DVD; it'll install a lot faster.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

Format or delete the partition in which the unwanted OS installation resides.

*Before doing that or any partitioning work make sure you have proper backups* in case you or the partitioning utility messes up.


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## Compumess (Mar 13, 2010)

Ok.....I read the article, and tried to find the program apps that it recommends I use, I don't know where they are or what may have happened to them, but they do not exist on these computers with the extra programs.

Let me be crystal clear...., I do not want to roll back to any previous program....., I do not want to "refresh" my computer for a clean reinstall, I want to get the extra windows 10 program off both of my computers.

Part of the _long story_ that I refrained from boring you all with, is that in the last week, windows has downloaded their latest total windows 10 upgrade, and it down loaded to all 4 applications, of windows 10 programs on 2 computers. And it works perfectly, I have no more bug issues on any windows 10 operations system. But I only need 2 of them, one windows 10 operating system for each computer, not 4...., or 2 operations systems per computer. This means one has got to go; when they download updates, it totally locks up my DSL in my house, I only have 1.7 gigs of speed, and that is no where near enough for running 4 computers that want to update at the same time; especially in windows 10 formats.

Please don't tell me " why don't you just get a faster DSL speed....., it's not that easy, and is expensive.......It is much easier just to uninstall one of the extra windows 10 systems off my 2 computers. I just can't understand why it is so stinking difficult to do.

So, if someone knows how to totally remove windows 10, without going back to an earlier install of windows 8.1, I would sure like to hear about it.

Thanks.


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## crjdriver (Jan 2, 2001)

> So, if someone knows how to totally remove windows 10, without going back to an earlier install of windows 8.1, I would sure like to hear about it.


This is quite simple to do and there are a number of ways to accomplish this task;
1 Boot with a current win10 install usb. Delete ALL partitions on the disk. Complete the install
2 Boot with something like DBAN and wipe the drive. Now boot with a win10 install usb or dvd and complete the install
3 Boot with parted magic linux and secure erase or wipe the drive. Again boot with win10 install media and complete the install

You do understand that to accomplish what you asked will require you to purchase a new copy of win10. There is no more free download/upgrade.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

My post # 3 was based on my interpretation that Compumess has two installations of Windows 10 on one hard drive and wants to eliminate one while retaining the other.


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## lochlomonder (Jul 24, 2015)

Terry,


> My post # 3 was based on my interpretation that Compumess has two installations of Windows 10 on one hard drive and wants to eliminate one while retaining the other.


That's what I wasn't sure of at first. It's my understanding that any machine which has been upgraded to Win 10 can get wiped and re-installed, since the previous key is sufficient to authorize the machine in the Microsoft database. The only caveat would be any significant hardware changes since the original installation, such as a new motherboard.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

I think that you are 100% correct, lochlomonder, and that is the surest and "cleanest" way to end up with exactly one installation of the OS. But I think, perhaps incorrectly, that he wants to retain a current installation so as to not have to reinstall applications.


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## Compumess (Mar 13, 2010)

I am terribly sorry I have not replied sooner, as I am quite interested in this post....death in the family, dreadful affair. Anyway, in reply to the moderator _crjdriver_; I don't mean to sound obtuse, but it would seem to me, that if I am reading correctly what you are saying, part of your total wipe also involves a reboot of a clean and new addition of windows 10, preferably one that was purchased and one a disk?
To do what you suggest seems to imply to me that I must do a _total wipe_ of my hard drive?, if that is the case then that would involve the copy of windows 10 that I have on my computer that I wish too keep.....this is not something I wanted to do..
If you will reread my previous posts, I stated that I have 2 separate computer, and both have 2 copies (each) of windows 10 on them. What I want to do, is remove one of the copies of windows 10 on each of the 2 computers, (an extra copy) while keeping the perfectly working copy I wish to keep without damaging it in any way.

This means simply I want to remove one copy of windows 10 on each of the 2 separate computer....., and not installing an new copy. I want to do this without damaging the other copy on each computer that I want to keep. Can this be done......easily?

I swear, the tentacles of these windows programs are far too imbedded for my comfort, where in trying to remove them practically requires an act of congress, or a miracle from the Almighty. Any workable advice would be most helpful. TerryNet understands what I am asking, can it be done without having to reinstall applications?


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## lunarlander (Sep 22, 2007)

A simple way is to remove the partition. Run diskmgmt.msc and delete the partition you want. Take note of the size of the C drive when booting to either Windows, and make sure you are removing the correct one. The dual boot message may still appear when you boot up though, but once the partition is deleted, that copy of Windows is gone.


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## Compumess (Mar 13, 2010)

lunarlander said:


> A simple way is to remove the partition. Run diskmgmt.msc and delete the partition you want. Take note of the size of the C drive when booting to either Windows, and make sure you are removing the correct one. The dual boot message may still appear when you boot up though, but once the partition is deleted, that copy of Windows is gone.


I cannot gain access to the discmangement controls from the lower left windows icon. No amount of right clicking, or left clicking and typing in discmangement will help. I can type in cmd, and command prompt will open in DOS, but it will not accept "discmgmt.msc" when typed in directly. At least it will not work on the version of windows 10 I wish to remove.

The version I want to keep, I can get into discmanagement with no problems, but it does not list which partition is which on the c drive. I don't even know if I can do an uninstall of an extra windows 10 program, from the version I want to save.


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## lunarlander (Sep 22, 2007)

From the version you want to keep, take a note of the size of drive C. Then in discmangement.msc you will find the correct partition by the size.


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## crjdriver (Jan 2, 2001)

> I can type in cmd, and command prompt will open in DOS, but it will not accept "discmgmt.msc"


That is because the dos command is not diskmgmt.msc. It is diskpart.
Here is a list of commands for the cmd prompt;
https://commandwindows.com/command3.htm


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## Compumess (Mar 13, 2010)

This is not a easy as it sounds, as I can not get into the diskmgmt admin portion of the clone programs at all, they simply do not come up, and when I check the size of the C &D drives, they are identical to the version I want to keep, yet when I am into the program of the clones, there are almost no files. I can not access DOS bios in any of the clones. They just exist like a boil on my neck, and when the program I want to keep updates, the clones update at the same time, sucking up all my bandwidth. I am about to call in a tech, as I have exhausted all ideas on what to do. Maybe I should just back up all my files, buy a hard copy of windows 10, and do a clean wipe. I'll tell ya...., that really irritates my cheap Scottish DNA. I sent Microsoft a scathing letter about their down load and how it really messed me up...., no answer yet. That really irritates my Irish DNA......
Rick


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## crjdriver (Jan 2, 2001)

You need to be much clearer with your terms; there is no "DOS bios" what is "program of the clones"
It is difficult to help someone IF the person helping cannot understand what you are asking.

Really I would just clean install win10. It takes all of about 15~20min to install win10 from a usb flash drive; install drivers, etc. After that, it does take a while to config how you like it however your system is still usable while doing this.


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## Compumess (Mar 13, 2010)

Well, I am old school and the bios admin program reminds me of DOS, as it used to be, sorry for being old. The program of the clones is my smart mouth description of having 2 windows 10 operation systems on one computer; only my problem is I actually have 2 computers, one a Dell PC, the other an ASUS lap top, and both computers have 2 versions of windows 10 on each of them. I am frustrated, as on the version of windows that I want to keep, it can access the bios admin where the Diskmgmt admin is located. "But" on the version of windows I don't want to keep it is not there, so it is impossible to know which partition on the hard drive is which. When I compare the actual size of the C and D size on the program side, they both are identical. So choosing which one to remove is more of a crap shoot, and I am not a lucky gambler, so I am stuck as far as my experience will take me. I believe that I am going to have to wipe everything off my hard drive and reinstall a purchased hard copy of windows 10.

But, here's the spooky question, if I go to wipe both programs and just reinstall one.......can I be assured that the one I don't want will actually be gone as well. I know that sounds strange, but what happened to my computers was the result of a remote Microsoft tech who was just trying to reinstall the new anniversary version of windows 10 as a replacement of the copy that was not working on my computers, and I ended up with 2 versions instead of one on both computers. One that had all my stuff and worked, and the other that had none of my files, and does not work, both with different passwords.

So I am sorry if I confused people, but the above description is as accurate as I have the ability to describe it.

Rick


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## crjdriver (Jan 2, 2001)

If you wipe the drive or simply delete all partitions during setup, there is no way that anything remains on the disk.
Wiping the drive is different than just a format or partition delete. A wipe writes characters to the entire drive destroying ALL data on the drive. This is done when you have a virus, boot sector virus, etc. It is not normally done on a simple install. 
Next this


> it can access the bios admin where the Diskmgmt admin is located


One problem is disk management does not reside in the bios. Diskmgmt is part of windows. If you are referring to the CLI or cmd line interface, again diskmgmt is not part of that; the command is diskpart not diskmgmt [in the cmd prompt] That may be why you are having problems.


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## Compumess (Mar 13, 2010)

Thanks for the info Mr. Moderator, I can see that this is reaching the top limits of my computational abilities. I think the most prudent measure for me would be to back up all my files on both computers on my external drives, and take the machines into a good tech and have it done. One thing,.... just so I make sure I understand, according to the previous instructions, accessing Diskmgmt was done by going to the main window tab in the bottom left tool bar and right clicking, which brought up the prompts that contained the Diskmgmt command. On both computers, only one of the windows 10 programs would open to this, which was the one I wanted to keep, the ones I did not want to keep, would not open. You could right click all you wanted and nothing would open up. You could not even write it in on the windows app and programs pop up, or what ever it is called. It just was not there, so far, no Microsoft tech could explain that, or where it went; which of course for a person like me, made it impossible.

So, there it is, thanks for your help, I wish I had your brains and courage to tackle this one, but I think it would be wise for me, to wimp out this go around. Frankly I would almost rather cough up a hair ball than have to take it in for repair, as it is microsofts fault to begin with, but some you win, some you lose.

Rick


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## crjdriver (Jan 2, 2001)

Really installing an operating system is not that hard. A little forethought and planing and it goes quite well. If you want to take it to a shop, that is up to you however if you want to install the os yourself, it is not that hard.

How to properly install windows;
1 Before you begin, make SURE you have a current backup of any data files you need ie docs, pics, mp3s, etc
2 Go to the support page for your motherboard or system. Download the relevant drivers ie chipset/motherboard driver, sound driver, nic/lan driver. If using onboard video, download the video driver. If using a real video card, download the driver from the respective site ie nvidia or amd. Place all of the drivers you downloaded along with any utilities you use ie ccleaner, AV software, irfanview, etc on a flash drive, external drive, second hd, whatever. This will make the install go much easier.
3 Boot the system with your install media ie dvd or usb
4 Select custom setup and delete ALL partitions on the system disk. Note I generally advise people who have multiple hard drives to pull the pw connector from any hard drive you are NOT installing windows on. Do this prior to booting with your install media. Once done with the install, you can shutdown and reconnect the drive or drives. This makes it impossible to delete partitions on the wrong drive [which I have done]
5 Select your now blank drive to install windows. Just let setup create partitions however it wants
6 Easy part. Sit back and relax. Windows will restart itself a few times then ask you to setup an account, select settings, etc
7 Once done, install the drivers you downloaded in step #2. Install the chipset driver first. This is important; if the chipset driver is not install first, the other drivers cannot config correctly. Reboot when prompted.
8 Once done with the above, start installing your software ie office or whatever programs you use. No real need to run windows update since win10 will do it on it's own. With older os, you had to run update after the install however it is now done for you.

That is about it.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

In all versions of Windows from Vista through 10 the partition containing the Windows instance to which you boot is designated the "C drive."

Using Disk Management you cannot delete or format the "C drive."

So, if you are booted to the Windows version you desire to keep it is safe to delete the other one.

Nonetheless, you are advised to have proper backups before doing any of this.


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