Does a Clean Install of Windows Wipe All Drives?
I currently have Windows installed on my SSD, but I also have an HDD for games and another for media. Will my game and media disks be deleted if I reinstall Windows? Does a clean install of Windows wipe all drives? Thank you for any assistance.
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Jerry· Answered on Jan 21, 2026
Does a clean install of Windows wipe all drives? The short answer is that it depends!
When performing a clean installation of Windows, you will choose which drive you plan to install it on. If you install Windows OS on a specific drive, it will be wiped, and all its data will be erased.
Other drives, such as a second hard disk or an external hard disk, connected to your computer won't be wiped unless you specifically ask Windows to do so.
Remember that you could have the option to perform an "upgrade install" rather than a "clean install" if you're upgrading from an earlier version of Windows to a newer version. While a clean install completely removes your files, settings, and applications, an upgrade install will leave everything intact. As a result, be sure to select the best solution for what you want to do.
Performing a clean installation of Windows will wipe the drive you select to install Windows, so make sure to back up your important data before starting the installation process.
To back up your data or computer, the best way is to use professional backup software since it can let you have more backup options and fewer limitations. EaseUS Todo Backup is the one that can meet your requirements.
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EaseUS Todo Backup is a multifunctional backup and recovery tool. It can help you back up systems, files, partitions, and computer apps and back up multiple hard disks at once. In addition, it lets you create full, incremental, differential, and scheduled backups. Lastly, it lets you enjoy 250G free Cloud storage to back up your files to Cloud.
Performing a clean installation of Windows will wipe the drive you want to install Windows on. Therefore, back up your data on it with EaseUS Todo Backup before proceeding with the installation process.
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