How to Reinstall Windows 10 Without a CD (3 Ways)

Reinstalling Windows 10 typically returns a PC to good health – and often improves it. So, when a computer is playing up in ways that can't be fixed, or is running slowly, a reset is often the best course. Have you ever hesitated to do this, however, because of the fear of data loss or complexity, especially if you don't have installation media?

3 Ways to Reinstall Windows 10 Without a CD/USB

Here, we have compiled a troubleshooting guide on how to reinstall Windows 10 without losing data. Depending on your situation, there are three methods to reinstall Windows 10 without a CD. Hopefully, one of these solutions will address your problem.

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If you're having issues with Windows 10 on your PC, or if you just want a fresh copy of Windows 10, you can reinstall Windows 10 to fix your problems and get a cleaner slate.

?READ MORE: How to Reinstall Windows 10 Without Losing Programs

How to Reinstall Windows 10 Without Losing Data (Backup)

Before you start, make sure to back up your data. To ensure the safety of your computer data, we recommend that you use professional Windows 10/8/7 backup and recovery software. Todo Backup can easily back up files or folders.

For app backups:

Before you reinstall Windows, you might also need to restore programs, data, and accounts after the process. Todo PCTrans can come in handy. This PC transfer software can migrate applications, files, and user accounts between computers with one click. It can also help you selectively back up installed programs along with all their related data and registry entries in Windows 10.

Back up apps with Todo PCTrans Tool

Complete guide: How to back up and restore programs, user accounts, and data in Windows 10.

It's time to reinstall Windows 10 without losing data. In the sections below, you'll learn how to reinstall Windows 10 in three ways without using a CD.

• 1. Reinstall Windows 10 Without CD: Reset Your PC
• 2. Create a Windows Installation Disk to Reinstall Windows 10
• 3. Reinstall Windows 10 Without CD Using a System Image

Tip 1: Reinstall Windows 10 Without a CD, Restore to Factory Settings

This method works if your computer can boot up normally, and it will fix most system issues without requiring you to reinstall Windows 10 from scratch using a DVD or USB. Resetting your PC is the same as performing a clean install of Windows 10 using the installation media, but you won't need the disc or drive to do it.

Step 1: Click the Start button, then choose Settings > Update & Security > Recovery.

Step 2: Click the “Get started” button under “Reset this PC.”

Step 3: Click "Keep my files" if you want to keep your data, or "Remove everything" to erase everything. Either way, your settings will be reset to default, and your apps will be uninstalled.

Step 4: A confirmation window will appear, asking you to confirm that you want to uninstall the application. Click “Next” to proceed.

5) Click the “Reset” button on the “Get ready to reset this PC” screen to reinstall Windows 10 without using installation media or losing your personal files.

Tip 2: Create a Windows installation disk to reinstall Windows 10

This will use a tool to create installation media that you can use to completely wipe your hard drive and install a fresh copy of Windows 10. You can use a USB, SD card, or external hard drive instead of a CD or DVD if you prefer. Before beginning, make sure you have a USB drive (8 GB or larger) ready.

On a working computer, download the Media Creation Tool from the Microsoft website.

Step 2: On the What do you want to do? screen, choose Create installation media for another PC, and then click Next.

Step 3: Choose the language, version, and architecture (64-bit or 32-bit) for Windows 10. Then choose which media creation tool you want to use:

Reinstall Windows 10 with the Media Creation Tool

• USB flash drive - Connect a blank USB flash drive with at least 8 GB of space to your computer.
• ISO file - Save the ISO file to your computer, which you'll use to create the DVD. Once you've downloaded the ISO file, locate where it's saved, then use the Windows Disc Image Burner to create your installation DVD with simple steps.

After you select it, the tool will start downloading Windows 10. This might take a few minutes.

Step 4: Connect the USB flash drive to the new computer where you want to install Windows 10.

5. Restart your computer and boot from the USB or DVD media. If it doesn't, you'll need to press a key (like F2, F12, Delete, or Esc) immediately after turning it on to open the boot menu and change the boot order.

Step 6. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the Windows 10 installation. When prompted, enter your Windows 10 product key during the setup process.

Once you've done all of that, just be patient, and you'll be able to install Windows 10 from USB on your PC.

Read More: Install Windows 10 on New PC Without OS

Tip 3: Reinstall Windows 10 Without a CD Using a System Image

This works whether or not your computer can boot up normally, but note that you'll only be able to use this method if you created a recovery drive beforehand. We'll show you how to create a system backup using backup software at a time when your computer is running at its best.

Backing Up Windows 10 to an External Hard Drive

Step 1: Launch the Todo Backup tool on your computer, and click “Create Backup” on the main screen. Then, hit the big question mark to choose what you want to back up.

Step 2: Click "OS" to start backing up your Windows operating system.

Step 3. The system should automatically select the Windows operating system information and all system-related files and partitions, so you shouldn't need to make any manual selections here. Next, you'll need to choose where to save your system image by clicking on the area indicated in the graphic.

System Backup

Step 4: The backup location can be another local drive on your computer, an external hard drive, a network, the cloud, or a NAS. Generally, we recommend using an external physical drive or the cloud to save your system backup files.

Step 5: If needed, you can customize settings by clicking the Options button, such as creating a schedule to run backups daily, weekly, monthly, or on event, and performing differential and incremental backups. Click Back Up Now to start the Windows system backup process. Completed tasks will be displayed on the left in card format.

There you have it: three simple steps to create a System Repair Disk, which you can then use to restore Windows 10 when the need arises, much more quickly and easily than reinstalling Windows 10 from a DVD.

Restore Windows 10 to your computer

* If you cannot start up your computer, try to boot it with the Todo Backup Emergency Disk tool for system recovery.

Step 1: Run Todo Backup and click “Browse Recovery”.

Step 2. Point to your backup destination and choose the system backup file you need. (The backup files created by Todo Backup are with .pbd extension.)

Step 3: Select the recovery disk Make sure that the partition style of the source disk and the recovery disk is the same.

Step 4: Customize the disk layout as needed, then click "Continue" to begin the system restore.

Conclusions

Now you have learned how to reinstall Windows 10 without CD or USB, as well as how to reinstall Windows 10 from USB. You can choose the suitable method to reinstall your Windows 10/8/7 according to your needs.

"Frequently Asked Questions: Reinstalling Windows 10 without a CD"

Even if you don't have the original installation DVDs, you can perform a clean install of Windows 10 after trying any of these solutions. If the problem persists, read through the troubleshooting FAQ below.

How can I reinstall Windows without a CD?

Repairing without the installation disc

1. Go to the "Start" menu > "Settings" > "Update & Security" > "Recovery." 2. Under the "Reset this PC" option, click on "Get started." 3. Choose "Remove everything," and then select "Remove files and clean the drive." 4. Finally, click "Reset" to begin reinstalling Windows 10.

How to perform a clean installation of Windows 10? To clean install Windows 10, follow these steps: 1. Backup your data: Before starting, ensure you back up all important files and personal data. Copy them to an external hard drive, USB drive, or cloud storage. 2. Create installation media: You'll need an 8GB or larger USB flash drive or DVD to create the Windows 10 installation media. Visit Microsoft's official "Create Windows 10 installation media" tool (https://www.microsoft.com/zh-cn/software-download/windows10) and download and run the tool as instructed. Choose your language, edition, and installation type, then select creating USB or DVD installation media. 3. Set BIOS/UEFI: Insert the created installation media into your computer, then restart it. During boot, press a specific key (usually F2, F10, Delete, or Esc) to enter BIOS or UEFI settings. Find the "Boot Order" or "Boot Priority" settings, set USB or DVD as the primary boot device, save changes, and exit. 4. Launch the installer: The computer will boot from the installation media and load the Windows 10 setup. Select your language, time, and keyboard layout, then click "Install Now." 5. Choose installation type: On the "Installation Type" page, select "Custom: Install Windows only (advanced)." This will allow for a clean installation. 6. Delete existing partitions and create a new one (optional): If you want to completely remove your current operating system and all data, choose the disk where you want to install Windows and click "New" to delete all partitions and create a new one. If unsure, skip this step and format the disk during the installation process. 7. Select the installation location: Choose the partition you just created or selected, then click "Next." Confirm your choice, as this will erase all data on the partition. 8. Installation process: Windows 10 will begin installing. This may take some time, so be patient. After installation, you'll be prompted to set up your new PC, including creating a user account, setting a password, and personalization options. 9. Updates and activation: Upon completion, Windows 10 will automatically search for updates online. Ensure an internet connection to get the latest security patches and features. If your Windows 10 is genuine, it should activate automatically. If not, you can manually enter the product key in "Settings" > "Update & Security" > "Activation." Once you've completed these steps, you've successfully performed a clean installation of Windows 10. Remember to reinstall necessary applications and drivers, and restore your files and personal settings from your backup.

Perform a clean installation using installation media:

1. Download the Media Creation Tool on another computer with internet access. 2. Create a Windows installation media on a blank USB drive (at least 8GB). 3. Remove the old hard drive and connect the new SSD (make sure only the SSD is connected to the computer). 4. Boot the computer from the installation media. 5. Set the language and other preferences. 6. Proceed with the Windows setup, selecting the SSD as the installation location...Read more >>

How to erase and reinstall Windows 10? To erase and reinstall Windows 10, follow these steps: 1. Backup your data: Before making any significant changes, ensure you back up all important personal files and data, as this process will delete everything on your hard drive. 2. Prepare the installation media: You'll need to create a Windows 10 installation media. Visit Microsoft's official download page (https://www.microsoft.com/zh-cn/software-download/windows10), choose "Create Windows 10 installation media," and follow the wizard. Use a USB flash drive or DVD burner to make the installation media. 3. Boot your computer from the installation media: Insert the prepared installation media into your computer and restart it. During the startup process, press a specific key (such as F2, F10, F12, Esc, or Del, depending on your computer brand) to enter BIOS or UEFI settings and change the boot order to boot from USB or DVD. 4. Enter the Windows Setup: After booting from the installation media, you'll see the Windows Setup. Select your language, time, and currency formats, then click "Next." On the "Installation Type" screen, choose "Custom: Install Windows only (advanced). 5. Erase the hard drive: In the next screen, you'll see a list of hard drive partitions. Select the drive where you want to install Windows (usually C:) and click the "Format" button. WARNING: This will delete all data on that drive! Confirm, and the formatting process will begin. 6. Install Windows 10: After formatting is complete, select the formatted partition and click "Next." The installer will copy files, expand, and install Windows 10. This process may take some time. 7. Set up Windows: Upon completion, your computer will restart several times. Finally, you'll be guided through Windows setup, where you can set your username, password, update options, etc. Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the setup. 8. Update and restore drivers: After installing Windows, visit your manufacturer's official website to download and install the latest drivers to ensure hardware functionality. Additionally, you might need to get updates from Windows Update to keep your system current. Remember that reinstalling Windows will remove all personal files and applications, so make sure to backup before starting.

In Windows 10, there's a built-in tool that will wipe your computer and return it to factory settings. Go to “Start” > “Settings” > “Update & Security” > “Recovery.” Then, under “Reset this PC,” click “Get started.” You can choose to keep your personal files or remove everything, as suits you.