Clean (re)install of Windows 7

I already have Windows 7 installed, but over time "stuff" has collected on my computer, causing various annoyances. I'd like to do a clean install of Windows 7. Here's my plan:

1. Copy any important files to an external drive
2. Partition a new logicial drive and install Windows 7
3. Remove the other logical drives (so only the recently created one remains)
4. Everything on the other drives should have been wiped out in step 3, so install all my missing programs

I'm told this is painful than doing a completely clean install. Would the above work?

Solution 1:

You don't have to reformat your drive.

Choose Custom install and just install into your old partition.

Your old Windows, Program Files, and Users folder will be moved to a folder called Windows.old.

For all intents and purposes, this is a clean install of Windows. All your programs will have to be reinstalled. Your old data files, under Windows.old, will have to be moved to your new User folder.

For all intents and purposes, anything installed under your old Windows install are orphaned. This included pretty much all malware and virus. Any viruses that depend on your bootfiles are also orphaned as Setup will overwrite your old bootfiles.

Solution 2:

I find that after a clean install install all your programs and then take an image of your disk using a tool such as Clonezilla.
Store your data on a seperate partition. That way whenever you want to do this you just reinstall the image. It's a bit of work to setup but you reap the rewards in time saved down the line.