Default settings before performing a clean installation remain unchanged.
Default settings before performing a clean installation remain unchanged.
Hello, you're planning a fresh Windows installation from a USB drive. Since your system is already activated with a valid license, you can proceed without activating it again. However, you should restore the UEFI settings to their default configuration before starting the install to ensure a clean setup. If you don’t enter the license code during installation, you’ll still be able to activate the OS afterward. The ASRock B450M Pro4 BIOS supports this approach, and mild CPU/RAM overclocking won’t interfere with the default restoration process.
Don't try to reset defaults if everything functions properly now. You should be able to turn it on later without issues. Just remember you can access your key from Windows.
What operating system is this? If it's Windows 10, you can link it to your Microsoft account for recovery, which is quite effective. However, Windows 10 also includes a reset option that essentially reinstalls your PC. That feature is really useful.
Thanks will be tried. The issue is wanting a clean setup because it blocks access to my Microsoft and Google accounts, preventing updates from security software like ESET. I can't reach the website for malware scans or similar tools, but I can still browse normally and watch YouTube without signing in. Some malware has taken hold, so I've changed the default browser settings to block anything related to safety. The Microsoft account isn't working, and I couldn't even download the Windows image file from another source.
No problem, you can easily get the product key since it's already installed. That should make things much simpler.
If the operating system was installed on the PC at the time of purchase—whether it's a laptop or a prebuilt unit—it should activate automatically. Unless you change the motherboard, it should still work. If you received a license key, it was likely sent via email. Regarding BIOS/UEFI, these are firmware settings for the motherboard and don't depend on any software you install on storage devices.
Thanks for the update. I located the key around 2 minutes after posting the original question. At least I have it now. Appreciate the help from everyone!