If you want to install a new operating system on a Windows PC, there are a few things you need to keep in mind to keep your PC running smoothly.
Installing a new operating system: preparation
When reinstalling an operating system, there is always the risk of losing important personal data. However, by backing up files and information, you can ensure that all important data is available again after installation:
- To prevent loss of your data, you should back up all data such as images, Office documents, music, save games, passwords or the browser's bookmark list on an external storage medium such as an external hard drive or a USB stick before reinstalling.
- It is recommended to back up the data with a backup program. You can either use the Windows backup program or use a third-party program. One such program is, for example, the Backup Service Home tool.
- Finally, check whether all relevant data has been backed up. It can be helpful to create a checklist and complete it during the backup process. This way you can be sure that no important files have been forgotten.
Check system requirements for the new operating system
Every operating system like Windows 11 has specific hardware requirements that should at least be met for the system to run stably. If you are not sure what hardware is in your computer, we recommend installing the free CPU-Z tool.
- Check your operating system, for example by checking the system requirements for Windows 10 or Windows 11.
- If your computer does not meet the minimum operating system requirements, it is not compatible. This can lead to reduced performance, frequent crashes, or other stability issues.
- After you have checked hardware compatibility, it makes sense to also update the drivers of the individual components. In particular, you should update graphics card and network drivers regularly to ensure compatibility with new operating systems and to optimize stability and performance.
- You can usually find the latest drivers on the hardware manufacturers' websites.
Check storage space
For Windows 11 you need at least 46 GB of free hard drive space:
- Before installing, check that you have enough memory available on the hard drive or partition on which you want to install Windows.
- If you don't have enough free memory, you should remove unnecessary data or unused programs to free up space.
- If your hard drive is partitioned, you can take free space from a partition and use it to enlarge the partition you want.