These are your extra internal or external hard drives (D:, E:, etc.) used for storing games, documents, and media. The installation media will not touch these drives unless you explicitly tell it to.

A clean install of Windows automatically wipe all drives . By default, the process only affects the specific drive or partition you select for the installation. How it Works by Default

Enter your BIOS/UEFI settings (usually by tapping F2, F12, or Del during startup) and set the USB drive as the primary boot device.

Unplug all external hard drives and USB flash drives (except your installation media).

A clean install does not automatically wipe all drives; it primarily targets the specific drive or partition you select during the installation process. While it erases everything on that chosen partition—including the operating system, applications, and personal files—data on other physical drives or separate partitions typically remains untouched. Clean Install vs. Reset

At its most basic, a true is designed to wipe the system drive (where Windows is installed) completely. This includes the Windows system files, all your installed applications, settings, and any personal files stored on that specific drive, such as your Desktop, Documents, or Downloads folders.

However, the part that leads to confusion is the behavior toward secondary drives (like a separate D: or E: drive). By default, a clean install will leave these completely untouched. Their data remains intact and accessible after the new Windows installation is complete.

Make sure the USB drive or DVD is in good condition. Be patient: The installation process can take some time.

If you select "Remove everything" and further choose the setting to "delete files from all drives," Windows will successfully erase data from all connected storage devices, including extra HDDs and SSDs.

If you have multiple physical drives and want to be 100% certain that a clean install won't touch your valuable data on secondary drives, the simplest method is to temporarily disconnect them. By physically unplugging the data cables from every drive except the one you want to install Windows on, you remove any possibility of selecting the wrong drive during the installation process.

A common scenario involves users who have partitioned a single physical drive into multiple logical drives—for example, a C: drive for Windows and applications, and a D: drive for personal files. During a clean install, you can safely delete only the partitions associated with the system (C: drive) while leaving the D: partition untouched, as long as you are careful during the drive selection screen.

Once you are back at the desktop, shut down and plug your drives back in. Windows will recognize them immediately, and your files will be right where you left them.