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I am suspecting the laptop I bought is not brand new. Is there a way to install Windows with drivers and make it look as if it's the first time being used? Windows 10 has a welcome screen when first turned on.

Hennes
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Dominique Abou Samah
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  • Download the current Windows 10 ISO, boot to WinPE, delete partitions and install Windows 10. Drivers will automatically be downloaded. If they are not downloaded download then from Lenovo. Windows 10 will automatically be activated. You could also skip ALL of that and just Reset Windows 10 – Ramhound Dec 06 '17 at 22:43
  • @Ramhound That should be an answer. Comments are for requesting clarifications or suggesting improvements. It literally says to avoid answering questions in comments before you type anything. – Michael Frank Dec 06 '17 at 22:56
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    Possible duplicate of Clean install of Windows 10 OEM: license key issues?. Was asked to submit an answer. Since it already exists I found a duplicate instead – Ramhound Dec 07 '17 at 04:17

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Yes, it is possible to cleanly install Windows 10 (and any other Operating System) to look as though the computer is fresh and unused.

This isn't just to enable dishonest sellers, it is also entirely normal and for normal reasons.

If I am giving an older computer to someone else, either as a gift or as a used computer being sold, at the very least I will want to "clean" the computer software by resetting or reinstalling the Operating System, and usually be formatting the hard drive securely before that.

music2myear
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  • Cool, now does the laptop store any information for its past use before that cleanup? Is there any way i could proove its been used? – Dominique Abou Samah Dec 06 '17 at 23:29
  • @DominiqueAbouSamah If it has been cleaned properly, not really. You might be able to tell by physical clues, such as dirt or scratches. The hardware might give you some clues as well. The battery could have an excessive number of cycles or the HDD could show a larger than normal number of powered on hours. Either of these could be giveaways, but you would need to take into account factory QA tests before concluding on anything specific. – Michael Frank Dec 06 '17 at 23:36
  • There are ways, but they are imprecise. Even if you check the model or serial number and prove the computer was manufactured several years ago, it is still possible the computer sat in a warehouse unsold for those years. No, CAVEAT EMPTOR applies here and clearly: The buyer must beware. – music2myear Dec 07 '17 at 00:06