If you want to be 100% certain that your secondary drives remain untouched, follow the rule:
Before booting from your USB, physically disconnect the SATA or power cables from your secondary hard drives. If they aren't connected, the installer cannot touch them.
Sometimes, users realize their files were only on the desktop (C: drive), which is wiped. Even if the secondary drives are safe, your primary user profile data is gone. How to Ensure "Exclusive" Wiping does clean install wipe all drives exclusive
A clean install is It is not a global command that nukes every bit of storage connected to your motherboard. However, because the interface can be confusing, the safest bet is to unplug your data drives before you begin.
Remove all USB thumb drives, SD cards, and external HDDs. If you want to be 100% certain that
When you perform a clean install using a USB boot drive, you eventually reach a screen asking,
The short answer is , but with a very important "it depends" regarding how you configure the setup. The Short Answer: It Only Wipes What You Tell It To Even if the secondary drives are safe, your
Run the clean install on your lone remaining SSD.
By default, a clean installation of Windows or macOS is designed to target the (usually your C: drive). It does not automatically reach out and "sanitize" your secondary D: drive, external backup disks, or secondary SSDs unless you manually intervene during the partition process. How a Clean Install Works
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.