Boot media and installation types matching lab

Match clean install, image deploy, zero-touch, and GPT+UEFI; leave in-place-on-malware and MBR-on-UEFI unused.

Match each install ticket to the right method. Leave in-place-on-malware and MBR-on-UEFI unused.

CompTIA 1.2 wants clean vs upgrade vs image vs zero-touch — and GPT/UEFI versus legacy MBR mistakes that brick the first boot.

Surplus laptop from unknown prior owner; needs trusted OS

You do not trust the old install. Protect data by not keeping it.

Fleet of identical desktops needs the same gold build tonight

Many machines, one validated master — not 40 interactive Setups.

Ship laptops to remote hires; no on-site tech

Cloud identity + enrollment should finish without a USB ceremony.

4 TB NVMe on UEFI board; installer defaulted to MBR

Firmware mode and partition style must agree — capacity is the clue.

Still on the bench

Clean install — wipe partitions, fresh OS, no prior user state — Surplus/unknown machines and malware rebuilds start clean. Do not in-place upgrade a stranger's image.
Image / clone deploy — gold master to identical hardware class — Sysprep/image pipelines stamp many PCs the same. Wrong for one-off repair of yesterday's desktop.
Zero-touch / Autopilot — cloud join + apps with no tech at the desk — Ship sealed; user signs in; policies land. Not a USB stick walk-up for a single broken PC.
GPT + UEFI boot mode — required for large disks / Secure Boot path — MBR wastes capacity on big disks and fights UEFI-only firmware. Match partition style to firmware.
In-place upgrade to 'fix' a clearly infected surplus PC — Infection and unknown prior admins call for clean wipe — not preserving the old system volume.
Force MBR on a UEFI-only board because 'BIOS legacy is simpler' — UEFI-only firmware will not boot an MBR system disk. Fix mode/partition style, do not wish legacy back.