> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://documentation.2pintsoftware.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://documentation.2pintsoftware.com/deployr/reference/step-definitions/clean-drive.md).

# Clean drive

{% hint style="info" %}
Applies to: DeployR 1.4 and later.
{% endhint %}

The **Clean drive** step removes everything from the existing Windows volume except the `_2P` folder, so that a new operating system image can be applied without reformatting the disk. Anything stored in `_2P`, such as a USMT state store captured by the [Capture user state with USMT](/deployr/reference/step-definitions/capture-user-state-with-usmt.md) step, is kept.

This step has no options. It is used by the [Windows refresh](/deployr/task-sequences/task-sequence-templates/windows-refresh.md) template in place of the **Format disk** step.

### How it works

The step runs in Windows PE after rebooting from the existing OS. It:

1. Assigns the `S:` drive letter to the existing Windows volume and `W:` to the EFI system partition. These match the drive letters that the **Format disk** step assigns, so steps such as **Apply operating system** work the same way afterwards.
2. Copies any `Bootstrap.json` file and certificates from the boot image to the `_2P` folder on the drive.
3. Moves the DeployR state, content, and logs to `S:\_2P`.
4. Deletes everything else on the volume, regardless of ownership or permissions.

{% hint style="warning" %}
Everything on the volume outside the `_2P` folder is permanently deleted. Capture any user data you need first.
{% endhint %}

The task sequence must have been started from the existing OS on this volume, so that the `_2P` folder already holds the task sequence state.


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