Exactly that I´ve meant, I always prefer a clean new install of a new version. At first I keep my old game as Backup, until the new one is running without issues.
Maybe you misunderstood me.
Regarding "update": at the time u download the Repack some mods are outdated yet again, so it is recommended to run the update despite the fresh install of the Repack.
That has nothing to do with 500+GB
- but you have to keep care that you deselect the Sideloader Modpack Studio before updating, so you don´t want to work intensivly with StudioNEO.
So you can spare a lot of GB, as you can see here
View attachment 2495869
Anyway my game extra modded including Bleeding Edge, fully updated and all my character cards (alone 17GB) occupies 163 GB drive space - so what about 500+GB???
You aren´t forced to play this game, but if you do it I recommend to use all available features that are improving the experience to maximum.
It´s your decision