Fresh ReStart?-- LEDE WRT3200ACM

What is the best way to completely start over with LEDE if LEDE is already installed? Looking through the forum, some folks(who may have done it incorrect) tried replacing OpenWRT with Lede 17.01 and it bricked their router. Is it safe to reflash? Will it wipe-out all the config files, installed packages, etc. and start fresh--which is what I want? And do you know it will cause a partition, thus less memory space, or will it just replace all as new?

Thank you--
Wbeine

If you just want to start with a new config setup wiht current image:

firstboot

if you are looking for a new install / update, it is safe to just flash a new sysupgrade image, and if you don't want your current config:

sysupgrade -n image

or (un)check box in GUI to keep current config

So if I just SSH into the router and type sysupgrade -n image, that will start it from scratch? I'm essentially trying to do the firmware equivalent of "formatting the harddrive."

As an aside, is there a better way to clean up the DHCP tables, config files, certs, etc. For instance, if I Uninstall packages such as lede-ssl and reinstall, or delete my VPN interface, all in luci, will that dump the current config files with it?

I'm new at LEDE for sure--conceding I bit-off more than I can chew, but not giving up on it.... yet. So far, tons of things showing up on system log, some of which doesn't sound good. But I'm still learning how to read it. Mostly concerned with creating unintended vulnerability in this learning process.

Lastly, thank you for your response.
wbeine

firstboot is the basic reset command, like already said above.
Sysupgrade works if you also want to flash a new firmware version.

If you want to be sure, do "firstboot" via SSH then boot into the partition of the Linksys firmware (if you still have it there) and flash the LEDE factory image again / a new factory image.

Works well and no old config survives this.