Question about Windows 10 Reset Feature

I am 99.99 percent sure that just doing a reset will bring the computer back to the way it was out of box. Why would it give you a clean/pure install of Windows? That is the goal in this case, but some others might actually want the software that comes with the computer. A reset is the equivalent of pressing a special function key at boot and starting the Factory restore process. The difference here is it also gives you the option of doing it from within Windows(more user friendly) and it lets you save your files if you want. It really is nothing special. The reset function is using an image stored on the system, and that image is custom made by the manufacturer and is what was initially installed on the system. There is a way of adding your own image and assigning the reset function to that image instead, but I do not remember what that involved.

I think the only way you get in trouble with a clean install is if there is hardware on the system and it needs special drivers that Windows doesn't already have. In that case, something might not work right until you can download the drivers and install it.

Exactly, and my goal would be have a clean install of windows 10 without the bloatware that came with the new computer...

For my older laptop upgraded from windows 7 to windows 10 computer that i am currently using, after doing the upgrade (which brought the bloatware with it) using the upgrade tool, i downloaded and burned a windows 10 iso using the upgrade tool, and installed a totally clean "windows pure" version with it (i have none of the toshiba bloatware on it)...

That is easy to do with the upgrade path but i was referring to how to accomplish it on a new computer that has "10" pre-installed...

ChrisRTech said:

There is a way of adding your own image and assigning the reset function to that image instead, but I do not remember what that involved.

You can do it like this on a machine which you've upgraded to Windows 10 (so there isn't an OEM-created version using the new Windows 10 approach).
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/1...dows-10-a.html

By the way, the "key" thing to keep in mind is when you do the clean install with the iso (whether after a 10 upgrade or on a new windows 10 computer) is that you must first have the iso delete all the partitions, since there is a partition that contains all the manufactuer's bloat on it...that is what i did....Then i had it do the new install and that is why i don't have the toshiba stuff on my windows install now...

I could try it...only thing is that won't be for a while as i haven't bought a new windows 10 computer yet...but when i do, it might be interesting to try that first, to see what happens...

Meanwhile, if anyone does it on a new windows 8 or 10 computer that had either one already installed when they bought it, if you try it, please let us know the results

Ztruker said:

I still think doing a reset and electing to Remove everything should give you a fairly clean install.



Since you are thinking of doing a clean install anyway, why not try it and report the results. Could be a help to others in the future.

You are misinterpreting what those options mean. It doesn't mean that it will get rid of all programs and bloatware. It is just saying it will remove all your personal files and any programs that you have personally installed. That and any settings you made will be removed and everything goes back to the defaults.

Yeah, you know, the more i think about it, i think Chris is right about that...In fact, when i did the clean install on my upgraded windows 10, i suspect that if i didn't first use the tool on there that lets you make changes on your current partitions (which i used to have all deleted) then it probably would have brought the bloatware along with the clean install...It is only because i did that FIRST, that the bloatware was wiped out...

That way, the clean install started with a totally empty pallet, as it were

ChrisRTech said:

You are misinterpreting what those options mean. It doesn't mean that it will get rid of all programs and bloatware. It is just saying it will remove all your personal files and any programs that you have personally installed. That and any settings you made will be removed and everything goes back to the defaults.

+1 to this.

In the testing I did for the tutorial I mentioned above, I saved my own version of 'bloatware' (actually Firefox, Adobe Reader, VLC Player) into the relevant area.

I then uninstalled Firefox and Adobe as a test , then did a Reset with 'Remove Everything' selected. The result was that my software was reinstalled by the Reset process. (If you're interested it's part of the video that's in that Tutorial.)

If OEMs use the same sort of techniques then their software will also be reinstalled on a Reset.