is it possibe to avoid losing programs after a reset on windows 10?

Installed applications create such things as entries in the Registry. Their physical location on disk has nothing to do with losing them during a reset / reinstallation - it is Windows' action on its Registry that makes you lose them.

To avoid losses, avoid resets. Make regular system images instead then you can restore an image if you face a serious problem and you don't lose anything other than changes made since the image was created.

Many people in this forum make images using Macrium Reflect [Free edition] and there are tutorials on its use [tutorial section].

Denis

"what about having the registry AND prorgrams and files on a seperate hdd to the os." - Windows writes to its Registry all the time including during resets / reinstallations so its physical location makes no difference.

"i guess it boils down to why should installing programmes have to mess with the os at all?" - they do not mess with the OS, the OS records key data about them in order to access them quickly & properly.

"its the main reason for os deterioration IMO." - Such claims are often made.

Once you have a serious problem that you resolve quickly by restoring a system image, you will never again even think about what happens during resets.

Backup and Restore with Macrium Reflect - TenForumsTutorials

Denis

fu530 said:

i'm just about to buy a new laptop and this problem has happened to me a lot of times over the years using computers. i know about backing up and suchlike. but is there some way to have the os on its own drive so that if you were to reinstall or reset you wouldn't lose everything.

i know things are getting better and we now don't lose files but what i want to know is ... is there a way to reset only the os. perhaps by keeping program files on a different partition or even a separate external hdd. or maybe even on online storage.

i guess i want all my programes and folders where i left them AFTER a reinstall or at the least a reset.

thanks in advance

Very easy.

Install OS, install programs.

Make a system image backup using Macrium Reflect Free (see tutorial section).

If you ever need to reset pc, simply restore image backup.

fu530 said:

ahh ok. thanks for that. thats great info i will do it.

it occurred to me after i posted that if i got my wish and the programmes didn't effect the os. and it could be reset/reinstalled at anytime. then almost 90% of pc repair techies would be out of a job. lol

what about having the registry AND prorgrams and files on a seperate hdd to the os. or like how android does it...

i guess it boils down to why should installing programmes have to mess with the os at all? its the main reason for os deterioration IMO.

any way thanks for the info i will get it now.

This is a giant sledgehammer to crack a peanut.

All OP needs to do is make a system image backup after a clean install once programs are installed using tool like Macrium Reflect Free.

I make system images before any major Windows update or any application update. So that works out as at least monthly.

I normally keep at least the two latest system images [on two separate external HDDs] and weed out older ones to avoid using up all the space.

I make separate backups of my own files. Most of my files are backed up hourly, some every time they are edited, others weekly.

Denis