Symptom
Under certain hardware configurations, when attempting to Reset this PC on a system running Windows 10, build 2004, the reset attempt fails with the following error:
There was a problem when resetting your PC. No changes were made.
Workaround
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...ere-made-error
Use DISM to Repair Windows 10 Image
If a reset save files fails and restorehealth fails other options may include:
Windows refresh
Custom install
Custom Install Windows 10
How to Restore Files from Windows.old Folder in Windows 10
Refresh Windows 10
If this information is available (Microsoft links were not found) please include in this tutorial any information on how a reset save files or Windows refresh could:
a) impact / not impact any non-Windows partition (EFI, MSR, Recovery)
b) impact / not impact a dual boot with either Windows 7 or 11
Hello mate,
You would indeed lose everything with a reset, but keep everything (if "Keep my files" is available) with a refresh below.
Refresh Windows 10
Step 7 in option 1 and step 11 in option 2 help to select drives that will be affected by a reset.
Thx.
So if there were a dual boot on the same disk drive all partitions would be replaced by either a reset save files or a windows refresh?
And if there were a dual boot on a second disk drive the dual boot windows partition would not be impacted.
But settings for the dual boot would have to be reconfigured because there are new non Windows partitions?
This reconfiguration may be able to be accomplished with either a bcdboot addlast command, using msconfig, or third party software such as Easybcd?
A refresh will not affect other partitions. Just Windows.
A reset will not affect other partition if you select "Only the drive where Windows is installed" during the reset in step 7 in option 1 or step 11 in option 2.
If it's another Windows OS you dual boot with, then you shouldn't have to reconfigure the boot manager/menu again.
Sorry I'm not following as the earlier comment displayed:
"You would indeed lose everything with a reset, but keep everything (if "Keep my files" is available) with a refresh below."
A reset save files will only impact the Windows partition and not impact the EFI, MSR, and Recovery partitions?
A Windows refresh will only impact the Windows partition and not impact the EFI, MSR, and Recovery partitions?
Among the Microsoft Windows recovery options how do problems with the EFI, MSR, and Recovery partitions then get fixed without a clean install?
https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/...6-e3b5a3024da5
A failure to boot related to problems within a Windows data partition can be fixed by a reset save files but cannot be fixed if there is a problem within an EFI partition?
The key step is step #7? A reset save files with this selected as only the Windows drive may result in another failure to boot if there are problems within the EFI partition? Another reset save files would then be performed selecting all drives?
The Windows refresh link did not display a similar step as step #7?:
Refresh Windows 10
So this is a major difference between reset and refresh?
A refresh using the cloud requires all partitions to be impacted?
So it should not be used with dual boot on the same disk drive?
You will not have the same options as a reset for a refresh.
If you selected "all drives" with a reset, then all drives/partitions on the Windows disk will get wiped. This will of course recreate the EFI, MSR, and recovery partitions.
If you dual boot, then I wouldn't recommend selecting "All drives".
A repair install would be a good option to repair the EFI, MSR, and recovery partitions without risk of wiping anything by mistake.
Hi Brink,
It's awhile since I've asked advice on here.
My question is this: I recently purchased a (refurbished) Windows 11 Pro, and my ex said she would like my Windows 10 Home all-in-one as her laptop is about to bite the dust. My Windows 10 all-in-one still works fine, and I have updated it regularly via Windows Updates. It originally came with Windows 7 Home installed, but I upgraded via the free upgrade.
Here are the 'current details' of the operating system:
Windows 10 Home
Version: 22H2
OS build: 19045.2311
If I were to 'reset' the Windows 10 machine, would it revert back to Windows 7, or Windows 10 ?
I have reinstalls before and they have been quite time consuming and I couldn't face upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 10 and doing all the updates that would entail.
Here's a screenshot of the 'This PC' page. in case it helps.
This is my experience only, of course YMMV. I had a crash on my W10 machine, right after the desktop showed and before sign in. After troubleshooting several things, tried a "reset", keeping my files. It did bring my machine back to life but all of the downloaded programs themselves were no longer available. [Resetting reinstalls Windows 10, but lets you choose whether to keep your files or remove them]. After an hour or so, decided to use Macrium restore from 4 days previous and I was back to almost normal. Should have done the Macrium thing first off.
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