Reset Windows 10

Brink · 06 Aug 2015

Winterwolf94 said:

Just want to make sure, if I go with option two and click remove files and clean drive in step 7, is that the same thing as a clean install, but easier I guess.

Hello Winterwolf,

Close. It'll reset Windows back to a default clean slate, but won't wipe the hard drive like doing a clean install would.

Yasak Hayat · 07 Aug 2015

Hi Shawn,

Are you sure we must have installation media or recovery drive?
Because I tried 2 machine (W10 final-clean install- No recovery partition, insatllation DVD, USB drive etc.) and both didn't ask for installation media and reset/refresh procedure finished with success?

Brink · 07 Aug 2015

Hello Yasak, :)

You most likely had a registered image on the PC that Windows was able to use since a reset can't be done without one. When you don't have one, that's when you would be prompted to insert your installation media or recovery media.

Yasak Hayat · 07 Aug 2015

No. There is no registered image. You can see here:
https://youtu.be/92eLG3Zxzd0

Brink · 07 Aug 2015

A registered image could be a folder on your Windows drive, or a hidden partition without a drive letter.

Yasak Hayat · 07 Aug 2015

Dear Shawn,

It's a virtual machine. I did clean install. I am prety sure there is no resgistered image. Also you can see there is no hidden drive, no big file can be resgistered image;

Also my daily computer (a notebook) have same behaviour. It seems for reset no need installation media any more. Can you try it same conditions?

Brink · 07 Aug 2015

Yep, some will some won't. That's why I have If prompted in the step to insert media.

Yasak Hayat · 07 Aug 2015

Ok now we are in same page :)
Thank you for replies :)

AveYo · 07 Aug 2015

I would suggest changing the recommendation to Keep my files instead!
Why?
- This is not meant to be used on your main PC. Microsoft already hints that a suitable scenario is when giving away the PC or corporate policy demands a wipe for re-purposing etc.
- If you really need a full reset, you're better off with booting from installation media, Shift+F10, launch a filemanager, do backups, then format and reinstall.
- Most people upgrade in-place without creating an installation media! Fully resetting will delete everything including the installation source files from the system drive so booting Windows full setup if something goes wrong won't be possible (I've helped 6 people already with non booting machines - 3 did not have a DVD reader, and only one out of these 3 could boot from usb stick! had to do an intermediary windows 7 network install!).
- There is no good reason not to use Keep my files. Everything will be reset - registry, preferences, programs. Chances for defects/malware to survive the partial reset are very slim. (the only remaining issue you might bump into is the oobe setup loop - easily fixed by completely disconnecting the PC from ethernet/wireless before doing setup)

Brink · 07 Aug 2015

AveYo said:

I would suggest changing the recommendation to Keep my files instead!
Why?
- This is not meant to be used on your main PC. Microsoft already hints that a suitable scenario is when giving away the PC or corporate policy demands a wipe for re-purposing etc.
- If you really need a full reset, you're better off with booting from installation media, Shift+F10, launch a filemanager, do backups, then format and reinstall.
- Most people upgrade in-place without creating an installation media! Fully resetting will delete everything including the installation source files from the system drive so booting Windows full setup if something goes wrong won't be possible (I've helped 6 people already with non booting machines - 3 did not have a DVD reader, and only one out of these 3 could boot from usb stick! had to do an intermediary windows 7 network install!).
- There is no good reason not to use Keep my files. Everything will be reset - registry, preferences, programs. Chances for defects/malware to survive the partial reset are very slim. (the only remaining issue you might bump into is the oobe setup loop - easily fixed by completely disconnecting the PC from ethernet/wireless before doing setup)

Hello AyeYo,

This tutorial is to reset Windows.

Selecting that would be to refresh Windows instead.

Refresh Windows 10