Windows 10: How to reset Windows 10 that has Creator Update removing everything

I am trying to reset my old HP Pavilion DV6 laptop (Intel i7-2670QM, 8 GB ram, 64 bit) so I can give it to my sister, so I want to remove everything. Everywhere I searched to do this shows there are two options under recovery (keep my files or remove everything) to do this and one of the options is what I want which is to remove everything. I recently upgraded to the Creator Update so the laptop would be all ready to turn over to my sister. When I went to reset it, I found two options, a Start Fresh option that resets but leaves your data files and a Advanced startup option that has a Restart Now button and above the button it says, "Start up from a device or disc (such as a USB drive or DVD), change Windows startup settings, or restore Windows from a system image. This will restart your PC." I'm not sure if this is the option I want and why it would be. Can someone help please?

:)

 

“Reset this PC” with the “Remove everything” option may fail when the Get Office app is installed

(Updated 4/17/17)

Microsoft is aware of a known issue with the following scenario:

• You are running Windows 10 version 1607 and have the Get Office app installed (version 17.7909.7600 or later).
  The app may have been preinstalled with the PC or installed via the Store.
• You perform “Reset this PC” with the “Remove everything” option.
• During the reset, you receive a warning that some of your files cannot be removed.
• The reset completes successfully, however some of the factory settings configured by the PC manufacturer might not be restored correctly.
• If you then perform “Reset this PC” with the “Remove everything” option again, the reset operation fails.

A fix for this issue was included in the Windows 10 Creators Update (version 1703).
To prevent this issue from occurring, we recommend installing the Creators Update.

 

Windows 10 Reset PC didn't erase some settings.

Hello I reset my Laptop with the remove everything option and clean drive ,and when it finished some of my windows settings stayed the same like power options processor state was at 75 percent and other small settings didn't change I was assuming that the
windows 10 reset pc remove everything option would put my laptop back to factory default.

The reason I reset my laptop is because it was running slow after the windows 10 fall creators update.

After I reset it my laptop is running much faster but wondering why it didn't erases some of my settings that I previously had?

 

Every computer has different bios settings including computers made by the same manufacturer.
In some HP computers there is a feature in the bios that sanitizes the drive. You can choose the number of runs to make sure the data you have on the drive cannot be recovered.
Alternatively you can simply format the drive but this could still allow recovery of files or data.
Unless you have something critical this is generally how you would plan to fix your computer before giving to a relative.
This is a link on how to perform a clean install:
Clean Install Windows 10 Windows 10 Installation Upgrade Tutorials

You indicated that you want to remove everything.

There are generally two common methods: 1) using a bootable windows 10 iso, deleting partitions, making the drive unallocated, and reinstalling the latest version of windows, 1703. You then would perform windows updates, install HP approved drivers, install any applications and give it to your sister.
2) use the diskpart command to clean the drive, then use the windows 10 iso to install the windows 10 version 1703.

Either method will clean all of your files/data and give her a computer with a freshly installed operating system, drivers, and applications.

To create a bootable windows 10 iso: Download Windows 10

You will boot to it by clicking on the F9 key.

 

I like to use Audit Mode when doing a clean install to get a computer ready to give away/sell. Do a clean install of Windows 10 and when you get to the screen to make the first user account you press Ctrl + Shift + F3 and you get logged into the built-in administrator account temporarily. Then you can do all the updates and install drivers. When it's all ready, use the Sysprep window that pops up to shutdown, set to reboot to OOBE. The next time the computer boots, it will go back to the screen asking to set up the first user and the built-in administrator account will be disabled and traces of your logon erased.

 

Thank you for your replies. I was looking for a less technical solution to resetting my computer like the pre-Creator Update options I mentioned that used to be available. Yes I would like to remove all my data files and make everything nice and new and clean again but I'd like it to be as easy as clicking on a button.

 

It's still there in Creators Update on my machine, it's in Settings > Update & Security > Recovery.

 

Another method will take you to all of the computers windows recovery options by using administrative command prompt where you will have:
reset and save files
reset and remove files
startup repair
command prompt
etc.

This can be done by entering the windows recovery or advanced troubleshooting menu:

Open administrative command prompt and type or copy and paste this command: shutdown /r /o /f /t 00

The computer will reboot and have available to you the windows recovery or advanced troubleshooting menu.

You navigate through it picking whatever you want.

To remove files, applications etc it will be reset with remove everything.

Creating a bootable windows 10 iso is likely to come in handy when you or anyone you know has a computer problem that is related to the operating system or registry. You can now perform an in place upgrade or an in place repair with the windows 10 iso. This allows you to save all of your files and applications in case you have corruption.

In addition the windows 10 iso allows you to perform a clean install. The clean install wipes the drive, eliminates the partitions, and creates an unallocated drive. The unallocated drive is similar to what you have when you purchase a brand new storage drive. You have to choose a drive letter to start using the drive.

While this can be complicated it is important so that you have backup plans in case the unexpected happens.

 

Thanks again everyone. I had success with resetting/reinstalling Windows 10. In Bree's screenshot above, I didn't have the Reset option only the Advanced Startup and I guess I was nervous to click on the Restart Now button and have something start that would be hard to get out of. But that's what I ended up doing and it took me to a screen that did show the option of reinstalling and removing files.
Zbook, does the iso replace the need for the system image (i think it was called) I recently did on my (not my sister's HP) Lenova Laptop...it required a 16GB flash drive and when it was done it asked if I wanted to create a repair disk or something like that. I'm a bit confused about all the backingup,image files, replacing, recovery, iso, repair disks, Media Creation Tool.. methods. I've been reading the tutorial links you posted above and I think definitely worth the effort like you suggested.

 

Glad you found a way in the end. The reason you only saw the Advanced Startup option was that you were signed in as a standard user. You have to log in using an account with administrator rights to see the Reset this PC option. Taking the Advanced Startup option asks you to select an administrator account to use, which is why you could then reset the PC.

 

For earlier versions of windows people at one time needed recovery media such as a dvd or cdrom from the computer manufacturer. No longer is that needed. Now you find a flash drive that you can format. Then you install the latest windows 10 iso. And then if you find operating system corruption and you don't want to do much troubleshooting you can boot to the desktop, open file explore, find the setup.exe file on the usb flash drive and perform an in place upgrade or in place repair. By making this choice you can save files and applications.

So the next time sfc /scannow has integrity violations that cannot be fixed by dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth or the next time windows updates malfunctions you could bypass a lot of the troubleshooting and do the in place upgrade. It's a matter of time and depends on whether you want to troubleshoot or want a quick fix.

 

Thanks zbook, great info. I'll do the iso to flash drive instead of recovery and/or repairs. I usually use Windows to do backups and it asks if you want to do a system image. Since I'll have the iso is the system image not needed then? Is the Windows backup passe also? Recommendations if so, for a simple alternative?

 

You must always backup your files as no method is 100% reliable. Imagine any scenario where you cannot get to the desktop. Imagine a scenario where you boot and there is only a black image. The windows 10 iso gives you a lot of options for operating system corruption but no options for hardware problems. Also the in place upgrade or in place repair requires you to be able to boot to the desktop to locate the iso on the flash drive. In this forum it is highly recommended that you create an image of your drive using Macrium. There may be other software but this software has bailed a lot of people out of drive problems.

The best option is to have the most flexibility for the unexpected. So always have backup and restore plans and this can include creating an image and having available a bootable windows iso.

 

zbook I was getting ready to create the iso file you recommended in above post a week ago where you provided a link
and when i went to the link today it was different than when i read it a week ago. Today the link took me to Download Windows 10 and last week it took me to Download Windows 10ISO. Did your link expire for some reason? I tried to search for Download Windows 10 Disc Image (ISO File) from within the Microsoft Corporation website but it would just take me to ​Download Windows 10.

 

To get the ISO file you click on Download Tool Now. Run the Media Creation Tool that the button downloads. Select the option to Create Installation Media for another PC.

See option one here:
Create Bootable USB Flash Drive to Install Windows 10 Windows 10 Installation Upgrade Tutorials

You can either make a USB flash drive directly from the Media Creation Tool, or you can save the ISO file.