Windows 10: Is reinstalling windows 10/resetting windows 10 Safe?

Hey, so recently i have opened malware. It corrupted a bunch quite alot of windows files. I can still boot the computer up like normal, just that I can't reset my PC with factory settings, and that its telling me to activate windows, and my lan cable is unresponsive. So i need to reset my PC, I have heard reinstalling windows 10 with USB media works. But in this situation, is it safe to use it?

:)

 

Windows 10 Tweaks

Pressing “Windows+Pause Break” (it’s up there next to scroll lock) opens the “System” Window.

Windows 10: In the new version of Windows, Explorer has a section called Quick Access. This includes your frequent folders and recent files. Explorer defaults to opening this page when you open a new window. If you’d rather open the usual This PC, with links to your drives and library folders, follow these steps:

• Open a new Explorer window.
• Click View in the ribbon.
• Click Options.
• Under General, next to “Open File Explorer to:” choose “This PC.”
• Click OK

credit to Lifehacker.

 

Most painless way to reinstall windows 10?

Why not just use the Windows 10 Settings > Recovery > Reset this PC?

Windows 10 How-To: Reset or Refresh your Windows 10 installation for better performance

As far as I know it's pretty much the same as a fresh install (as long as you have local access and aren't remoting in like some have mentioned...).

 

Most painless way to reinstall windows 10?

It depends on the junk accumulated honestly, but there are various methods. You can always remove programs, delete download folder, media locations, etc. As some have suggested, keeping some items on a separate internal storage drive is an option as well. Depends on what you have, what your budget is and how you want to handle your system and data.

The method @RejZoR suggests is sound and a method I've used dozens if not hundreds of time with great success in the field. In many cases though the goal is to keep user data intact, and to repair the OS. In place upgrade as it is called is also only doable in that method if you can boot to desktop, if you can't, it is time for some more advanced options or a format & reinstall.

With Windows 8 and 10 there are refresh and reset options that can be leveraged as well. Hold Shift and click Restart to reboot your system, this will get you into the advanced boot menu, which you'll need to choose advanced options (I forget ATM what it is called) and choose one of a couple items, refresh or reset.

Refresh is essentially In Place Upgrade but a little more aggressive as it wipes the Windows Apps and you may need to reinstall programs. Reset is like an OS reinstall, wipes user data, wipes profiles, registry, performs a install from the system image. Often times I'll do this and bypass using a USB key on a system. Though there are instances where these options will not work if a system has a level of corruption that has not been repaired/resolved. Check the OS Repair link in my sig for more info if ya need.

*Toast :toast: