Windows 10: Refresh Windows 10

How to: Refresh Windows 10

How to Refresh Windows 10


Resetting reinstalls Windows 10, but lets you choose whether to keep your files (refresh) or remove them (reset), and then reinstalls Windows 10.

Starting with Windows 10 build 18312, Microsoft added a new UI for Reset this PC as part of Settings > Update & Security > Recovery. The new UI provides a more consistent experience across devices with different configurations and requires fewer clicks to complete.

Starting with Windows 10 build 18970, Reset this PC now provides users a new choice to cloud download Windows or use local reinstall. Previously, Reset this PC was only able to do a local reinstall and would build a new Windows installation from existing Windows files.

The cloud download option will reinstall the same build, version, and edition, that is currently installed on your device. This new cloud download option is available to all Windows 10 devices and is different from the Recover from the cloud feature available on some earlier Windows 10 devices.

The cloud download option is not currently working when specific optional features are installed. The process will begin, but an error will occur and roll back the changes. To work around this issue, remove the optional features before trying the cloud download option. Microsoft will let us know once this issue has been resolved. The optional features are: EMS and SAC Toolset for Windows 10, IrDA infrared, Print Management Console, RAS Connection Manager Administration Kit (CMAK), RIP Listener, all RSAT tools, Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), Windows Fax and Scan, Windows Storage Management, Wireless Display, WMI SNMP Provider.

For more information, see also:

• Push-button reset (Windows Drivers)
• Recovery options in Windows 10

[table][tr][td]Option[/td] [td]What it does[/td] [/tr] [tr][td]Keep my files [/td] [td]

• This is to refresh Windows 10.
• Reinstalls Windows 10 and keeps your accounts and personal files.
• Removes apps and drivers you installed.
• Removes changes you made to settings.
• Removes any apps your PC manufacturer installed. (If your PC came with Windows 10, apps from your PC manufacturer will be reinstalled.)

[/td] [/tr] [tr][td]Remove everything[/td] [td]

• This is to reset Windows 10.
• Reinstalls Windows 10 and removes all your accounts and personal files.
• Removes apps and drivers you installed.
• Removes changes you made to settings.
• Removes any apps your PC manufacturer installed. (If your PC came with Windows 10, apps from your PC manufacturer will be reinstalled.)
• If you're planning to donate, recycle, or sell your PC, use this option and choose to fully clean the drive. This might take an hour or two, but it makes it harder for other people to recover files you've removed.

[/td] [/tr] [tr][td]Restore factory settings[/td] [td]

• This is to do a factory restore on an OEM PC that came preinstalled with Windows 10.
• Reinstalls the version of Windows that your PC came with (either Windows 8 or Windows 8.1) and removes your personal files.
• Removes apps and drivers you installed.
• Removes changes you made to settings.
• Reinstalls any apps your PC manufacturer installed on your PC.
• This option isn't available on all PCs.

[/td] [/tr] [/table]

This tutorial will show you how to refresh Windows 10 on your PC to reinstall Windows and keep your personal files and settings, and apps you installed from the Windows Store.

*Warning You must be signed in as an administrator to refresh Windows 10.



Note Refreshing a Windows To Go workspace is not supported.

When Windows 10 is refreshed, it will place a Windows.old folder in the root directory of the Windows drive that contains a copy of the Windows.old folder to recover the large amount of space it uses.

The $SysReset folder is created when a Refresh or delete if you like.






Warning If you reset your PC within a month of your go back to your previous version of Windows will no longer be available.




CONTENTS:

• Option One: To Refresh Windows 10 at Boot
• Option Two: To Refresh Windows 10 from Settings in Windows 10

EXAMPLE: Reset this PC option–Cloud Download

Optimize Windows 10 PC reset using the cloud











OPTION ONE [/i] To Refresh Windows 10 at Boot
1. Boot to advanced startup options.

*note The Reset your PC option in step 2 below will not be available if you boot from Windows 10 installation media.

2. Click/tap on Troubleshoot. (see screenshot below)



3. Click/tap on Reset this PC. (see screenshot below)



4. Click/tap on Keep my files. (see screenshot below)

*Warning If you click/tap on Remove everything, it will reset Windows instead.



5. If prompted, click/tap on an administrator account you want to provide credentials for. (see screenshot below)




A) Enter the password for this administrator account, and click/tap on Continue. (see screenshot below)




6. If prompted to Insert Media, you will need to insert your Windows 10 recovery drive to continue. (see screenshot below)



7. If prompted, click/tap on the Windows 10 installation that you want to refresh. (see screenshot below)



8. Click/tap on Reset when ready to begin. (see screenshot below)



9. Refreshing Windows 10 will now start. This will take a while to finish, and your PC will restart a few times during the process. (see screenshot below)



10. When resetting has finished, sign in to Windows 10. (see screenshot below)



11. A Removed Apps.html file will be saved on your desktop. It will show a list of all apps removed by the refresh. (see screenshot below)










OPTION TWO [/i] To Refresh Windows 10 from Settings in Windows 10
1. Do step 2 (Settings) or step 3 (Control Panel) below for how you would like to open Recovery in Settings.

2. Open step 4 below.

3. Open the step 4 below. (see screenshot below)



4. Click/tap on Recovery on the left side, and click/tap on the Get started button on the right side under Reset this PC. (see screenshot below)

*note This will open the C:\Windows\System32\systemreset.exe file.



5. If prompted to Insert Media, you will need to insert your Windows 10 recovery drive to continue. (see screenshot below)



6. If prompted it Could not find the recovery environment, then you will need to insert your Windows 10 Option One instead. (see screenshot below)



7. Click/tap on Keep my files. (see screenshot below)

*Warning If you click/tap on Remove everything, it will reset Windows instead.



8. Click/tap on Reset when ready to begin. (see screenshots below)

*note You can click/tap on the List of apps to be removed link first to see all apps that will be removed by the refresh.





9. Refreshing Windows 10 will now start. This will take a while to finish, and your PC will restart a few times during the process. (see screenshots below)





10. When resetting has finished, sign in to Windows 10. (see screenshot below)



11. A Removed Apps.html file will be saved on your desktop. It will show a list of all apps removed by the refresh. (see screenshot below)




That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to Create a Reset this PC shortcut in Windows 10
• How to Reset Windows 10
• How to Clean Install Windows 10
• How to Custom Install Windows 10
• How to Clean Install Windows 10 without any External Installation Media
• How to Reinstall Windows 10 with this media
• How to 'Recover from a drive' to Reset Windows 10
• How to Go Back to Previous Version of Windows in Windows 10
• How to Do a System Restore of Windows 10
• How to Do a Repair Install of Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade
• How to Start Fresh with Clean up-to-date Installation of Windows 10
• What is $SysReset folder and how to delete $SysReset folder in Windows 10
• How to Enable or Disable Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) in Windows 10

:)

 

Windows 10 - Start screen displayed when log in or start.

hi

The best solution for this case Refreshing or Resetting your PC

here is complete guide how to Refresh or Resetting your PC in windows 10

before you Refresh or Reset your PC Read these instructions

How to refresh, reset, or restore your PC

Here is the Guide available in two options :

Option One: To Refresh Windows 10 at Boot

Option Two: To Refresh Windows 10 from Settings in Windows 10



https://www.windowsphoneinfo.com/threads/refresh-windows-10.6827/

if your problem solved check thread answer

Regard

 

How to refresh windows 10

Windows 10 has only a reset option, but there is a workaround for refresh.

Refresh Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums

 

Thank you Vladimir. I'm glad you like it. *Smile

 

Great job of describing things step by step Shawn!; But; as I mentioned before; I had to revert back to 7 because 10 wouldnt accept my administrator account password for some reason so i had to revert back to 7. And that i think is one of the "bugs" that still exist in this tech preview. So I think just to be safe; until Microsoft releases its final and hopefully polished product; Im just gonna stick with 7.

 

Hello Matt,

It didn't have my Microsoft account listed as an available administrator account in step 4 of Option One, so I enabled the built-in Administrator account and created a password for it as a workaround. The built-in "Administrator" account was listed when I tried again.

 

I just refreshed a Windows 8.1 PC of a friend. That was similar but not exactly the same. I lost all installed programs in the process but the 8.1 settings remained. It was a vanilla installation though. Don't know what would happen if you had done a lot of tweaking.

 

Will this work with a dual boot pc that has windows 7 and windows 10? Will it leave the installation of 7 alone while refreshing 10?

 

Hello bmetelsky,

It sure will. A reset will only affect the Windows 10 installation. *Smile

 

Refresh your PC - this option no longer exist (see screenshot below).





If you select the Reset this PC option (see screenshot below).





Recovery Drive - Create in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums

 

Thank you Genet. The tutorial has been updated. *Smile

 

Source

We all know what OEM's call a pristine state: Bundleware!

Same source

So now my question(hopefully the answer will help someone):

Does this mean that the RESET will reinstall the Bundleware that will come with a new Win10 PC and/or before the upgrade from old OS? Or will it nuke it? I refer to the HTG artilcle Bloatware Banished: Windows 10 Eliminates the Need to Ever Reinstall Windows on New PCs. Not every one knows how to manually purge the stuff, and I was thinking of people with slow/unreliable internet connection having to download a copy of the ISO, that this "could be" an option, and then they just would have to download/reinstall their PC specific drivers then.

Or is it to early to tell yet?

 

Hey Cliff,

I'm hoping that article will be true, but I just can't imagine that the OEM wouldn't at least have some of their software installed. It's pretty much a wait and see when the first Window 10 OEM PC is released at this point to know for sure.

However, one can always create a custom reset image to use though.

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/4...dows-10-a.html

 

Shawn,

It's just I was thinking this could be a double edge sword, if it was true.

On the one side, for advanced users, it be great to only reset, and everything is nuked, then create a custom image later.

On the other side, for non-tech users, it would be not so good, because many would loose some hardware function, Keyboard hotkeys for example, and not know they need to get drivers(for the unlucky ones who didn't get a driver disk like I did).

Let's see what happens. I always tell people to download their drivers to an external device BEFORE the clean install anyhow.

 

Agreed. I keep the latest driver and program setup files on another drive to make reinstalling them easy after a clean install.

I would think drivers and such would still be part of the OEM setup, but just the bloatware would hopefully finally be gone.