Windows 10: Will clearing TPM remove my files and post factory application installations?

geoJshaun · May 22, 2020

I just defragged my HP laptop and when I went to restart it got this message:

The following configuration change was requested for this computer's Trusted Platform Module: Clear TPM

Warning: Clearing the TPM erases information stored on the TPM. You will lose all created keys and access to data encrypted by these keys.

Press F1 = Accept Press F2 = Reject

I read several articles and it seems that TPM is almost exclusively used to wipe the hard drive to resell a used pc as a clean machine with factory restored settings. I do not want to lose my files or post factory installed applications. That would be a nightmare for me!!!

Is this something crucial I need to do to improve my laptop's performance this is why I was defragging? There were a lot of posts of people hitting the reject option but the screen kept returning to the original request until they finally hit the accept option.

:)

Louise Robert · May 22, 2020

Clear tpm

Hi I'm trying to reset my laptop to factory settings and its saying clear TPM. Or configuration change was requested for this computer's TPM.

Sasqui · May 22, 2020

Need help on whether to clear TPM on not

Hi there! I'm here because I accidentally downloaded a malware and was suggested to reboot the laptop to get rid of it. I still do want to use the laptop afterwards and I've moved my documents and images onto a seperate device. The programmes i have installed, sadly no. So currently facing the same circumstances and so if the TPM is cleared, does this mean like the activation keys to softwares like MacAfee be cleared? Or like wifi passwords etc. Sorry I'm quite blur hahahahah.
Click to expand...

It's clear as mud. As far as I can tell, it's specific to Windows, not necessarily activated programs like MacAfee, games, etc etc etc. MS Office, I have no idea.

Here's a lengthy doc on it: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/wi...initialize-and-configure-ownership-of-the-tpm

Clear all the keys from the TPM
With Windows 10, in most cases, we recommend that you avoid configuring the TPM through TPM.msc. The one exception is that you can use TPM.msc to clear the TPM, for example, as a troubleshooting step, or as a final preparation before a clean installation of a new operating system. Preparing for a clean installation in this way helps ensure that the new operating system can fully deploy any TPM-based functionality that it includes, for example, attestation. However, even if the TPM is not cleared before a new operating system is installed, most TPM functionality will probably work correctly.

Clearing the TPM resets it to an unowned state. After you clear the TPM, the Windows 10 operating system will automatically re-initialize it and take ownership again.
Click to expand...

Charlie Klausen · May 22, 2020

Clearing TPM

Hi Jolly,

Did you do a Reset, and choose the Remove Everythign option? The TPM actually clears if you do this.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/securi...

Clear the TPM as part of a complete reset of the computer: You might want to remove all files from the computer and completely reset it, for example, in preparation for a clean installation. To do this, we recommend that you use the Reset option in Settings.
When you perform a reset and use the Remove everything option, it will clear the TPM as part of the reset. You might be prompted to press a key before the TPM can be cleared. For more information, see the “Reset this PC” section in Recovery options in Windows
10.

Let me know if this helps!

- C

Windows 10: Will clearing TPM remove my files and post factory application installations?

Will clearing TPM remove my files and post factory application installations?

Will clearing TPM remove my files and post factory application installations?

Will clearing TPM remove my files and post factory application installations?

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