Windows 10: Windows 10 Reset PC

Does this wipe Apps/programs from the OS drive only or from all drives?
Thank you.

:)

 

RESET THIS PC - I cant reset this pc on windows 10

Of course they will just like when you "reset"

 

RESET THIS PC - I cant reset this pc on windows 10

Download the ISO>boot from it>do a custom install (format)

Download Windows 10

 

Hello Hardvark Welcome to the Ten Forums! *Smile

What the PC Refresh option does is essentially put a fresh copy of Windows 10 onto the drive you already have 10 installed to. You will have the option to save files which will then roll up the Program Files, Program Files(x86) if running the 64bit Windows, and the users folder all into the Windows.old folder and basically wipe what in all those to see the MS folders created new. From there you will need to reinstall everything else besides the device drivers installed for you as far as the programs you had on.

As far as everything else on the drive you will still find them there intact since they wouldn't effected by this since the fresh folders and files are strictly those placed there by the Windows installer to start with. Nothing on any other drives will be effected since those are totally separate while the advice to disconnect any other drive until the refresh is complete may prevent any unintended placement of boot files there instead of on the W10 drive.

I ran into that one here when having left two storage drives plugged in and saw the mbr and temp install folders as well as the boot files end up in the wrong place. The unintended results however were part of getting to know the 10 installer works for troubleshooting purposes. The other Windows 7 drive however was unplugged! *Biggrin

 

So I understand that I unplug USB drives but internal drives will not be affected by the wipe?

 

It could well depend on just how you are getting into the Recovery tools either by tapping the F8 key at startup or by booting from a usb installation key where the tools are on a separate drive. If you are able to get into the Recovery with the F8 and find the PC Refresh option that will mean the 10 installer hide the setup files somewhere on the 10 drive and the refresh will take place without any new boot information being written as well as not seeing any new temp folders created.

But if you are going to boot from the flash drive or dvd the Media Creation tool saw made up or a flash drive you saw the ISO download written to the recovery tools would be run from the flash drive and where you might see new boot files and temp install folders come as a result.

This is simply a precaution however just in case of something odd happening. Since the setup files that will start up should already be on the 10 drive tucked away like the System Reserved partition if that is present you may not even have to worry. I'm about to see a temp install of 10 go onto a VM(Virtual Machine) seen to remotely by the 7/10 system that will be set up on a separate 7 Pro system to see how that goes.

The purpose of the VM is to introduce 10 to someone only running an 8 laptop at the moment who still hasn't set up another 7 Pro case(a little lazy?) that you can't walk around with much! The second 7 Pro case here is a mini tower I can move around from room to room and see set up for temporary use while the 7 laptop isn't available for the time being! *Roflmao2 The mini tower even has a carrying handle on it which was for those who otherwise might have a Lan party or something while that I plan to keep 7 on for the time being at least being a single drive pc.

 

Windows Reset will give you the option to select all drives or just the drive windows is on

 

I saw this when I did my re-set...and disconnected my external drive just to be sure...

 

Yes and that could spell trouble in the wrong configuration. While I could reinstall 7 with the two Sata 3 drives plugged in and the second Sata II unplugged to keep the 7 drive bootable on it's own when swapping the Port #1 cable over to the second drive with hardly much wear and tear not having had as much and unplugging the 7 drive but not the others 10 didn't keep it's hands off of those any! One drive saw the two BT and WS folders while later I found where the boot files went onto the other drive instead! Isolation as pointed out in the clean install guide where the advice is to unplug all non OS drives is the right move!

Smart move! *Smile