Windows RESET - the clue is in the name

Windows ability to reset itself and fix itself, believe it or not, has been getting better over the years.

If you plan to use it though there's a clue in the name. It will reset and change things on your computer to some degree or completely, depending on the choices you make.

There's a nice article here from HowToGeek that is worth a read before you plunge into resetting your PC...

https://www.howtogeek.com/443872/how-windows-10s-reset-this-pc-has-gotten-more-powerful/

In the past this function has used words like "refresh" to describe functions that are somewhat more invasive and destructive than the word itself may suggest.

Before you do any reset you need to consider and/or do the following things:

1) Be prepared for an extended period without you PC.

The reset procedure will not be quick. Don't start it thinking you'll be up and running in 10 minutes and all your worries will be gone.

Don't start it in the middle of a work day or just before you need to do something important.

2) Back everything important up before you start.

Despite the reassurances you may get in parts of the process suggesting that "your documents will be safe", there's always, ALWAYS a chance that they won't be.

AND, if you choose a more thorough or FULL reset, then yep, THAT IS WHAT IT WILL DO - erase everything!

3) Be ready for the time and effort required to re-install the things new you need onto the reset machine.

You should make sure you know what you need, what you have, what you need to acquire and the usernames and passwords for all these things.

4) Don't be comforted by the words you may see on the screen about rolling back to previous versions, undoing changes and system restores.

You need to be super cynical about any ability to go back. Because, if going forward has been painful, wait until you try to go back.

There are some new and flash (read nice) things coming to Windows Reset but you always need to keep in mind that RESETTING is a BIG DEAL.

Even if it goes well, which it will most of the time, the whole point of it is to change stuff to make your PC well again and that means getting rid of the junk and misbehaving stuff that has accumulated since it was first set up or last reset.

Have fun,

David