How To Reset Windows 8 Desktop

Today I'll show you lot how to Reset your Windows 8 system and explain the difference between PC Reset and Refresh.

Windows viii comes with a neat new feature called Windows 8 Reset. Unlike the Windows eight refresh feature, which returns your install to factory defaults but maintains personal files, the reset feature returns Windows 8 to a clean install; even so, information technology too wipes all personal files and applications installed. Here's how it works.

How to Reset Your Windows 8.i PC

From the Metro interface, click Settings on the Charms bar and select More PC Settings.

The Metro-fashion Control Panel opens. Scroll down and select General and Get Started under Reset Your PC and Start Over.

Windows displays bullet points of what a PC Reset will exercise. Remember, everything will be wiped make clean from your system. Make sure you lot take all of your important data backed upward earlier proceeding.

Next, you're asked how to remove your files. Either Thoroughly – nearly secure, or Chop-chop – less secure (files might be recoverable). The Thorough pick will practice three passes on your hard drive while wiping its data.

The selection is up to you, and the message provides straightforward definitions of each. When in dubiousness, always pick the well-nigh secure option.

You'll get a final message request if you lot're set up to reset the PC. Click Reset.

Just like with doing a PC Refresh, your system volition reboot a couple of times while it wipes all data on your hard drive and installs a clean version of Windows 8.

The procedure is surprisingly fast. On my examination desktop organization, a PC Reset –using the Quick choice to remove personal files took about 10 minutes. That cuts the time to do a standard clean install of Windows 7 down by more than than one-half.

With the PC Reset option, you lot'll demand to get through the initial setup process again.

PC Reset vs. Refresh

What'due south the deviation? A PC Refresh reinstalls Windows 8 and keeps your Settings, Files, and the apps you lot've purchased from the Windows Shop. if your organization is running sluggishly or y'all want to start over with your data intact, utilise the Reset choice.

A PC Reset volition completely wipe all of your files, setting, and apps. And so reinstall Windows 8 – everything will be set back to system defaults. This option is like wiping your hard drive with DBAN or another Deejay wipe utility and doing a make clean install of Windows. If y'all're selling or giving abroad your computer, or y'all want to first over, utilise the Reset selection.