PC Reset

Simon1976 · 21 Jun 2020 at 19:18

New member So please forgive me as a total novice to computers,please be kind.

trying to reset my sons pc and it continues to say problem resetting,is there a simpler way,or do I keep on this path?

cheers

bagel · 21 Jun 2020 at 19:38

How are you trying to reset it and for what reason?

Simon1976 · 21 Jun 2020 at 19:59

My son is getting a laptop,so there is a buyer coming to collect his PC,wanted everything clear for the new owner.

I’m going to reset pc,then it always comes up with there is a problem.

Tetras · 21 Jun 2020 at 20:13

If it's a stranger I'd save the Windows key, completely erase the disk if it is an HDD (at least 1 pass) and then re-install and re-activate Windows fresh. If you have other stuff you'd like to keep, e.g. Office, make sure you copy those keys too.

Illuminist · 21 Jun 2020 at 20:17

Hold down shift in windows then keep it held and click the windows key and press restart.

Keep that key held until it gives you options to reset Windows.

If that's what you tried already, then do the same but tell it to start in command prompt, restart and type format c:/ when at the command prompt

Simon1976 · 21 Jun 2020 at 20:45

Brilliant,I’ll give this a go.

when I follow those steps will it prompt to keep windows 10,if not how do I reinstall Windows?...as I said totally new to me.

Illuminist · 21 Jun 2020 at 22:58

Simon1976 said:
Brilliant,I’ll give this a go.

when I follow those steps will it prompt to keep windows 10,if not how do I reinstall Windows?...as I said totally new to me.

Yes the first bit i wrote, if you go through the relevant options it will ask if you want to reset windows and keep files but not apps, or to just reset windows to fresh with all files deleted.

wigster · 7 Jul 2020 at 14:23

I'm also getting this message I have tried everything, what can I do next?

wigster · 8 Jul 2020 at 10:39

Just incase anyone else gets this my fix was to update Windows 10 as I had been away from my computer for a bit. Then I tried again and it worked.

Cadder · 9 Jun 2021 at 17:26

Just reviving this thread to ask if the Windows 10 PC Reset process has been reliable for anyone? I have a tower server with Windows 10 installed and after a few years I've decided to just back it up on an external drive and flatten it to sell.

I just searched for Reset PC and ticked all the boxes to clear data and reinstall clean version of Windows. Do I need to do anything else to make sure it leaves me clean without any info?