2) Find out which F key it is that you press during the computer boot to start the factory reset If you are doing a factory reset of your laptop due to a virus then be careful of the fact that the virus may be attached to your backed up documents and settings so make sure that you scan and destroy the virus before you restore your settings. Nothing will be spared from your clean wipe of the hard drive so back it up to and external hard drive. To do a factory reset of your laptop, follow these steps: 1) Do a back upīefore you do a factory reset remember to do a backup of all the document’s that you want to keep.

So basically, what will happen is the laptop will wipe everything off of the hard drive that you are using and then will reinstall the operating system and applications it came with out of the box. However, what if you don’t have the disk? Well with laptops they have the ability to reset to factory settings. Traditionally you’d need your Windows (or whatever operating system you’re using) CD and do a CD boot along with a clean install. In comparison, the standard reset option lets you choose whether to keep your files, doesn't save any settings, installs the same version of Windows, and lets you choose how to reinstall the OS.Sometimes with PC’s you will get a problem that only wiping the computer clean will fix.

To summarize, Fresh Start downloads a fresh copy of the most recent Windows 10 version, keeps your files and some settings, and doesn't leave any manufacturer bloatware, aside from Store apps. The above reset process does not keep any of your settings.

Finally, Fresh Start keeps 'some Windows settings,' but doesn't specify which ones.

The only exceptions are Microsoft Store apps that were installed by the manufacturer, which stay.

Because of this, Fresh Start avoids clutter by removing all non-standard Windows apps, including manufacturer bloatware.

Fresh Start downloads the latest version of Windows 10 from Microsoft, with no option to reinstall from local files.

Fresh Start always keeps your personal files, with no option to remove everything and do a full factory reset.

Windows 10 factory reset from boot