"Reset" Windows 10 while keeping all programs and files(but not drivers)?

[Guest]

Hi,

 

I have been using my pc for a year now, and normally I would reinstall windows after a year, but I don't want to this time.

I would reset it to get rid of things I may have messed up like some registry things or a windows setting(like my taskbar which is totally messed up )

So is there a way to keep all my programs and files.(only exe installer apps, no store apps, and files in my user directory, desktop)

And then have it reset the rest, like drivers, windows registry part that stores windows settings, windows directory, taskbar settings and such.

 

Is that possible?

 

 

Thanks!

[TheCheese]

Do a system restore, I have done it and only my login credentials were reset

[Guest]

Just now, TheCheese said:

Do a system restore, I have done it and only my login credentials were reset

But whats the use of it then?

[Tabs]

It's not recommended - at ALL - but theoretically you can use Sysprep for this.

 

You really shouldn't though. Stuff will almost definitely break. You'd be better off resetting or fully reinstalling Windows if you have no backups of before you made the changes.

 

If you DO decide to do it, at least make a backup first in case it completely breaks your system.

[Sauron]

I don't think there's an easy way to do that, you're probably better off backing up your personal data, reinstalling windows, and using a tool like ninite to reinstall most of your programs.

[tylerhyperHD]

There is currently no way to reinstall software without reinstalling it from the installer. Yet you can use windows backup to backup your files.

[TheCheese]

Can you manually reach and copy the files you want? You could try a drive partition and then copy the ones you want to the new partition and when done erase the old part. Or just reinstall Windows, download the programs you need and slap your hand when you are about to do something bad 

[Enderman]

A reset will not fix those problems, often it just makes things worse.

Do a clean install properly.

Just make a list of your programs and stuff on something like google drive and use a secondary drive for storing your files.

[Guest]

Ok, so I should just backup my stuff, and reinstall windows?

[Ryujin2003]

6 minutes ago, timl132 said:

Ok, so I should just backup my stuff, and reinstall windows?

Windows 10 had a restore option. Home shift and click restart. It's in the options there. A restore will keep all user data and reset everything else. Your data is moved to another portion of the drive, os wiped and reinstalled, then you're data out back. Only had it fail once because the drive didn't have space.

 

If it falls, it'll put everything back. Never lost personal data this way. Just make sure you click the option to keep personal files

 

Easy. Let it do its thing, come back later.

[wONKEyeYEs]

1 hour ago, timl132 said:

Hi,

Just do a fresh OS install and re-install your progs.

After this go to win10 settings, update and security, backup, backup and restore win7, create a system image.

After creating the image you can burn a restore disk to boot off to initiate subsequent restores. 

Then it's just 15min to restore to image.