Is there a way to make a clean slate windows 10 system without formatting and re-installing Windows?

[Battousai1]

Hi guys, is there a way to make Windows 10 system clean without formatting and re-installing Windows? Historically, every time I want a clean slate Windows system I format and re-install it then install all apps and copy back all the files I backed-up. But what if I want to have a similar state of cleanliness after re-installation without formatting and re-installing Windows?

My current Windows 10 system is more than a year old and there are around four users, we have installed and uninstalled so many of apps, tried several apps and basically used the system as a testing, workstation and gaming so I think the system has so may system files from all these apps. Is simply uninstalling apps that you do not need enough to make it "clean" and free from any unwanted or malicious apps? Or re-installing Windows is still the best way forward?

[Turtle Rig]

7 minutes ago, Battousai1 said:

Hi guys, is there a way to make Windows 10 system clean without formatting and re-installing Windows? Historically, every time I want a clean slate Windows system I format and re-install it then install all apps and copy back all the files I backed-up. But what if I want to have a similar state of cleanliness after re-installation without formatting and re-installing Windows?

My current Windows 10 system is more than a year old and there are around four users, we have installed and uninstalled so many of apps, tried several apps and basically used the system as a testing, workstation and gaming so I think the system has so may system files from all these apps. Is simply uninstalling apps that you do not need enough to make it "clean" and free from any unwanted or malicious apps? Or re-installing Windows is still the best way forward?

Yes do a System Reset and it will save all your data files and just put the OS back to stock form no apps installed  and sh*T.

[homeap5]

Do you really feel that your system is dirty? It's made for modern computers and that's normal that people installing various software on it. I recommend do nothing.

[NeuesTestament]

On 9/15/2019 at 10:58 PM, Battousai1 said:

Is simply uninstalling apps that you do not need enough to make it "clean" and free from any unwanted or malicious apps? Or re-installing Windows is still the best way forward?

Normally uninstalling apps is fine, I, for example, have never reinstalled Windows unless I switched computers. But if you had an infection the best course of action is still to reinstall Windows because you can never be sure whether the system is really clean.

 

I don't really know what you mean by malicious apps

[TheDelphiDude]

On 9/15/2019 at 10:58 PM, Battousai1 said:

Hi guys, is there a way to make Windows 10 system clean without formatting and re-installing Windows?

You can install Windows, set it up the way you want, ensure all your documents are stored on another disk/partition, and use something like Macrium Reflect free edition to make an image. If you need to reinstall next time, you could simply backup your important documents and restore the image.

This has the advantage of quickly getting everything back the way it was, but the major disadvantage is all updates, for both Microsoft and third party developers as well as driver updates need to be reinstalled.

Of course, once that is done nothing is keeping you from imaging that particular Windows install.