Help Please, What is TPM?

[bbobobo]

(please help) - Windows 10 Dell XPS 13 Rest to factory settings (full wipe) - It asks me the following: 

 

A configuration change was to enable, activate, clear, enable, and activate the TPM.

This action will clear and turn on the computer's TPM (Trusted Platform Module)

 

WARNING: this request will remove any keys stored in the TPM.

 

Press F12 to enable, activate, clear, enable, and activate the TPM.

Pres ESC to reject this change request and continue.

 

 

My laptop: Dell XPS 13-9350 13.3-Inch High Performance Laptop (Intel Core i5-6200U Processor, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD, Windows 10)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D1YFQM8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Damocles]

TPM is trusted platform module. It's kind of like a key used to access your computer that's physically connected to the machine. If the computer is new, you probably don't have it and don't need to worry. If it's a used computer, removing it will simply mean you won't be able to access the information on the drive. Also, please fix your grammar, I don't understand what the options are.

[bbobobo]

19 minutes ago, Damocles said:

TPM is trusted platform module. It's kind of like a key used to access your computer that's physically connected to the machine. If the computer is new, you probably don't have it and don't need to worry. If it's a used computer, removing it will simply mean you won't be able to access the information on the drive. Also, please fix your grammar, I don't understand what the options are.

Sorry for the poorly expressed question. My bad. I just edited it, if you could please take a look again.

 

It's a brand new Dell Xps 13 laptop. Can you explain what I will gain and lose for either option? Will it have any noticeable effect for me? I use the laptop (like everyone) for movies, firefox internet, youtube (incld 4k via external display), word processing. 

 

 

23 minutes ago, bbobobo said:

(please help) - Windows 10 Dell XPS 13 Rest to factory settings (full wipe) - It asks me whether I want to enabe, remove, enable the TPM (which delete

I just got the laptop and I'm doing a reset cause i'm OCD. What do I do about the TPM? 

 

My laptop: Dell XPS 13-9350 13.3-Inch High Performance Laptop (Intel Core i5-6200U Processor, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD, Windows 10)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D1YFQM8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Damocles]

Don't need it, TPM are used for things like company computers where their work is secretive and cannot be leaked. TPMs are like PHYSICAL HARDWARE KEYS that encrypt and protect that data. You don't have that module because you'd have to buy one separately. Just press ESC and continue without it. No consumer computers have this enabled.

[bbobobo]

2 minutes ago, Damocles said:

Don't need it, TPM are used for things like company computers where their work is secretive and cannot be leaked. TPMs are like PHYSICAL HARDWARE KEYS that encrypt and protect that data. You don't have that module because you'd have to buy one separately. Just press ESC and continue without it. No consumer computers have this enabled.

OK thanks so much. I'll press ESC.

 

I'm still confused on exactly what it's trying to do. This is the in the middle of a system rest (i.e. restore to factor settings). Does pressing ESC just say "don't do anything" ... and what would F12 do if I had pressed it? It looks like "enable, activate, clear, enable, and activate the TPM" were meant to be a sequence of steps it takes? Would it have first tried to "enable" TPM and then failed once there was no TPM to enable? 

 

Hey, while I have you here. In customize setting during the initial boot, do you think I should tell windows my "location". It wants me to enable the turn on find my device and let windows and apps request your location"

 

THANKS SO MUCH

[Damocles]

Personally, I'd disable location. If you travel with that around a lot then maybe turn it on. Nothing really uses it unless you use it to search for the nearest washroom or coffee shop. Maybe the best feature is find my stolen/lost computer within a 1km radius when it happens to be connected to wifi and is on.

[bbobobo]

1 minute ago, Damocles said:

Personally, I'd disable location. If you travel with that around a lot then maybe turn it on. Nothing really uses it unless you use it to search for the nearest washroom or coffee shop. Maybe the best feature is find my stolen/lost computer within a 1km radius when it happens to be connected to wifi and is on.

Thanks. How about this question: 

 

I'm still confused on exactly what it's trying to do. This is the in the middle of a system rest (i.e. restore to factor settings). Does pressing ESC just say "don't do anything" ... and what would F12 do if I had pressed it? It looks like "enable, activate, clear, enable, and activate the TPM" were meant to be a sequence of steps it takes? Would it have first tried to "enable" TPM and then failed once there was no TPM to enable? 

[Damocles]

Question is a bit iffy for me. So you're saying  you pressed escape, then it says don't do anything, but it's running through TPM installation. I have no idea what you're asking.

[bbobobo]

1 minute ago, Damocles said:

Question is a bit iffy for me. So you're saying  you pressed escape, then it says don't do anything, but it's running through TPM installation. I have no idea what you're asking.

Sorry. I pressed ESC. And everything is fine. 

 

But, I'm curious and I'd like to learn more about what just happened. What did pressing ESC do? And if I had pressed F12 what would it have done.  It looks like "enable, activate, clear, enable, and activate the TPM" were meant to be a sequence of steps it takes? Would it have first tried to "enable" TPM and then failed once there was no TPM to enable? 

[Damocles]

ESC simply skipped trying to process the TPM.

 

F12 would have asked you to plug in a TPM module, and ask for something like a password you want to set or which drives to encrypt. It would then fail to detect and not allow you to continue. Then it would probably reconfirm with you with the same two options, skip or attempt.