Help regarding Windows 10 wipe/reset

[Zyndo]

So I'm looking for information on how to completely wipe my computer and start fresh without losing my Windows 10 upgrade (originally windows 7). What is the best way to go about doing this? I have an external hard drive that I'm going to create a system image on in case anything goes wrong, but ideally I'm not looking to keep any information whatsoever (no games, no pictures, no document files, nothing except MS Office). I want to just reset the computer to as if I have just installed a fresh version of Windows 10, with all of my MS Office programs still there. I've read that if I just use the in Windows "Reset this PC" function, that it will revert me to windows 7, which I do not want. My reason for doing this is the computer has been in use for many many years and has gotten all clogged up and slow with everything running on it. The hardware itself is reasonably strong still, but its just bogged down with everything on it.

 

I'm reasonably computer saavy but this is something I've never done or had to do before, so I'm looking for any tips or advice on how to do this properly.

[Verrierr]

12 minutes ago, Zyndo said:

I've read that if I just use the in Windows "Reset this PC" function, that it will revert me to windows 7, which I do not want.

You can only revert to your previous OS (win7 in this case) within  one month time of update to win10 and there's a specifically labelled option to do that in Settings App. What you want to do can also be done from the settings by choosing option labelled "Revert to default options" or something like that (I don't run windows in english so I don't know exact wording). After you click on "Begin" or equivalent Windows will ask you whether you want to remove all files or keep them. I'm sure you can figure out which one to choose for your purpose. Obviously if you want to keep any files you have to store them somewhere else first. Also I'm pretty sure this will not do anything to your partitions apart from the boot one, so if you want to format them you will have to do this separately.

[Zyndo]

1 minute ago, Verrierr said:

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So if I just use the built in "Reset This PC" option in windows 10, it will not revert me to windows 7 as I have read elsewhere? If not, then that sounds like a very easy and efficient way to go about what I'm doing =)

[done12many2]

16 minutes ago, Zyndo said:

So I'm looking for information on how to completely wipe my computer and start fresh without losing my Windows 10 upgrade (originally windows 7). What is the best way to go about doing this? I have an external hard drive that I'm going to create a system image on in case anything goes wrong, but ideally I'm not looking to keep any information whatsoever (no games, no pictures, no document files, nothing except MS Office). I want to just reset the computer to as if I have just installed a fresh version of Windows 10, with all of my MS Office programs still there. I've read that if I just use the in Windows "Reset this PC" function, that it will revert me to windows 7, which I do not want. My reason for doing this is the computer has been in use for many many years and has gotten all clogged up and slow with everything running on it. The hardware itself is reasonably strong still, but its just bogged down with everything on it.

 

I'm reasonably computer saavy but this is something I've never done or had to do before, so I'm looking for any tips or advice on how to do this properly.

 

You can do the reset.  It will not take you back to Windows 7.

 

Also, you can create a USB installer via the Windows 10 media creator download and just do fresh install via the USB wiping everything as well.  You don't need to input a Windows Key at the initial prompt during installation.  Just select the option for not having a key.  Once the install in complete and the PC is connected to the internet it will automatically activate your Windows 10 because it was already installed on the same system.  It really is that easy.

[Zyndo]

Just now, done12many2 said:

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Alright thanks. I have a windows 10 CD from another installation on my personal computer so I could just use that if worse comes to worse.

 

Thanks for the info guys, I was just getting tripped up by getting worried about reverting to windows 7 which is apparently not a thing lol.

[Verrierr]

Just now, Zyndo said:

So if I just use the built in "Reset This PC" option in windows 10, it will not revert me to windows 7 as I have read elsewhere? If not, then that sounds like a very easy and efficient way to go about what I'm doing =)

Nope it won't. It would say something about reverting to your previous OS if that's what it did. If you don't see that option then I guess a month already passed since your upgrade to win 10. I'm not sure what will happen to your MS Office. Did you download it or do you have some kind of installation media for it?

[Zyndo]

I have no idea how I went about installing MS office as the PC in question was handled by my Dad back then. I will create a separate backup for them and hope for the best I guess haha.

[done12many2]

Microsoft Office will also automatically activate if it's on the same system/drive.  I wipe and reinstall Windows 10 / 8 / 7 all the time on my benchmarking drives.  Win 10 is by far the easiest and there are no issues with MS Office activation either.

 

Just make sure that you have the MS Office installer file to redownload the same version of Office.

[Zyndo]

4 minutes ago, done12many2 said:

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This is a fairly old version of MS Office (2007). Does that still apply?

 

And I don't know that I have the installer file, but if I just pull the applications from the computer onto an external HDD, could i them just drop them back in when all is said and done? Or is there something specific with the installer that initializes/authenticates them? If not, Can I create an installer file from my current applications?

[done12many2]

Just now, Zyndo said:

This is a fairly old version of MS Office (2007). Does that still apply?

 

And I don't know that I have the installer file, but if I just pull the applications from the computer onto an external HDD, could i them just drop them back in when all is said and done? Or is there something specific with the installer that initializes/authenticates them? If not, Can I create an installer file from my current applications?

 

No, activation was handle differently back when Office 2007 was released.  Not sure how it will work, but I'm sure that you're going to need a key.  You will also need the installer.  You wont be able to just drag the files over to another hard drive and move them back for the software to work.