Reset or re-install?

[tinpanalley]

The Windows 10 I have on my laptop is the same install I've had since Iupgraded from Windows 8 years ago and while it doesn't get used as heavily as my desktop, it still has gotten to feel like it could use a fresh reset. Is there a way to do a 'hard reset' of the laptop or is it better to go through the whole process of reinstalling Windows? Problem is I don't have the disc as it was an upgrade. Which is why I was thinking some kind of hard reset could be better if it existed.

[BlueChinchillaEatingDorito]

2 minutes ago, tinpanalley said:

The Windows 10 I have on my laptop is the same install I've had since Iupgraded from Windows 8 years ago and while it doesn't get used as heavily as my desktop, it still has gotten to feel like it could use a fresh reset. Is there a way to do a 'hard reset' of the laptop or is it better to go through the whole process of reinstalling Windows? Problem is I don't have the disc as it was an upgrade. Which is why I was thinking some kind of hard reset could be better if it existed.

You can create the Windows 10 installation media here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/software-download/windows10

Your license key is still valid for Windows 10 and should be automatically activated if your board has a UEFI BIOS as that's where the key would've been stored back in the Windows 8 days. 

[mail929]

Windows 10 introduced a built in reset that has both hard and soft resets. See here

[LogicalDrm]

Either way. But if its 3+ years in use, I recommend starting from fresh install. You accumulate a lot of needless software and files which factory reset doesn't get rid of.

[tinpanalley]

1 hour ago, LoGiCalDrm said:

Either way. But if its 3+ years in use, I recommend starting from fresh install. You accumulate a lot of needless software and files which factory reset doesn't get rid of.

Ok, so it's worth it then to do a full reinstall. Thanks.

Just need to know what kind of license I have to do it right.

[LogicalDrm]

3 minutes ago, tinpanalley said:

Ok, so it's worth it then to do a full reinstall. Thanks.

Just need to know what kind of license I have to do it right.

 

I've done this very recently on laptop which has been upgraded from Win8 to Win10. It was pure Win10 ISO, no brand-related or anything. Selected no key and Home version while in installer and it was activated when I got to desktop.

[tinpanalley]

3 minutes ago, LoGiCalDrm said:

 

I've done this very recently on laptop which has been upgraded from Win8 to Win10. It was pure Win10 ISO, no brand-related or anything. Selected no key and Home version while in installer and it was activated when I got to desktop.

Ok, cool thanks.

[Mira Yurizaki]

The Reset feature is essentially a reinstall of the OS. It'll wipe the OS partition and reinstall the OS.

[tinpanalley]

I've used a reinstall image from Microsoft and done everything from scratch. Thanks!