If your computer has a recovery partition, run your manufacturer’s recovery tool to reinstall Windows. Most manufacturers don’t include Windows installation discs with their computers. In Windows 7 and previous versions of Windows, it’s up to the PC manufacturer to provide a recovery partition or recovery discs. Use your manufacturer’s recovery partition or discs (Windows 7 or earlier) With the Anniversary Update, Microsoft may allow Windows 10 users to reinstall Windows 10 and remove the manufacturer-installed junk much more easily. This is the easiest way to remove your stuff from a PC before getting rid of it. If you choose to erase everything, Windows can even wipe your system drive so no one can recover your personal files later. The “Reset this PC” option will reset Windows 10 to its factory default state. Either way, y ou’ll have to install all your desktop programs again, but that’s the point: You get a fresh Windows desktop system with all your system files in a known-good state. You can reset your PC and keep all your personal files and Windows Store apps, or reset your PC and wipe everything from your disc. On Windows 10, this option is just named Reset this PC. Both of these options actually perform a Windows reinstall in the background, quickly installing a fresh Windows system from the recovery files on your computer’s drive, a Windows installation disc or USB drive. Windows 8 added ”Refresh your PC” and “Reset your PC” features that attempt to make installing Windows easier. Reset or Refresh Your PC (Windows 10 and 8)

While you should back up your data regularly, it is especially important to do so before reinstalling an operating system. Before we begin, back up all of your personal data.

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