Ed Bott - Windows 10 Support Secrets

114 CHAPTER 8 | Troubleshooting and recovery The reset process represents an extreme measure, but it’s the right choice when you’ve hit a brick wall trying to troubleshoot a problem or when you’re planning to transfer a PC to someone else. As part of the reset, Windows leaves all your apps and programs behind. You can choose to keep personal files or remove everything, including files, for a completely clean start. These options are clearly labeled, as shown in Figure 8-12. Figure 8-12: Choosing the Keep My Files option spares you from having to restore files from a backup. Use the Remove Everything option if you’re planning to sell or give away your PC or just want a completely fresh start. The final step of the reset process involves the warning message shown in Figure 8-13. You can still back out at this point, with no changes of any kind, by clicking Cancel. But if you click the Reset button, the irrevocable process of resetting the PC begins immediately. Figure 8-13: This is your last opportunity to turn back before wiping out your PC and installing a fresh copy of Windows 10. If you get cold feet, click Cancel.