Give credit where it is due. Microsoft has done a nice job with the latest versions of "Reset this PC."
Selecting "Cloud Download" and "Save My Files" is a relatively painless way of cleaning up a system without wiping the storage. Cloud download means you don't have to worry that anything is wrong on the PC - which is why you are doing a Reset right?
I kicked it off one night before I turned in, got up in the morning and started installing applications while I drank coffee. It doesn't install stuff that was installed after you opened the box. So, browsers, email client, Spotify, Dropbox, Foxit PDF reader, Libre Office, and a bunch of other stuff had to be installed. Including some utilities related to my graphics card, which were surpisingly hard to find. It probably only took an hour or so to do the Reset, but it isn't something I wanted to stick around for, and watch the "30% Done, Don't Turn Off Your PC" messages.
Here are some things you might trip over, if you're not prepared. In no particular order.
- The amount of crap that Microsoft dumps in the start up list - because they are sure you want One Dive, and Skype, and... Check the Startup settings after your reset.
- Your browsers default settings are not reloaded. In Firefox this means logging in and saving data, before the reset, and then logging in and restoring data after. Probably similar for other browsers, or there will be a way to export the settings
- Same for your Thunderbird address books, though in that case export them to a file.
The one thing I missed before starting this was backing up the the settings on my VPN. And since Google really, Really, REALLY, doesn't like VPNs - it makes it harder to spy on you - I had to contact support to get a few things working. Thanks Alphabet for being a pain in everyone's backside.
The problems I was having - delays in certain operations, hangs in file manager, general slowness in the Setting Apps - are gone. This PC isn't great, it is old, without enough memory, etc. It is vastly improved. You really should probably do this regularly. Someone else will have to recommend an interval.
Some things are better than the old days.
The amount of crap that Microsoft dumps in the start up list - because they are sure you want One Dive, and Skype, and... Check the Startup settings after your reset.
ReplyDeleteI have three different Win 10 PCs around the house and go through this crap every update. Blue screen full of stuff to "resolve". "Sync your Android phone!" don't have one ... "Make Edge your browser!"... "Enable your camera and microphone?" Don't have those either.
The thing that it has been doing lately that really threw me the first time is that I have different desktop pictures on each machine and they put them on different machines. The first time, it was an image (on this machine) that I knew I had never ported over to that one. I searched every place I knew of to find it and it was in an obscure directory I never heard of.
Not to mention: how did it get the picture off this one and put it on the other, and who TF thought I wanted it that way?
The most recent one was to take the one out of the ham shack and put it on this PC. The difference being I have that picture on this one, I just choose not to use it.
Did ja ever get the idea Windoze drives me nuts?
This PC "does not meet the requirements" for Windows 11. Next stop: Linux Mint, or one of the other flavors.
DeleteAs for all of that "enable your camera" crap... they're helping. [insert picture of girl in front of burning house]. Or something.