Simple Ways to Erase and Reset Your Computer So You Can Start Over

Thứ bảy - 27/04/2024 01:11

An easy guide to making your computer feel new again with a wipe cleanIf your computer is getting sluggish, it may be time for a clean start. Regularly wiping and reinstalling your operating system can keep your computer running smoothly...

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If your computer is getting sluggish, it may be time for a clean start. Regularly wiping and reinstalling your operating system can keep your computer running smoothly for much longer than you would expect. You'll also want to wipe your computer if you plan on selling, gifting, or donating it. Keep a backup of your files so you don't lose everything when you wipe your computer clean. This wikiHow article teaches you how to wipe clean a computer and start over.

Things You Should Know

If you're using Windows 10-11, go to Update & Security to reset your computer to like-new settings.
If you have an installation disk, flash drive, or file for any version of Windows, use that to reinstall your OS and clean your drive.
If you're using Mac, start macOS Recovery and go to "Utility Disk" to clean your computer.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Windows 11-10

Press Win + I to open Settings on your computer. Alternatively, click the gear icon in the Start menu.

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For Windows 10, you'll see the option centered near the bottom of the menu. In Windows 11, this option will be in the menu on the left side of the window.
If you're using an older version of Windows 10, a version older than 2004, you'll need to click "Windows Defender" instead to start "Fresh Start." Once you've navigated to Windows Defender, go to Device performance & health > Additional info (under Fresh Start) > Get Started. Using an older version of Windows comes with security and compatibility risks, so keep Windows updated.

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Windows 10 has an
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icon while Windows 11 shows you an icon that looks like a hard drive with a refresh arrow on top of it.

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Users with Windows 11 will see a "Reset this PC" section and don't have to click anything to expand that menu.
Skip this step if you're using Windows 11.

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Select "Keep My Files" if you don't have a backup that you'd like to use. Follow any other on-screen prompts, then wait for the wipe process to initialize.^{[1] X Trustworthy Source Microsoft Support Technical support and product information from Microsoft. Go to source}
Your computer will restart once the process is completed.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Older Windows

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The easiest way to wipe your computer and start over is to use a Windows installation disc or USB drive.^{[2] X Expert Source Spike Baron
Network Engineer & Desktop Support Expert Interview. 9 January 2019.} This will need to be the same version of Windows that you currently have installed. For example, if you use Windows 7 you'll need a Windows 7 installation disc. You can either use the disc that came with your computer, or you can create one yourself. You'll need a blank DVD or a USB drive with at least 4 GB of storage:

Windows 7 - Use your product key to download the ISO file from Microsoft. Then download the Windows DVD/USB Download Tool to create an installation DVD or USB drive using the ISO file that you just downloaded.

Windows 8 - Visit the Microsoft Windows 8.1 download page and click the "Create media" button. Run the tool and follow the prompts to download and create an installation DVD or USB drive.^{[3] X Research source}

Windows 10 - Visit the Windows 10 download page and click the "Download tool now" button. Follow the prompts in the tool to download the Windows 10 files and create an installation DVD or USB drive.

Step 2 Back up any files that you want to save.

When you wipe your computer and reinstall Windows, all of the files on the drive will be erased. Make sure that you save any important files to another location, such as an external hard drive or a cloud storage service. Any programs that you have will need to be reinstalled after you're finished.

See How to Back Up Data for instructions on backing up your important files.

Step 3 Boot from the installation disc or USB drive.

After everything important has been backed up, you're ready to start the wipe and reinstallation process. You'll be booting your computer from the installation disc or drive instead of your hard drive. You'll need to set your computer to boot from the installation disc or drive that you just created. The process is different depending on if your computer came installed with Windows 7 or earlier or with Windows 8 or later (BIOS vs. UEFI).

Windows 7 or earlier (BIOS) - Reboot your computer and then press the BIOS, Setup, or Boot key. This key will be displayed on the screen while your computer is booting before Windows loads. Typical keys include F2, F10, F11, or Del. Open the BOOT menu and set your DVD or USB drive to be the primary boot device.
Windows 8 or later (UEFI) - Open the Start menu and right-click on the Power button. Hold down ⇧ Shift and click "Restart." Select "Troubleshoot" from the menu that appears, and then "Advanced options." Click the "UEFI Firmware Settings" button to open your UEFI menu. The Boot section of this menu will allow you to change the boot order so that your computer boots from the USB or DVD drive.

Press any key on your keyboard when prompted to load the Windows Setup program. It may take several minutes to load all of the necessary files.

Before installation begins, you'll be prompted to select your language preferences.^{[4] X Expert Source Spike Baron
Network Engineer & Desktop Support Expert Interview. 9 January 2019.} Click "Install now" to begin the installation after making your selection.

You'll be prompted for your Windows product key if you're installing Windows 8 or later. If you're installing Windows 7, you'll be asked for the product key after installation is complete. You can skip this step if you want to enter your product key later.

Step 7 Select the "Custom" installation option.

This will allow you to delete all of the data on your computer and start fresh.^{[5] X Expert Source Spike Baron
Network Engineer & Desktop Support Expert Interview. 9 January 2019.}

Step 8 Select the drive that Windows is currently installed on.

It will be listed as a "Primary" drive, and will usually be labeled with your Windows version.

Step 9 Click the "Drive options" button and then click "Delete."

This will delete the partition and remove all of the data on the partition. It will be turned into "Unallocated space."^{[6] X Expert Source Matt Ham
Computer Repair Specialist Expert Interview. 14 May 2021.}

You can repeat this for any other partitions that you want to remove and combine into your main one. Any data on these partitions will be deleted as well. Click "Extend" to combine block of unallocated space into a single partition.
You can split your partition into multiple partitions if you want. This may be useful for file organization. Select the unallocated space and click "New" to create new partitions from the unallocated space. Just make sure the partition you intend to install Windows on is at least 20 GB in size.