I don’t have to tell anyone that’s ever sat behind a computer that things can go wrong. The scary part is that many of these issues aren’t even self-inflicted! One minute you can be joyfully surfing the Internet, and a nasty virus can unleash hell’s fury on your P.C. You can be diligently installing all available Windows Updates, and one could create a problem that won’t allow your computer to log in the next time you attempt it. Suffice to say that the causes are seemingly endless, and disaster is always just a keystroke away. Hey, it keeps us computer guys busy! In a catastrophic situation when there are damaged Windows files that are crucial to your computer behaving correctly, your options have always been limited. The worst case scenario has always been to reformat the hard drive and re-install Windows. Fortunately, Microsoft has included an option to “refresh” your computer in Windows 8 and Windows 10. Let’s take a look at what you’re actually doing when you schedule a refresh.
In earlier versions of Windows, you could return your computer to the state it was when it first came from the factory. When you did this, essentially you’d be wiping your hard drive clean and re-installing Windows and the programs that came with your computer when it was new. If the manufacturer included a recovery partition on the hard drive (space reserved with all of the files necessary for completing such an action), this didn’t require having CDs or DVDs on hand. If there was no such partition, you would’ve had to create recovery discs before the computer crashed to accomplish the task. As you can see, the downside of this is that all of your files and programs would be scrubbed clean from the hard drive and you’d have to start over. If everything was backed up first, it wasn’t a big deal, but if not, the pain was tremendous. Starting in Windows 8 and continuing into Windows 10, Microsoft included an option to refresh the operating system. This is attractive because all of your files (such as, documents, photos, music, videos, and favorites) remain in tact. You’re still re-installing Windows, but your files are spared. Keep in mind that you’ll need to re-install any programs, so make sure you have any discs you’ll need before you click the refresh button. A list of programs that have been removed will appear on your desktop after the refresh has completed.
If you need to refresh and can still log into your computer, do the following: In Windows 8, move the mouse all the way to the right edge of the screen until you see the “Search”, “Share”, “Start”, “Devices”, and “Settings” icons appear. Click the gear icon (“Settings”), then click “Change PC Settings”. Click “Update and recovery” at the bottom of the list on the left, then click “Recovery”. Finally, click “Get started” under the heading “Refresh your PC without affecting your files”. In Windows 10, press the “Start” button in the lower left of your screen, then click “Settings” to the left of the Start menu. Follow the same steps as listed for Windows 8. If you can’t log in to your computer, hold the “Shift” key and press “Restart” to cause your computer to enter the troubleshooting option screen. While I wouldn’t recommend doing this, it will get you to the same place if the first option doesn’t work: cause your computer to fail on startup three times by powering on the computer, then holding the power button to shut it off during startup. Once you’ve reached the troubleshooting screen, click “Troubleshoot”, then click “Refresh your PC” to begin the process.
While refreshing your computer is about last thing you should try to return your computer to normalcy, it is a viable way to return it to its former glory. While I haven’t encountered a problem with losing personal files while doing this, it’s always a good idea to back up your files regularly in case of an emergency. Read “A Call for Backup” for some ideas.