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In Windows 10, the Reset this PC feature says it can "Reinstall Windows from this device".

My PC have the classic following partitions:

  • MBR
  • EFI
  • MSR / Reserved
  • Windows
  • Recovery (WinRE_DRV) (1000 MB)

So no OEM Partition or OneKey Recovery (OKR) partition (Lenovo) or other Recovery partition that might contain a Windows' recovery image (Factory reset).

dir /a /s c:\winre.wim finds nothing.

Plus, I have no System Restore point that could "undo system changes"

And Control Panel > Backup and Restore (Windows 7) says :

  • under Backup: "Windows Backup has not been set up"
  • under Restore: "Windows could not find a backup for this computer" (so no System Image Recovery available either)

Windows 10 ISO being about 5+ GB, and knowing that creating a recovery drive with a backup of system files requires 8-16 GB, so from what and where Windows 10 is actually being "reinstalled"?

I am concerned about OEM/manufacturer software, drivers, color profiles, etc. that I might lose.

under: Reset this PC > Keep my files there is an option:

Restore preinstalled apps?
Restore apps and settings which came with this PC

Supposing the computer is not connected to the internet:

  • Does this option include OEM/manufacturer's software, drivers, color profiles, etc. or are we talking about preloaded apps from the windows store?
  • If it include OEM/manufacturer's stuff, how can Windows restore those things and from where?
  • Are they really deleted in the process?
  • How does Windows know the state of the PC when it was delivered to me by the manufacturer (OOBE)?

Edit: My goal would be to reset the PC to the exact same state that when I received it. Is it the purpose of Lenovo's Digital Download Recovery Service (DDRS)?

  1. order the Windows Recovery Media
  2. download the Lenovo Recovery Digital Download
  3. create the Lenovo USB Recovery Key with Lenovo USB Recovery Creator
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    How "Reset PC" works slightly changes based on the version of Windows 10 you are running. However, the image is contained on the Windows partition, applications will be reinstalled will vary based on what is contained within the Windows image that is used. Windows image files are heavily compressed. During the reinstallation process those files are extracted, likewise, performing a Reset does reinstall Windows. The only difference is your user files are moved back to the installation after Windows is installed. I once documented (provided an image) of this process in an answer I submitted.
    – Ramhound
    Commented Apr 5, 2023 at 16:29
  • I searched but I can't find the image you are referring to, can you give me a link to the thread please? You say Windows is reinstalled from a compressed Windows image on C:, but where is it located? Not that I don't want to trust you, but to you have proof or at least corroborating sources?
    – hymced
    Commented Apr 5, 2023 at 19:42
  • Why do you want the physical location of the file? It's in a protected folder. If you really want the location, reagentc /info, will display the location. If Recovery image location field is blank then the default location is C:\Recovery. However, I am looking at some older information, and I have no idea if your using an OEM image or not
    – Ramhound
    Commented Apr 5, 2023 at 20:07
  • You may be better off (as I posted) to use Repair Install instead as it has a number of options, the last one being a fresh install if that is what you want.
    – anon
    Commented Apr 5, 2023 at 23:07
  • @John I have an issue with the screen of my PC flashing when I click on System in Settings. I clean install of Windows or a repair ("in-place" install) does not solve it. I had this issue with a previous PC from Lenovo too. This one is a replacement. On the older one, I already tried all the Windows Update available and drivers installation from Lenovo before returning it. But when I received the new one, I am sure this bug wasn't here, that's the first thing I checked. I avoided the PC from connectecting to the ethernet, maybe I missed, but it made some update, and now flashes again.
    – hymced
    Commented Apr 6, 2023 at 7:53

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
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If you have the original recovery partition (you suggested such), then the on board reset will give you the option to Keep Data and possibly Keep Apps but only if it can.

So the likely outcome is that you keep data (you should have backups anyway) and the Microsoft and Vendor initial apps, and then install your own apps.

Also if you made structural changes such as partitions changes, the OEM partition may have changed.

Watch carefully for what options it offers you. I have used this feature numerous times because reinstalling apps was quite easy.

If it tells you it cannot keep anything, the damage to OS or User Profile is too serious and cannot be repaired except by full reinstall.

If you have questions or concerns, you can always use the standard Microsoft Windows 10 Repair Install to give you more control.

Go to the Windows Media Creation Link

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

Windows 10 is running, so click on the Download button (not Upgrade Button) and select Run. This will launch the Repair. Proceed normally answering the prompts. The default Keep prompt is to Keep Everything.

You also can keep just data and also keep nothing.

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