Windows-10-Reset-Research

Window 10 research into factory data reset.

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Factory Reset Basic

Suites most basic factory reset conditions.

• Open settings
• Search Reset PC
• Select Reset This PC
• Select Remove My Files
• After reset, switch off the pc to leave in factory OOB ( out of box ) condition.

Factory Reset Advanced

Situations where the computer contains new drivers and software.

• Prepare the computer for factory reset ( delete any unnecessary files )
• Press Win + R or open RUN dialogue by searching for "RUN"
• Start System Preparation Software with command %WINDIR%\System32\Sysprep\sysprep.exe
• Select Mode "PC Audit Mode" and press OK - wait for restart automatically.
  ( This loads you into the System Administrator Account for System Auditing )

Once inside the System Administrator account

• Open Settings > Accounts > Other Users
• Delete the old user accounts ( Make sure drivers are installed system-wide - not to the specific user account )

Here's where you can make changes to the system as desired before rebooting into the OOBE state ( Out Of Box Experience)

• Now your system is prepared, it's time to open back up sysprep and reboot into OOBE

All accounts should now be cleared ( factory condition ) and all drivers with software will be retained unser the "All Users" installation directory.

SOFT RESET

Useful for instances where you do not have the users password to login.

• At the Windows Login Screen, Open the Power Menu
• Hold down SHIFT on the keyboard and while holding press the restart option.
  ( This will say "Please Wait" - you can let go of SHIFT now while the recovery options are loaded )
• Select Reset This PC
• Select "Remove Apps, Settings and Personal Files"
• Select "Just Delete" instead of "Wipe Drive"
• After files are deleted, System will reboot and reinstall windows

This puts the system into a special state, whereas personal files are retrievable from the HDD using "Undelete" and "File Recovery" software, while also having a new account.

THIRD-PARTY BOOT

Useful for when you need to grab a user's files without the password.

• Open BIOS Settings

• Allow Boot From USB

• Restart into Boot Selection Menu

• Select to Boot from your Live Installation of Linux on a USB Drive

• Once inside a Live OS, you'll have access to the HDD without restrictions from the windows OS
  ( Windows doesn't encrypt users files, they only encrypt a database of user accounts - as we aren't logging into the account, we don't need the password. )

• Copy the users files from C:\Users\Example\ to a new portable HDD

• Restart PC into Windows

• PC will still be at login screen but you have the users files backed up.

NOTE, When reading the backed up files on another Windows PC it will recognise the file attribute of ownership to the old PC, usually throwing a "This file isn't yours" warning - you just need to select 5he whole folder and then change the attributes,

• Right Click
• Select Properties
• Select Security Tab
• Select File Ownership/Attributes
• Delete the old owner
• Add yourself as the new owner

BOOT FROM RECOVERY DRIVE

Useful to retain system software and drivers

• Open Windows Start Menu
• Type Recovery Drive
• Select Recovery Media Creator
• Select "Backup System Files to the drive"
• Insert Empty or Usable USB Stick around 16GB
• Build the system Recovery Media
• Reboot into the USB Drive
• Select Reinstall Windows from the Recovery Drive

Does a good job at locating system driver's and reinstalling them during the recovery process.