100 NOVEMBER 2019|COMPUTER SHOPPER|ISSUE 381
Refresh your computer
The easiest option is often justtowipeWindows 10 and start again.Here’showyoucan do itW
hen Windows gets really slow,
rather than trying to fix the
problems individually,it’soften
easier to start overagain, wiping out
everything and reinstalling the applications
and files youneed. Thereare severalways
to do this, and we’ll take youthrough them.
Beforeweget started, youshould
back up all of your documents, just in case.
Ourpreferred method is to use acloud
service, such as Google DriveorDropbox,
constantly synchronising our files. That way,
if we ever getintotrouble, we knowthat
we canjust wipe our computer,install the
synchronisation softwareand all of our files
will come back. Alternatively,you canback
up to aNAS or external harddrive.Refresh yourcomputer
Windows 10 has atool to help yourefresh
your computer,going back to factory
defaults so that youcan start from
scratch. There’s an option to keep your
personal files, although youshould still
take abackup just in case.
Go to the Start menu and typeReset,
and then select Resetthis PC. Then click Get
started under Resetthis PC. Click the Get
started button underneath Resetthis PC.
You’ll see an option to keep your files or
remove everything, so select the best option
foryou and followthe wizardthrough.
Windows 10 will then resetyour computer
and reinstall the operating system.
Note that the Resetoption will only put
your PC back to its default factory state.
If youboughtyour computer from a
manufacturer (rather than building it
yourself), you’ll getback to the initial state
your PC wasinwhen it shipped, complete
with anyjunk softwarethat came with it.Fortunately,Windows 10 has anuclear
option, which will install acompletely clean
version of Windows.Again, go to the Start
menu and typeReset,then select Resetthis
PC. This time, click Learn howtostart afresh
with aclean installation of Windows.This will
launch Windows Security,whereyou’ll see
the Fresh start page. As the description
says, this option will reinstall and update
Windows to the latest version, keeping your
personal files but removing most third-party
apps, including security softwareand even
applications that came preinstalled.
If you’rehappytocontinue, click Get
Started and followthe wizard. You’ll see a
list of applications that will be removed, so
check this carefully before proceeding. In
total, the resetprocedureshould take
around 20 minutes, after which you’ll havea
PC that looksand feels likenew.You’ll need
to reinstall the applications youwant.Take an image backup
Taking acomplete image of your computer
is aneat waytobuild acustom restore.
The idea is that youget afresh install of
Windows,install the keyapplications and
drivers that youneed, then take an image.
That way, when yourefresh
your computer,you’restarting
from akey pointwith your
softwareready to go.
Windows has abasic backup
tool built in that will do the job.
To run it, open the Start menu
and select Backup, then choose
Backup Settings. Underneath
Looking foranolder backup?,
select Go to Backup and
Restore(Windows 7).Next, select Setup
back-up, and choose the
drivewhereyou want to
saveyour backups. This
canbeaUSB harddisk,
or youcan back up to a
NASifyou select Saveon
anetwork. Click Next
when done, letWindows
choose the backup settings, and click Next.
By default, Windows will run the backup job
every Sunday at 7pm, but click Change
schedule to disable this. When ready,click
Savesettings and run the backup. Your
computer will nowbebacked up.
To restoreyour computer,it’sbest to use
aWindows installation disc, which youcan
createusing the instructions on page 104.
WhenyoubootintotheWindows installation,
click Next until youget to the Install now
screen, then click Repair your computer.
Select Troubleshoot, then System Image
Recovery.Ifyou haveanexternal disk
plugged in with your backup, Windows
should find it, but it won’tfind anetwork
backup. If Windows can’tfind abackup, it
will showanerror message, so click Cancel,
then click Next to select asystemimage.
Click Advanced, then select Search fora
systemimage on the network; you’ll need to
type in the network address of your NAS
and enterausername and password.When
your image has been found, click Next and
followthe wizardtorestoreyour computer.
Back at the Windows Desktop, you’ll
need to restoreyour files and applications,
but you’ll be back at the pointatwhich
your computer wasinitially working.LEFT:Windows has abuilt-in tool
to refresh your computer back to
factory settingsLEFT:Windows 10 gives you
the option of installing a
completely fresh OSABOVE:Windows has afreebackup tool