[SOLVED] Format PC

AimanS

Reputable
Sep 6, 2016
155
0
4,690
Hi guys. So I have this weird taskbar bug that says "The item you have selected may have been moved, renamed or deleted". So I am planning to format it but I have trouble in deciding should I format all of my drives or just format the drive with Windows and drivers in it but not the ones with only data/game files in it.
 
Solution
okay, cool. just confirming it was actually another hdd, some people think partitions are other drives :)

I would copy everything you wwant to save to the 1tb drive,
remove data cable on the hdd
and clean install win 10 as I have seen resets fail and a clean install is just as fast
reattach hdd once PC boots fine (main reason to remove drives data cable is sometimes win 10 likes to put its boot partition on spare drives, this stops it)

download the Windows 10 media creation tool and use it to make a win 10 installer on USB

boot from installer

follow this guide: https://forums.tomshardware.com/faq/how-to-do-a-clean-installation-of-windows-10.3170366/

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
can you right click start
choose disk management
expand the next windows to show all columns
take a screenshot and show us what you have. Will clear up any troubles before they start :)
upload to an image sharing website and show link here.

Myself, I would copy anything off windows drive you want to keep and do a reset. But we see what you have first.
 

AimanS

Reputable
Sep 6, 2016
155
0
4,690
can you right click start
choose disk management
expand the next windows to show all columns
take a screenshot and show us what you have. Will clear up any troubles before they start :)
upload to an image sharing website and show link here.

Myself, I would copy anything off windows drive you want to keep and do a reset. But we see what you have first.
View: https://imgur.com/OCTJFJv
 

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
okay, cool. just confirming it was actually another hdd, some people think partitions are other drives :)

I would copy everything you wwant to save to the 1tb drive,
remove data cable on the hdd
and clean install win 10 as I have seen resets fail and a clean install is just as fast
reattach hdd once PC boots fine (main reason to remove drives data cable is sometimes win 10 likes to put its boot partition on spare drives, this stops it)

download the Windows 10 media creation tool and use it to make a win 10 installer on USB

boot from installer

follow this guide: https://forums.tomshardware.com/faq/how-to-do-a-clean-installation-of-windows-10.3170366/
 
Solution
Aug 23, 2016
57
9
4,545
pcpartpicker.com
Maybe try doing windows startup repair, you may have accidentally moved your program files, if you dont mind uploading another picture, hold the Windows Logo Key and then Press R (whole holding the windows key still) and a box that says run will show up...

Type safestwindowsdriveletter\windows\system32\cmd.exe /K

A dos prompt will open (command promt)

Type

set
(hit enter)

it will show all your variables, either post a pic or look for a variable called %ProgramFiles% and %ProgramFiles (x86)%

See if they point to "C:\program files" and "C:\program files (x86)" respectively, you will see al lyour local variables such as "Path" , user, etc. look for the one the programs WERE located in and see if its actually the right location.

Also check the "C:\program files" / ( x86) folder to ensure they exist yourself, if not you have a problem and a wipe is the way to go.

If they do you can open them and then right click while they're open and click "Pin to Taskbar", that will replace them...but you want to fix the paths if they're wrong as well.

If you KNOW you had no error in this, likely a virus so you may want to wipe.

Depends on the situation.