Question Reset PC - Keep files option wants to remove apps from other disks and partitions

[cozz95]

From what I understood and from what I found online Reset and keep my files should just remove files from the partition Windows is on and even keep personal files there (C:/ for me). But when I select it, it gives me a list of apps which will be removed and it is basically all the apps and programs on my PC across all disks and partitions (I have to other disks D:/ and E:/ and a F:/ partition on the same disk as Windows). So, what the hell?

Edit: I want to reset pc (reinstall windows) because I changed my cpu, ram and motherboard and I'm getting full pc freezes under high load, when doing AIDA64 test or when trying to play a video game. Sometimes the freezes are seemingly random, e.g. got a few just browsing the web. So I want to rule out windows being the problem. Temperatures are also fine, so I'm just going one thing at a time and discarding them as the problem. Might create a new thread if I don't find a solution.

 

[PC Tailor]

It keeps personal files not software.
It has to delete some software in order to clean install the OS, then it puts your personal files back in place.

 

[cozz95]

That's how I understood it at first but after I searched if it would delete date from other disks all I found was people saying that it doesn't even touch partitions other than the one windows is on, let alone other disks. Would it be possible just to disconnect my other drives the reconnect them after the reset?
What I'm currently going to do is use windows creation tool and use the Upgrade my PC now option which seemingly lets you keep all your files and programs while reinstalling windows. Is that maybe good enough?

 

[USAFRet]

Why are you wanting to do this? What issue are you trying to fix?
An inplace 'reset' may or may not be your solution.

Disconnecting other drives obviously lets them stay as is. But if you have other partitions on that same physical drive, bad things might happen.
Especially if you have "programs" installed in those partitions.

 

[cozz95]

Why are you wanting to do this? What issue are you tryingg to fix?
An inplace 'reset' may or may not be your solution.

I edited my original post just after posting it with an answer to this specific question.
Also, I just got a blue screen of death as I was writing this, with nothing special running except windows creating tool downloading its thing

Disconnecting other drives obviously lets them stay as is. But if you have other partitions on that same physical drive, bad things might happen.
Especially if you have "programs" installed in those partitions.

My two separate drives have no partitions so they would be fine.

 

[USAFRet]

Edit: I want to reset pc (reinstall windows) because I changed my cpu, ram and motherboard

And you're getting bluescreens?

That would be a complete reinstall. Not a "reset".
All the stuff on the target drive will be gone.
Any applications will need to be reinstall, no matter what partition or drive they may live on.

 

[cozz95]

Damn, that does suck. But I did get another freeze as I was reading your reply. Would disconnecting other drives help with a full reinstall?
I would very much like to see if the problem might be in something else before doing this. Might you have an idea, or should I start another thread for that?

 

[USAFRet]

Damn, that does suck. But I did get another freeze as I was reading your reply. Would disconnecting other drives help with a full reinstall?
I would very much like to see if the problem might be in something else before doing this. Might you have an idea, or should I start another thread for that?

For a full reinstall, you NEED to disconnect all other physical drives.

Read through this a time or two:

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[cozz95]

Oh, good to know. Just to be sure, when I do reconnect those drives back, programs on them will work as intended even with the "new" windows?
Also, I have an USB with the tool but I made it probably a year ago on my old motherboard, cpu and ram, and an older version of windows. Does that matter?

 

[USAFRet]

Oh, good to know. Just to be sure, when I do reconnect those drives back, programs on them will work as intended even with the "new" windows?
Also, I have an USB with the tool but I made it probably a year ago on my old motherboard, cpu and ram, and an older version of windows. Does that matter?

Programs? Absolutely not. Your new OS and its registry knows nothing about them. Whatever drive or partition they live on...they WILL need to be reinstalled.
(and no, you can't magically import your old registry into the new OS. Doesn't work like that.)

If you can, it is better to create a new USB. Otherwise, you'll have to go through several rounds of Updates with that year old install version.

 

[cozz95]

Got it. Thanks for the help. Though I will keep this as the last resort for now. I'll try the upgrade my pc with the creation tool first and keep all my stuff for now, if that doesn't work I'll look further into any possible hardware problems and only if that comes up with nothing will I do a complete reinstall.

 

[USAFRet]

Given a new motherboard, a clean install is the fastest and best solution.

When changing parts like this, there are 3 possible outcomes:

1. It boots up just fine.
2. It fails completely
3. It boots up, but you're chasing issues for weeks.

I've seen all 3.

You're at #2.

 

[cozz95]

I still have some hope left, at this point I'd rather it be I have to return the mobo or cpu then to have to reinstall everything.
Maybe I'm at #3 or maybe I'll be chasing problems for days and come back to this. I'd rather try everything else first than do a complete reinstall and find out it solved nothing, no matter how probable it is that it would.

 

[USAFRet]

Unless it it is the unlikely event of an actual hardware fail, a reinstall is the answer.

 

[cozz95]

I do believe you. Just let me be hopeful for now