Question Reset This PC/ reinstalling windows fails everytime

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ju1c3

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May 7, 2018
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I'm trying to reset one of my old pcs so I can sell it but for some reason, every time I click reset this pc it gets to like 30-40-50-60% done and then just says "undoing changes" resets and then says "there was a problem resetting this pc" and reboots up to the normal desktop. I even tried just reinstalling windows using the installer and it says "windows failed to install" and returns me to the desktop as well. I tried all the CMD commands from yt videos and none of them work. Anyone know why this is happening?
 
Lutfij

Lutfij

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Oct 7, 2009
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Since you're trying to reset and it doesn't work for you, why not recreate your bootable USB installer and reinstall the OS? That way you get the latest version of the OS on the platform.

I even tried just reinstalling windows using the installer and it says "windows failed to install" and returns me to the desktop as well.
Where did you source the installer for the OS?
 
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DSzymborski

DSzymborski

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ju1c3 said:
I'm trying to reset one of my old pcs so I can sell it but for some reason, every time I click reset this pc it gets to like 30-40-50-60% done and then just says "undoing changes" resets and then says "there was a problem resetting this pc" and reboots up to the normal desktop. I even tried just reinstalling windows using the installer and it says "windows failed to install" and returns me to the desktop as well. I tried all the CMD commands from yt videos and none of them work. Anyone know why this is happening?
Click to expand...
Don't "reset" the PC. Freshly install Windows off USB install media.
 
J

ju1c3

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May 7, 2018
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Lutfij said:
Since you're trying to reset and it doesn't work for you, why not recreate your bootable USB installer and reinstall the OS? That way you get the latest version of the OS on the platform.

I even tried just reinstalling windows using the installer and it says "windows failed to install" and returns me to the desktop as well.
Where did you source the installer for the OS?
Click to expand...
Is that any different from using the installer? I got the installer from the microsoft website "Windows 11 Installation Assistant"
 
J

ju1c3

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May 7, 2018
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DSzymborski said:
Don't "reset" the PC. Freshly install Windows off USB install media.
Click to expand...
Oh I forgot to mention, I'm trying to reset it because I have files from my old drive and I want to COMPLETELY remove everything. Freshly installing windows won't do that correct?
 
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ju1c3

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May 7, 2018
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DSzymborski said:
If you're doing a full fresh install properly, as you should be on any PC you're selling, the drive would be wiped before the install starts and there wouldn't be any OS on the drive *to* load.
Click to expand...
While we're on the topic, on my main PC I upgraded my motherboard and was advised on here to do a fresh install of windows. I used the same installer I stated above to reinstall it. Is that not the correct way to do it? I haven't run it any problems YET, but I'm curious if I need to be worried now or not.
 
DSzymborski

DSzymborski

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ju1c3 said:
Oh I forgot to mention, I'm trying to reset it because I have files from my old drive and I want to COMPLETELY remove everything. Freshly installing windows won't do that correct?
Click to expand...
If the install fails and it boots into working Windows, the drive wasn't properly wiped. If the drive was wiped, there wouldn't be a working Windows *to* go back to until the new install was completed properly.

How To - Windows 11 clean install tutorial

Windows 11 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows 11, version 23H2 or newer but can be equally applied to earlier versions which may have some basic differences in the screens you see but will largely remain similar in...
forums.tomshardware.com forums.tomshardware.com
 
J

ju1c3

Honorable
May 7, 2018
136
4
10,585
DSzymborski said:
If the install fails and it boots into working Windows, the drive wasn't properly wiped. If the drive was wiped, there wouldn't be a working Windows *to* go back to until the new install was completed properly.

How To - Windows 11 clean install tutorial

Windows 11 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows 11, version 23H2 or newer but can be equally applied to earlier versions which may have some basic differences in the screens you see but will largely remain similar in...
forums.tomshardware.com forums.tomshardware.com
Click to expand...
hmm. Now I seem to be getting the error right after the installation from the USB finishes stating "Windows could not prepare the computer to boot into the next phase of installation. To install Windows, restart the installation." What does this mean? In the mean time I'm just gonna try again
 
J

jhonadam966

Jan 26, 2024
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ju1c3 said:
I'm trying to reset one of my old pcs so I can sell it but for some reason, every time I click reset this pc it gets to like 30-40-50-60% done and then just says "undoing changes" resets and then says "there was a problem resetting this pc" and reboots up to the normal desktop. I even tried just reinstalling windows using the installer and it says "windows failed to install" and returns me to the desktop as well. I tried all the CMD commands from yt videos and none of them work. Anyone know why this is happening?
Click to expand...
sadly! I am facing the same issue
 
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