Question Resetting PC with windows installed on aftermarket SSD

[Sage88]

Hi,

I haven't had much luck on google with this so I figured I would try here.

I usually reset my PC once a year before school begins.

Last year I installed a 256 GB SSD which my OS (windows 10) is now on, and I use the stock 1 TB HDD as storage. I would like to reset and clean both drives, but keep a few apps and files. Ideally, I keep the apps and files that I want but get rid of the junk that I don't need. Can I do this via "Reset PC"?
This was easy with the one HDD, however I am nervous to damage the SSD or screw up windows by doing this with my OS booted to the SSD.

So, will this work or is it to easy to be true? If yes, is there any precautions or things I should be aware of?

Any information and tips are much appreciated.

 

[gn842a]

It's hard to do anything with the OS that won't annihilate your apps. I think windows does TELL you what it is about to do when you do a restore/repair. For files, the smartest thing to do IME is keep a seprate drive for your data files so that in situations like this you need not worry about them. And have an external backup.

For apps you're looking at new installations.

I'm not sure why you're doing this. I ran a desktop for six years without doing that. And when it failed, it failed because I blundered badly on the psu install, nothing to do with OS. I think an OS on an SSD is pretty stable.

You could make a mirror once a year with a good deal less aggro. But of course any theoretical issues in the OS files would be copied into the mirror.

 

[USAFRet]

First, you verify that the system boots with only the SSD connected.
Physicall disconnect all other drives, power up.

Does it boot correctly?

 

[gn842a]

Remember that your SSD does not fragment files the way your HDD does so it's a whole different ball game in terms of how it holds together. If the system restore is on the relatively minimal defragging that an SSD needs is done automatically.

 

[mdd1963]

Unless you've infected your system and/or cluttered it with numerous unneeded applications and utilities, there is little to no advantage in 'resetting' a system every 'x' months....excluding gaining practice at reinstalling everything, and perhaps you just like the experience. (Nothing wrong with that, I enjoy doing it on others' systems for money, just not my own, which has been going strong for 2.5 years)

As for 'refreshing/resetting' you are either doing a 'nuke and pave' which loses everything, or a reinstall where you keep your personal files, but still reinstall all applications...

As Windows only takes about 5 minutes to fully fresh install to SSD from a USB installer these days, there is little difference between delete partitions/fresh reinstall or 'reinstall/keep my files'

If determined to 'nuke and pave' every 9-11 months, you might save some time by taking a fresh image (via Macrium, Acronis, Clonezilla, etc) just after you've installed all applications/utilities/browsers, etc., you know you want installed. You can then restore that image, and save yourself all the time reinstalling everything ancillary to the OS. (However, as new/updated WIndows versions come every 6 months or so, you'll still spend hours watching updates and major version updates occur, etc)

 

[Sage88]

Thanks for all the replies, I think I'll just leave everything for now until I notice anything wrong. The reason I typically reset my PC is mostly because I get bored, and I like the "new" feeling afterword's. I think I'll just save my self the hassle this year lol.