If I get a new Win10 computer, filled with bloatware, can I reset the factory installed Windows and create the equivalent of a clean install, getting rid of all the flotsam and jetsam?
Windows 10 – Reset New Computer to Remove Bloatware
clean-installfactory-defaultswindows 10
Best Answer
Yes, you can... and it is relatively easy to do.
I faced the exact same scenario last year when I purchased a new laptop with Windows 10 installed. I utilized the Fresh Start function that is already built into Windows 10:
Since
Fresh Start
was introduced when Windows 10 version 1703 (a.k.a. the Creators Update) was initially released, any new computer that you buy now which is preloaded with Windows 10 should already have that capability.Before you initiate a
Fresh Start
on your new computer, please remember that it is essentially a clean install of Windows and you should heed a few important warnings:Creating a backup of your new computer's device drivers might be the most important thing to do prior to reinstalling a Windows operating system. Within every Windows workstation operating system since the release of Vista in November 2006, the DriverStore folder has made this process relatively easy without the need for any third-party software. Copy the following folder to a DVD-R or an external USB drive:
This folder will provide you with a comprehensive backup of all the pertinent device drivers installed on that computer.
After your backups are complete, you can launch
Fresh Start
in the following way:Sources:
Fresh Start Windows 10 (TenForums Tutorials)
How to Easily Reinstall Windows 10 Without the Bloatware (How-To Geek)
After the operating system has been reloaded, you can temporarily attach your DriverStore backup media to the computer and restore any missing drivers in this manner:
Within
Device Manager
, right-click each missing device and select Update driver software...On the next screen select Browse my computer for driver software.
Navigate to the temporary location of that
DriverStore
folder, ensure that the box is checked toInclude subfolders
and click Next.Follow the same procedure for every problematic device, and each driver will be installed successfully.