Best Way to Reset Laptop without Full Re-Install? Setting up My Laptop for Wife's Business

grang on 05/12/2017 - 01:21

So this is rather embarrassing, as I used to know this stuff and didn't mind the odd all weekend install… but er, kids and no time… so looking for advice.

Have a Dell XPS 12.5 flip screen (touch) — the one with the spinning bezel.
Upgraded to Win10 on the free upgrade. Run office 2013 home use (the home program).

So I set this laptop up for my use, and has many configs personal and files, etc.

I'd like to clean it up for my wife to use exclusively for her business (I rarely use it). (She + parnter also just got new 27" screen + my existing Dell 2913, nice desk, an old Synology station setup as a cloud replication between systems and AWS glacier cloud backup over night)

About this laptop then
Option 1: Delete all data files in documents, Desktop, download, etc. Create a new user. Delete old users
Option 2: ? Restore last known config? This seems to clear out the installs? Will require reinstall of chrome + PDF readers etc + office
Option 3: ?
Option 4: Re-image - I'd like to avoid if possible. Not even sure how to reinstall windows 10 onto this machine that doesn't have a DVD drive.

What would you do for good efficiency, less effort?

Computing

Comments

  • ozhunter on 05/12/2017 - 01:37
    +8

    https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/reset-windows-10-pc

    Settings/Update and Security/Recovery/Reset this PC

    Click either "Keep my files" or "Remove everything," depending on whether you want to keep your data files intact. Either way, all of your settings will return to their defaults and apps will be uninstalled.

    Haven't tried this way in a while but I remembered it pretty much being just as good as formatting the pc.

  • AdamFury on 05/12/2017 - 01:55
    +2

    Whatever option you choose check out Ninite

    https://ninite.com/

    You can select what programs you are after and press download. It creates and installer that will go and install every program for you. Use this on all my fresh PC's

    • HighAndDry on 05/12/2017 - 10:43

      This is both amazing and terrifying. Amazing because yes I'll certainly be using this the next time I set up a new PC (instead of dl'ing dozens of apps separately), but terrifying because sites being compromised to inject viruses is a growing phenomenon and that would be incredibly dangerous on a site like this.

      • BadGiraffe on 05/12/2017 - 13:48
        +1

        I've used it for years. It's safe. If you're worried though, it's not hard to download the basics from their sources. The first things I install are usually Chrome, Firefox, AVG and LibreOffice. Those 4 would get most average users going.

  • Richardc on 05/12/2017 - 04:08
    +1

    with a usb drive
    https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/software-download/windows10

  • BadGiraffe on 05/12/2017 - 13:50

    So what does this PC run on anyway? If it's Win8.1, you can still get Win10 for free if you choose the assistive features version.

    https://www.cnet.com/au/how-to/microsoft-windows-10-free-upg…

    EDIT: Free from Windows 7 too.

  • grang on 06/12/2017 - 01:12

    Thanks all. Great info.
    really like - https://ninite.com/

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