After a long use it can happen to find yourself with a slow computer, despite a high level hardware and constant updates. This is because, over the years, Windows accumulates many unnecessary files and some system files no longer work as they should, making it necessary to restore to factory settings. A dedicated recovery partition is usually available on most laptops and any branded desktop PC, restoring the computer to factory settings ; on other PCs, on the other hand, a recovery CD or DVD is provided, to be used if necessary. If, however, we do not want to resort to a new installation or if we do not have the Windows installation disk, in this guide we will show you how to return the computer as new to its original state with a manual procedure . This method is not faster than a complete installation but it allows you to safeguard your personal files, so that you can immediately start again with a fast and taken system.
READ ALSO: Factory reset on PC and laptops (Acer, Asus, HP, Dell, Lenovo, Toshiba etc.)
How to restore Windows 10
In order to restore a computer with Windows 10 to its original settings, click on the Start menu at the bottom left, search for the Settings app then go to the Update and security -> Restore path and click on the Start button, present under the Reset the section PC .
The system will present a selection screen, where it will be possible to choose whether to restore and keep the user's files (with the item Keep my files ) or whether to completely format the system, so as to have Windows 10 new and ready to use, such as just purchased (with the item Remove all ). After making the choice, the system will ask for further confirmation and then the recovery procedure will begin, which may take a few hours (depends on the size of the disk and the presence or absence of an SSD, faster than a mechanical disk).
If instead the operating system does not start anymore (due to a virus, a driver or a sudden block), Windows 10 will automatically load the recovery console after two failed reboots (so we still try to start Windows by pressing the power button or the reset button at least twice). In the window that appears, click on Troubleshoot and click on Reset PC .
The rest of the procedure is identical to when seen inside the operating system, with the possibility of choosing whether or not to keep personal files.
If this method doesn't work, we can perform a clean installation of Windows 10 using a USB stick prepared for the purpose, as illustrated in our guide How to install Windows 10 from USB . After inserting the stick into a USB port and starting the PC with the right boot order, we wait for the installation interface to load, select the Italian language, skip the step where we are asked for the license then click Custom: install Windows only (advanced option) .
In the new screen all the partitions on the disk will appear; all we have to do is select the partition where there is a broken Windows and click Next on the bottom. The installer will warn us that, during the clean installation, the old personal files will be saved in the Windows.old folder, so that they can be recovered after the recovery; confirm with OK and wait for the end of the recovery, so you can go back to using Windows 10 without any problem.
READ ALSO: Format a Windows 10 PC
How to restore Windows 7
To restore a non-functioning Windows 7 we have two methods: use the last configuration that is definitely working or restore the system from boot CD or USB, as if we were to do a new system installation.
To use the last working configuration saved by Windows 7, we turn on the computer and repeatedly press F8 until the advanced system options appear; if in the meantime a boot screen appears, we immediately select the hard disk where the system is present by continuing to press F8 repeatedly, until the required screen appears.
As soon as the screen will be displayed on our monitor, we use the directional keys on the keyboard to select the item Last configuration certainly working, then we click Enter to start the recovery of this mode.
If not even so the system starts or is restored, we will have to get the disk image of Windows 7, burn it to CD or USB stick, insert the media into the non-functioning PC, start the computer, set the boot order and wait for the installer to finish loading.
As soon as the initial window appears, we select the Italian language, we skip the license request, we choose the right version of Windows 7 (since we have decided to continue without a license) and, in the options screen, we select the Custom item (expert users) .
In the new window select The system will proceed to restore all the system files, without touching the personal files; after a few minutes we will have our Windows 7 restored and ready to use, as if it had just left the factory we will have to repeat the steps already seen for Windows 10, that is select the non-functioning Windows partition and click Next . Old personal files will be saved inside the Windows.old folder, so that you can recover them without problems; confirm with OK and wait for the end of the recovery, so we can go back to using Windows 7.
READ ALSO: Format and install Windows from scratch, to have a clean and new PC
Conclusions
As we have seen, restoring Windows 10 and Windows 7 requires a few steps and it is an operation that we can carry out without losing our personal files, which will be saved in a dedicated folder. Following these steps you can make your computer come back like new.In another guide we showed you How to solve problems on your PC without formatting and losing data, in which there are most of the steps that we have already illustrated.
If we fear that our data may be lost during a restore, we recommend that you use dedicated backup programs, so that you can always have a copy of your important files without having to wait for the computer to make tantrums; in this regard, we can read our guide to the Best Programs to make automatic and incremental free backups .
READ ALSO: Reset Windows by returning to the initial settings
