factory reset??

[mutantpoodle]

we have an old laptop that is very slkow and not really used much anyore
I was wondering about doing a 'factory reset' and having it simple as a back up/store option in case of collapse on main day to day laptop

I realise I would lose all of photos/files etc
but
would a factory reset have internet browser..ie so I could download my preferred browser

and I assume that it would not have the millions of windows 10 updates???
so
would I then have hours and hours of downloading/switching on/off numerous times etc to do before sorted?

[servodude]

we have an old laptop that is very slkow and not really used much anyore
I was wondering about doing a 'factory reset' and having it simple as a back up/store option in case of collapse on main day to day laptop

I realise I would lose all of photos/files etc
but
would a factory reset have internet browser..ie so I could download my preferred browser

and I assume that it would not have the millions of windows 10 updates???
so
would I then have hours and hours of downloading/switching on/off numerous times etc to do before sorted?

You'll probably be better off getting a hold of up to date W10 installation media and doing a fresh install on the machine
- I know I was when my daughter's school laptop was put back to factory image when she moved to a newer one (they do that for licensing reasons)

the factory reset method had left us with a laptop that was unusable due to various things; mostly though the factory installed Norton that didn't take kindly to having had the rug pulled from under it

Creating install media in another machine and replacing the OS just worked (we tried a couple of different Linux in the interim but there was some reason she needed it back to W10)
- and the install is as up to date as the machine it was created on; so no re-download of updates required

-sd

[eepee]

Why are you going to lose personal stuff?

If it is just slow (i.e. working) you should be able to do a backup of the bits you want to save.

For the future, consider ignoring the OS 'helpful' suggestions for saving items such as 'Pictures', 'Documents' etc..

Create a series of folders on your C: drive called for example, AllPhotos, AllDocs, AllPdfs and so on .

Then from time to time, just back-up the folders called 'Allxxxx' which will all appear together near the top of your C: drive and can thus be grabbed as a single block.

Regards,
ep

[Gerry557]

or if you only have 1 hard drive consider making a partition.

Install the os on one and keep all data on the other. You can reset the os drive and keep the data one as is.

Its still good to havea back up regiment and consider fire safety. No point in the back ups being destroyed when the house burns down!

[mutantpoodle]

yes i understand and many thanks
when i said lose stuff I only meant on the machine...yes photos etc already backed up to memory pens

ideas soound complicated for me but will try and find a newer machine with windows 10 on from which to copy

thanks again, I k ow i can et it done for £60 all bang uptodate and I know that it works well
i was just wondering if 'I' could do it!!

[didds]

IIRC quite often factory resets ioftebn give an option to keep all existintg persoanl files - but these wold need to be in the expcetd windows default folders Id imagine .

didds