If you’re having problems with your PC, you can try to reset it. It’s faster and more convenient than reinstalling Windows from scratch or using your manufacturer’s recovery partition. However, although factory reset will help to reinstall Windows, it will delete your files, settings, and apps—except for the apps that came with your PC. So well, if you don’t want to lose any data after factory resetting, you had to back up all needed data before resetting your PC.
Backup Files before Factory Resetting PC
Let’s start with a true example from Seven Forum, as shown below:
Hello
I want to restore my laptop back to its factory settings. I know how to do this however I want to make sure I don’t lose anything in the process.
I have the Operating System Recovery DVD which came with my laptop and I also have a Drivers, Manuals and Utilities DVD which came with the laptop.
I have copied my favorites onto an external HDD.
I have moved all my files (such as music, videos, pictures, word documents etc.) onto an external HDD.
I have copied all the installation files for the programs I have onto an external HDD.
Is there anything else I need to do? For example do I need to take a copy of any of the OS files or are they all on the aforementioned DVDs?
Thanks
Fraser
Now, Fraser don’t need to worry about too much it, since he can turn to MiniTool Partition Wizard to clone one disk to another disk with ease to backup all files as well as programs before factory resetting his computer. Detailed steps are shown below:
First, download MiniTool Partition Wizard, install it on computer, and then launch it.
Second, select the disk which needs copying and click “Copy Disk” feature from the Operations.
Third, select a new disk to save the copy data, and then choose a suitable copy options.(picture as below)
Finally, click “Apply” to perform all changes.
Thus, all work has been done.
Summary
Factory resetting indeed can help you when your PC freezes, crashes, locks up, is running slowly, infected with virus, but you had better backup all needed files with MiniTool Partition Wizard before setting in case of data loss.
NOTE: If there is no backup and your data are lost after factory resetting, you might be interested in this post: Can I Recover Personal Files After Factory Reset Laptop.