When something goes wrong and you need to do a factory reset, Windows 8 will now have the ability to do a refresh or reset of the installation in a streamlined process. Microsoft revealed this new feature in a new Building Windows 8 blog post.
“We’ve built two new features in Windows 8 that can help you get your PCs back to a “good state” when they’re not working their best, or back to the “factory state” when you’re about to give them to someone else or decommission them,” Microsoft stated in an official blog post.
Microsoft wanted Windows 8 to deliver a consistent experience when it comes to getting software on Windows 8 back to a “good and predictable state.” Microsoft also set out to streamline the reset process so that “all the things customers care about can be done quickly instead of taking up the whole day.” On top of that, Microsoft wanted the process to be customizable and safe from data loss.
In Windows 8, we will get to see two new features that aim to make it easy to restore Windows 8 to its factory state. The first option, Reset your PC, allows you to remove all personal data, apps, and settings from the PC, and reinstall Windows. The second option, Refresh your PC, allows you to keep all personal data, Metro style apps, and important settings from the PC, and reinstall Windows.
“In Windows 8 Beta, there will also be a tool that you can use to create a bootable USB flash drive, in case even the copy of Windows RE on the hard drive won’t start. You’ll be able to start your PC with the USB drive, and fix problems by refreshing your PC or performing advanced troubleshooting. And if your PC comes with a hidden recovery partition, you’ll even have the option to remove it and reclaim disk space once you’ve created the USB drive,” Microsoft added.
