To eliminate various bugs & fix problems, the users choose to reset their Windows to its default state.
But sometimes, “There was a problem resetting your PC” error message can prevent you from resetting your PC successfully.
If you come across this problem, do not worry, as there are plenty of solutions to fix the issue.
Here I have discussed all the possible solutions when you cannot reset your PC. So, keep reading!
What To Do When Windows 10 Reset Fails?
Follow the solutions discussed below and perform the steps when there was a problem resetting your PC.
Preliminary Step 1: Run A Startup Repair
Run a startup repair when there was a problem resetting your pc no changes were made. This can fix problems that are preventing Windows reset.
To run the startup repair, follow the steps given below:
- If you cannot boot normally, you can use a bootable device to boot into your PC after the Windows Logo appears.
- Then select the Repair your Computer option.
- This will take you to the Advanced Startup Recovery menu. Select Troubleshoot from this menu.
- Go to Advanced Options and select Startup Repair, as shown below.
Windows will start the repair process. After the process completes, restart your PC.
Preliminary Step 2: Enter Into Safe Mode
If you cannot boot into Windows normally, then try entering safe mode.
Safe mode will open your PC only with the absolutely necessary apps and services. It will disable everything else. This way, you will be able to trace the exact problem.
Now follow the given steps to enter Safe Mode:
- Select Troubleshoot from the Advanced Startup Recovery Menu.
- Next select Advanced Options > Startup Settings > Restart.
- Press F5 from your keyboard to enter Safe Mode with the networking option.
After entering Safe Mode, follow the rest of the solutions to reset your PC.
1) Use SFC & DISM Scans
Corrupted system files can prevent resetting your PC. Your Windows may get stuck during the resetting process, or you may see, ‘There was a problem resetting your PC’ sort of error message.
To fix the issue, run an SFC scan to repair the corrupted system files.
To do that, follow the steps given below:
- Enter cmd in the Windows search box and right-click on Command Prompt. Choose to run it as an administrator.
- Copy & paste or type sfc /scannow in the elevated Command Prompt window and press Enter.
Wait till the scan gets completed. If after the SFC scan, Windows 10 reset fails, run the DISM scan.
Windows images can sometimes get corrupted and cause problems while resetting your Windows PC.
DISM check health command repairs Windows corrupted images. So, run the DISM scan to fix it.
Follow the steps below to do so:
- Open an elevated Command Prompt window and enter the following command:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
- Press Enter and wait for the scan to get finished.
You will see a message when the scan finishes. It will either mention corruption or no corrupted was detected.
2) Perform A System Restore
If you have created a system restore point before the issue, then revert to it.
To perform a system restore, follow the steps as given:
- Enter Control Panel in the Windows search box and select the top option.
- Click on Recovery as I have shown in the picture below.
- Choose Open System Restore and click Next. Select a restore point.
- Save the changes by clicking on the Next button and then on Finish.
3) Use Windows Defender To Refresh Windows
With the Refresh Windows tool, you can easily reinstall Windows 10. This is a part of the Windows Defender app for Windows 10.
This Refresh option is like the “Reset this PC” option.
The difference between the two features is that resetting this PC option asks you if you want to keep the personal files and the Refresh option deletes everything else keeping your files.
So, when Windows 10 reset fails, refresh your Windows with Windows Defender.
- Press Windows + I keys to open Settings. Select the Update & Security option.
- Click on the Windows Security option from the left pane.
- From the right side panel, select the Device performance & health option.
- Next, click on Additional info from the bottom left corner.
- Click on the Get started button.
Follow the on-screen instructions to refresh your pc. Restoring your PC will remove most of the files, so make sure to back them up before proceeding.
4) Repair WinRE Image
If the Windows Recovery Environment gets corrupted, then this can also prevent you from resetting Windows.
To fix the problem, repair WinRE Image following the steps given below:
- Open an elevated Command prompt window and enter the following line of commands one by one. Press Enter after each command:
reagentc /disable
reagentc /enable
- After running the above commands, try to reset your PC.
5) Use A Disc Or Flash Drive To Install Windows
If you still cannot reset your PC after all the above methods, install Windows using a flash drive or a disc.
You can easily wipe the entire drive and reinstall Windows with the installation media.
Connect the USB stick or insert a CD, then choose the Reset option.
Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the resetting process.
Frequently Asked Questions [FAQs]
Here are some commonly asked questions by users who encountered problems while resetting their Windows.
- Is PC worth resetting?
Yes, resetting the PC is a good idea to fix Windows-related problems.
This will help you get rid of the tons of data stored on your PC over time.
- Can you manually reset a PC?
Yes, you can manually reset a PC. To do so, click on the Windows Start button >Open Settings >Update & Security > Recovery.
Click on the Get Started button under the Reset This PC option from the Recovery section.
- Can you turn off your PC during the reset process?
It is better not to turn off your PC during a reset process.
This may result in an unresponsive screen, and you will have to clean and reinstall the Windows.
Closing Up
Let us know which of the above methods helped you to fix the problem when Windows reset failed.
For any further queries, ask us in the comments section provided below, and we shall revert soon with answers.
