

If you are keeping the computer, you can proceed directly to resetting the hard drive back to a fresh version of Windows. But if you plan to sell or give the computer away, you’ll want to take extra precaution to make sure the data stored on your PC is inaccessible to the computer’s next owner. If you have a hard disk drive (HDD), it will be thoroughly erased when you refresh Windows. If you see an option for “Device Encryption,” click it and follow the instructions to encrypt your hard drive.īut if your computer has a solid-state drive (SSD) - and virtually all computers sold in the last few years do - you’ll have to take an extra step to ensure your old data can’t be recovered even after it’s erased - you should encrypt it.If Device Encryption isn’t an option for your PC, you might be able to turn on BitLocker, depending on which version of Windows 10 you have.Click “BitLocker settings” and follow the directions to enable it. If the link takes you to the Microsoft Store to purchase Windows 10 Pro, BitLocker won’t be an option without paying for the upgrade. Obtain or create a Windows installation disc or USB drive. The easiest way to wipe your computer and start over is to use a Windows installation disc or USB drive.Windows – Wipe Clean a Computer and Start Over #How to wipe a mac clean without command r windows 10# This will need to be the same version of Windows that you currently have installed.

For example, if you use Windows 7 you’ll need a Windows 7 installation disc.

Windows 7 – Use your product key to download the ISO file from Microsoft.You’ll need a blank DVD or a USB drive with at least 4 GB of storage: You can either use the disc that came with your computer, or you can create one yourself. Windows 8 – Visit the Microsoft Windows 8.1 download page and click the “Create media” button.Then download the Windows DVD/USB Download Tool to create an installation DVD or USB drive using the ISO file that you just downloaded. Run the tool and follow the prompts to download and create an installation DVD or USB drive. #How to wipe a mac clean without command r windows 10#.#How to wipe a mac clean without command r how to#.
