PC Refresh, almost every week

TheGrantFitz

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I've used PC Refresh since CP on my dual-boot and it really helps to use that handy feature, but reinstalling is more dangerous. Keep your Windows 7/8 Product Key for the upgrade.

How do you feel?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro, iOS 7.1, Elementary OS
    Computer type
    Tablet
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Apple
    Memory
    1 GB
    Screen Resolution
    2048x1536
    Other Info
    iPad Air
I think refresh is an upgraded version of system restore. I used it last night to troubleshoot an issue with WPA2 i've been having. Turns out I was missing some important files and it prompted me to insert my installation media. This morning i'm doing a full format and reinstall just to be safe because after the refresh It was giving me some weird errors.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro x64
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom Built by me
    CPU
    QX9770 @ 4.3ghz
    Motherboard
    EVGA 780i A1
    Memory
    4gb Corsair XMS2 DDR800 @ 1.0ghz
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA 8800GT SSC SLI
    Sound Card
    Soundblaster Live Xtreme Gamer
    Monitor(s) Displays
    22" Samsung LED LCD
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    2 x 150GB WD Raptors in Raid 0 (OS)
    1 x 750GB Hitachi (Storage)
    PSU
    Enermax Galaxy 1000watt
    Case
    Lian Li Extended ATX
    Cooling
    Thermalright Ultra 120 with 2 x 120MM fans
    Keyboard
    Dell Soft touch USB
    Mouse
    Dell Optical USB
    Internet Speed
    FIOS 40Mb down / 40Mb Up
I think refresh is an upgraded version of system restore. I used it last night to troubleshoot an issue with WPA2 i've been having. Turns out I was missing some important files and it prompted me to insert my installation media. This morning i'm doing a full format and reinstall just to be safe because after the refresh It was giving me some weird errors.

Most regular house hold PC's and tablets don't use "System Restore" before it's too late. MS forgot a lot, but not there Windows.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro, iOS 7.1, Elementary OS
    Computer type
    Tablet
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Apple
    Memory
    1 GB
    Screen Resolution
    2048x1536
    Other Info
    iPad Air

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    64-bit Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self built
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K OC'd to 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    OCZ Series Gold OCZZ1000M 1000W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Malwarebyte Anti-Malware Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro, iOS 7.1, Elementary OS
    Computer type
    Tablet
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Apple
    Memory
    1 GB
    Screen Resolution
    2048x1536
    Other Info
    iPad Air
I'll probably stick with the combination of creating regular system-restore points, and
doing a full system image once a month (or more often if major changes are made).

Using this backup strategy, my Windows 7 Ultimate setup hasn't needed a re-install
since I originally installed it in 2009.

My C: drive contains nothing but the OS and installed programs and apps. Everything
else happens on the D: drive which is also backed-up monthly.

I've been applying the same strategy on this machine with W8 Enterprise RTM, and
it seems to work just as well here as on the W7 machine.

However, I will have a 'play' with the new refresh option at some stage, and check it out.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Enterprise 64-bit (7 Ult, Vista & XP in V-Box)
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire Ethos AS8951G 'Super-Laptop'.
    CPU
    Intel Sandy-Bridge i7-2670QM quad-core
    Motherboard
    Acer
    Memory
    8GB DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel 3000HD / Ge-Force GT555M 2 gigs
    Sound Card
    Realtek/5.1 Dolby built-in including speakers.
    Monitor(s) Displays
    18.4" full-HD
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1024
    Hard Drives
    2x750GB Toshiba internal, 1x500GB Seagate external, 1x2TB Seagate external, 1x640GB Toshiba pocket-drive, 1x640GB Samsung pocket drive.
    PSU
    Stock
    Case
    Laptop
    Cooling
    Air-cooled
    Mouse
    I/R cordless.
    Internet Speed
    Borderline pathetic.
I'll probably stick with the combination of creating regular system-restore points, and
doing a full system image once a month (or more often if major changes are made).

Using this backup strategy, my Windows 7 Ultimate setup hasn't needed a re-install
since I originally installed it in 2009.

My C: drive contains nothing but the OS and installed programs and apps. Everything
else happens on the D: drive which is also backed-up monthly.

I also have a G: drive in which I back up setups, programs, documents, ISO files of Windows 8 and Ubuntu, etc.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro, iOS 7.1, Elementary OS
    Computer type
    Tablet
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Apple
    Memory
    1 GB
    Screen Resolution
    2048x1536
    Other Info
    iPad Air
I think MS included it because most people do not make images.

Refresh is nowhere near as good as having an image - but it is a bit less traumatic than a full reinstall.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    7/8/ubuntu/Linux Deepin
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
My plan would be to stick with my images. However, having to actually restore an image is a rareity for me. Unsure why you would have to refresh so often. It's a bit easier for me, as my machines stay clean as I pretty much test and do most of everything in a VM.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self-Built in July 2009
    CPU
    Intel Q9550 2.83Ghz OC'd to 3.40Ghz
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R rev. 1.1, F12 BIOS
    Memory
    8GB G.Skill PI DDR2-800, 4-4-4-12 timings
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA 1280MB Nvidia GeForce GTX570
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC899A 8 channel onboard audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    23" Acer x233H
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Intel X25-M 80GB Gen 2 SSD
    Western Digital 1TB Caviar Black, 32MB cache. WD1001FALS
    PSU
    Corsair 620HX modular
    Case
    Antec P182
    Cooling
    stock
    Keyboard
    ABS M1 Mechanical
    Mouse
    Logitech G9 Laser Mouse
    Internet Speed
    15/2 cable modem
    Other Info
    Windows and Linux enthusiast. Logitech G35 Headset.
Refresh for Windows 8 is like doing a repair install (in-place upgrade) with Windows 7. Basically the same, but now an included feature in Windows 8 with more options. :)

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2293-refresh-windows-8-a.html

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/3610-refresh-windows-8-create-use-custom-recovery-image.html

I would like to point out it's a bit more radical than the old Repair Install trick.

-Refresh seems to almost totally nuke the Registry, as opposed to Repair Install, which actually makes an even bigger mess there.
-Refresh removes almost ALL your programs and settings physically from the disk, instead of moving them to Windows.old.

Basically, use with caution and back up any program info and settings before hitting that button. I know I cried a lot when my programs were wiped as opposed to just moved to Windows.old and I couldn't restore my settings back.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Enterprise
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom Built
    CPU
    i7 920
    Motherboard
    DX58SO
    Memory
    Kingston 8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Gainward GTX580 Phantom
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG D2342P-PN
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Seagate Barracuda 1.5TB
    Seagate Barracuda 500GB - eSATA
    PSU
    Corsair 850W
    Keyboard
    Razer Anansi
    Mouse
    Razer Naga Epic
    Internet Speed
    50Mbps/50Mbps
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