Windows Refresh or Reset question

[sportsfan]

Hi All,
I have Windows 8.1 on my laptop. I have very little installed on my PC other than :-
No Windows Store Apps (I don't use them)
A few desktop games and other desktop programmes
Apache OpenOffice installed instead of Microsoft Office
Mcafee Livesafe Internet Security.
In my case is the Windows Refresh option pointless? If I have any Windows problems in the future am I better off just using the Windows Reset option instead.
The only thing I can see as a possible advantage of Refresh over a Reset in my case is maybe saving me having to redownload the latest Nvidia graphics drivers and any other updated drivers etc.
Does a Windows Refresh preserve all of the downloaded Windows Updates (in my case on a slow connection about 3 hours of a job including installing them) or even with a Refresh do you end up having to download all the Windows Updates from scratch to bring your system back up to date?

 

[KYHI]

Refresh will over write the OS and keep your files and programs
Reset will wipe the OS and start fresh

 

[sportsfan]

Yeah I know that but does refresh wipe out all windows updates as well so that you have to download them all again. If that's the case I cant really see much of an advantage to me using Refresh over Reset as I don't have any Windows Store type apps installed.. only desktop ones

 

[brooksndun]

I'm guessing it does.. when you wash your sheets on your bed, do you just wash the bed sheets and not do the pillow cases?

but maybe someone truly knows if it does..

But the whole point of a refresh I assume bring windows back to an original install state but with your "files" still on the hardrdive..

you will probably still have to reinstall things that aren't detected properly.

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong.. but I think that's how it goes..

backup your computer now with Macrium Free.. and then try the Refresh.. see how it goes..

 

[Steve C]

You have a third option which is an in place repair install. See http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/26095-repair-install-windows-8-a.html You can obtain the Windows 8.1 ISO needed via Option 1 here http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/18309-windows-8-windows-8-1-iso-download-create.html

 

[sportsfan]

Hi Steve. My system is a Dell. When I bought the laptop the first thing I did was backup the factory image to a USB flash drive. I realise that the main reason for doing this is in case you have a problem with the hard drive in the future and it has to be replaced. The USB drive can then be used to restore the factory image to a new drive. Could the same factory image on the USB drive be used to do a repair install or have I misunderstood something?

 

[Steve C]

I also have a Dell laptop. The factory restore image includes all the Dell programs you don't get with Windows. I would do a repair install using the latest Windows ISO from the Media Creation Tool since the Windows files will be more up to date than the Dell factory image. Note I stopped using Dell Backup since every time you run it a new disk partition is created - see http://www.eightforums.com/performa...ackup-recovery-keeps-creating-partitions.html

I now prefer to use Macrium Reflect Free for backup which is more versatile and reliable.