If you’re ever feeling like your computer is acting up and you can’t seem to fix it, there’s a good chance that your Windows reset might be the answer. But before you do anything, be sure to read this article first. There are a few things you can do in order to make sure that your Windows reset is safe and effective. First, make sure that you’re not using any of the following methods to reset your computer:
- Overwriting your original data or deleting important files. This will void any warranty or protection that may have been granted by Microsoft.
- Use a software program that is not specifically designed for resetting computers. These programs can often cause serious damage to your computer if they are used incorrectly.
- Use an online service or store that offers a Windows reset service in order to avoid any potential problems with the process itself. These services usually require some form of verification before starting the process, so be sure to check out their website for more information before beginning.
According to Microsoft’s known issue page, “Synced OneDrive files might not be deleted when selecting the “Remove everything” option when the device is reset.”
Elaborating on the issue’s specific page, the company says, “When attempting to reset a Windows device with apps which have folders with reparse data, such as OneDrive or OneDrive for Business, files which have been downloaded or synced locally from OneDrive might not be deleted when selecting the “Remove everything” option.”
Basically, if you had files in OneDrive downloaded locally, they may not get deleted when you reset the PC, regardless of which reset option you choose.
Files only stored in the cloud won’t persist, according to Microsoft. “OneDrive files which are ‘cloud only’ or have not been downloaded or opened on the device are not affected and will not persist, as the files are not downloaded or synced locally,” says the company.
To prevent this issue from leaving files on your PC, you can sign out or unlink OneDrive before resetting your Windows device.
Impacted versions are Windows 11, version 21H2; Windows 10, version 21H2; Windows 10, version 21H1; Windows 10, version 20H2. All currently-supported Windows versions could have this problem until Microsoft has a fix.
As far as the fix goes, Microsoft says, “We are working on a resolution for an upcoming release and will provide more information when it is available.”
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