When you delete data from the computer through a factory reset, the information is hidden from the computer, but is still stored on the hard drive. Electronic components power the whole operation. Centered on a spindle, the platter rotates and an electronic current reads and writes data onto the surface. Platters are usually ceramic, glass, or aluminum, and work like a record player. The platter stores data onto its circular surface in chunks of 1s and 0s. These are called platters, and they're the pieces of hardware that actually store all of those cat videos and family photos. Inside your hard drive are two rotating discs that sort of resemble a CD. That opens a Windows Defender Security Center window to the Fresh Start option.

Use the Fresh Start option in Windows 10: Settings > Update & Security > Recovery page, Then, click the link text 'Learn how to start fresh with a clean installation of Windows at the bottom.

In either case, back up your files in case something goes awry. The latter, as its name suggests, will delete your files. The former resets your options to default and removes uninstalled apps, like browsers, but keeps your data intact.

You can either select Keep My Files or Remove Everything.

You should see a title that says 'Reset this PC.' Click Get Started.

Navigate to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery.

Wait until the process finishes, then go to the Disk Utility menu > quit.

Choose MacOS Extended (Journaled) as the format.

Choose the correct startup disc and select erase.

You won't see your usual login page, anymore, but instead will see a 'macOS Utilities' window.

When the computer shuts off and powers back on, hold Command + R until you see the Apple logo.

Restart in Recovery Mode: Click  and choose Restart.

Make sure your computer is plugged in for the duration of the reset.

Make sure you've backed up all of your important data in a cloud service.

That means you should probably consider hiring an expert to finish the data wiping-especially because the government has certain standards for data sanitation, depending on the field you work in. If you only ever really played games or finished school work on your computer, there's probably little risk in using a factory reset as your primary form of data wiping.īut if you own a company and complete that work on a computer, you may have employees' social security numbers on the hard drive, for example.

Reset pc to factory settings windows 10