Has anyone here used the reset Windows feature in Windows 10? My aging laptop has been running like a pig recently, and I'd like to give it a new lease on life.

I have one hard drive which is partitioned into a C: and D: drive (the latter is where I have all my games installed).

I know that even though applications are removed (I'm assuming that the registry is wiped as well) you can choose to keep your personal files, so my question is what about applications that have been installed in the D: drive, are they also removed? If not, would Galaxy be able to repair all the necessary data and registry settings that were lost?

I'd rather not have to re download all my games.

The reset keeps system drivers and deletes almost everything else. It also resets all settings and any changes in stock programs. Worth a try. A clean install may be a better option.

A fresh install of windows is always the cleanest method. You can grab the latest windows 10 image off M$ website. Then a fresh install of your games - which you will have kept the offline installers (I.e. The only reason to shop here) - to get the extras you need for the games you are playing, I.e. C++ extensions, directx etc.

I have no idea about Windows 10, but Galaxy will manage for sure.
First of all, make sure your games aren't located on your system drive. Move entire gog games folder to drive D: if necessary. To do that, click on the GOG logo located on the top-left of Galaxy and select Exit. Move your games folder and do whatever you like with your operating system. Reset it or format the drive. To get back your games install Galaxy, click again on the GOG logo, select Scan & Import folders and point to the folders with your games. Galaxy should take care about everything else. If something goes wrong with a game, use More button on your game page select Manage installation -> Verify/Repair.

No, never, I don't trust the OS to do the work I have to do by myself with reinstalling programs, games, managing my precious personal (and professional) data and whatnot.

When I need to do "spring cleaning", I just destroy the system partition and install the OS anew.

I've found that the internal system reset tends to leave things a bit more screwy than a fresh install.

And instead, I prefer to use a different route.

(Note: I'm going to let Linux take over entirely the moment Windows 10 fails.)

I've done the initial setup for a few Windows 10 laptops bought by my relatives etc., and the first thing I normally do is to perform a clean Windows 10 installation, in order to get rid of all that Acer or HP pre-installed crap and to get a clean vanilla Windows installation.

I nuke all the existing partitions in order to get rid of the vendor-specific recovery partition, so that the vanilla installation will make its own.

Afterwards I install and run SlimDrivers Free in order to get all Windows drivers up to date.

Then I deliver the laptop to its owner and they are all like "Oooh you are such a computer wizard, my hero!".

From the Microsoft site, I can see the Media Creation tool which I can use to create an installation DVD for another PC, do I need the license key from my current Windows 10 OS to do this? It was originally Windows 7 before I upgraded, if that makes any difference.

Yes you will need a tool to get your New windows 10 key unless you already have one use: BELARC ADVISOR

Make sure you WRITE DOWN all PRODUCT KEYS no matter what they are in a simple TXT file and store it somewhere

I do this for all My programs

Just download the latest win 10 ISO. The thing you pay for is the key, which you get by simply typing product activation in the search on start bar or going to control then system and it will show you the registered key. Can't remember exact wording, will check once I get to work. A valid product key is valid for any of the same type (I.e home couldn't be used for pro for instance). If you have any issue you can ring an automated number the M$ provides. The product key is very important!

Thanks for all the input! +1 all around

Since you already have Windows 10 running on your PC, isn't it registered to MS databases already (that that specific PC is eligible to run that version of Windows 10)? I thought that's how it works with Windows 10 (and possibly with Windows 8/8.1), and only in Windows 7 and earlier you need a "product key" in order to activate your installed Windows.

For instance, when I recently clean installed Windows 10 on an Acer laptop that had it already preloaded (I wanted to get rid of the Acer junk which was preinstalled on the laptop), I did this:

1. Created a Windows 10 Home 64bit installation media with the MS Media Creation Tool into an empty 8GB USB memory stick (it downloads the Win10 installer from MS servers to that memory stick).

2. Booted the laptop with that USB memory stick to start the installation.

3. Removed all existing (system) partitions including the existing Win10 recovery partition from within the installer program, and let the clean Win10 installation create the partitions as it sees fit.

4. The clean Windows 10 installation is automatically activated when it gets online, as the MS servers already know that specific laptop is eligible to run that Windows 10 version.

I am unsure if it works exactly the same if you have bought Windows 10 retail from a store and install it on an empty PC. Here it is a norm people get a pre-installed Windows 10 on their PCs, hardly anyone would buy a Windows 10 license separately for their empty PC.

EDIT: Or then I misunderstood what you are trying to do. Did you now want to transfer your Windows 10 license from one PC to another? From the first message I understood you merely wanted to reinstall Windows 10 on the PC where it was already running.

You understood correctly :)

My initial thought was to reset Windows 10 using the 'Reset this PC' feature, but the apparent consensus is that it is better to reinstall Windows from an installation media.

My next thought was wondering how licensing works with Windows 10 (my laptop came with Windows 7 and I upgraded to 10, so I have never performed a new install of 10). So I take it that when using the Media Creation Tool, it copies the license from your current PC? I suppose that makes sense.

My understanding, which may be incorrect, is that since you already have a validated Windows 10 running on your PC (laptop), Microsoft has already registered your PC eligible for Windows 10. So the information is on Microsoft's servers.

When you install Windows 10 again, as soon as you go online, it connects to Microsoft servers and checks from Microsoft's databases if that PC is eligible to run it. If not, I guess it starts reminding you from time to time that you should validate your Windows 10 installation (ie. buy a license for it). I am unsure if that information is saved somewhere on your PC (even if you delete all the existing partitions), but at least it should already be on Microsoft's servers. They have made some kind of fingerprinting of your laptop so they can identify it.

With Windows 7 (and older) clean installations, I think you still have to have the "key code" to validate your Windows installation.

EDIT: I am unsure if a clean installation with the MS Media Creation Tool makes sense for you. I think the "Windows reset" that you originally were going to do would re-install Windows all over again from the recovery partition on your hard drive. At least if you delete all system partitions (including the old recovery partition), then the new Creation Tool installer will just recreate the recovery partition and then install Windows 10, probably from that new recovery partition. So that recovery partition is where your Windows 10 "installer" will be kept, as far as I know.

I see the main benefit as that that way you get rid of any PC vendor specific preloaded crap, and get a vanilla Windows 10 installation. I am unsure if there is any other benefit.