In Windows 8 you can easily restore your PC to default factory settings or revert to a known good configuration using the “Reset Your PC” and “Refresh Your PC” features. It’s like the Windows 7 system restore feature – only much better.

Tip: As of right now the Windows 8 developer version allows you to easily reset and refresh your Windows 8 PC. This might change in the final version of Windows 8, but here’s how you would do it.

Refresh Your Windows 8 PC (Go Back To Known Configuration

1. Open the Control Panel

2. Go to option General

3. You can revert to a known state by refreshing your PC without affecting any of your files. Click on Getting Started below Refresh your PC without affecting your files

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• Your file and personalization settings won’t change
• Your PC settings will be restore to their default
• Apps from Windows Store will be kept. All other apps will be removed

Important: All your Metro apps will be kept. Malware etc will be scanned for and removed, but other apps will be lost for good.

Reset Your Windows 8 PC To Factory Default

If you sell your PC, you might want to reset your PC first, removing everything and resetting the configuration.

1. Repeat steps 1 – 2 above

2. You can now easily revert to the factory default, basically resetting your PC. Click on “Getting Started” below the option Reset your PC and start over

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• Your personal files and apps will be removed
• Your PC settings will be restored to their default

We’ll keep you posted on this and let you know how this feature will change in Windows 8 beta, Windows 8 RTM and the final version.

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