Windows 10 Refresh Tool
When you purchase a Windows tablet or laptop for the first time, you are normally expecting it to run nice and fast as promised by the salesman at the store where you brought it, or by judging by the specifications when you researched when purchasing online. However the system is sometimes hamstrung by the amount of bloatware and startup items installed on it. These include trial versions of Microsoft Office, Anti-virus and other security programs, games, and other Windows store programs.
MadTECH Computers and Business I.T. support (MTC) has recognised this for a while and has always recommended we spend some time with a new device before handing over to the client. What we do is:
Remove all bloatware and unnecessary programs, or removing them from the startup process if we research and find remove some programs with affect system usability.
Create domain profile and install printers and network printers, and test or just add to domain and run Group Policy’s if applicable.
Check startup items and remove the unnecessary ones.
Add email accounts, test, and import old contacts, emails, nickname files, signatures, and rules, and calendar items. So much easier with Exchange accounts!
Run Windows updates, make sure system is up to date.
Install security programs, update, and test.
Install tracking software if requested by client.
Add asset tag and update client documentation and asset register.
Create domain profile and install printers and network printers, and test or just add to domain and run Group Policy’s if applicable.
Microsoft has recognised this issue and is now offering a bare metal alternative, called the Signature Edition series of devices. This means the PC comes with Windows installed and nothing else. Your PC will run much faster, and will help avoid issues that arise from OEM software, like system crashes, unexpected shutdowns or just general takeover or hogging of system resources.
As Microsoft continues towards the release of the Windows 10 Anniversary Update this summer they have introduced a new tool that will now put this choice in the hands of consumers running Windows 10.
The Windows 10 Refresh Tool, which has been released to the Windows Insider network, will install a clean install of Windows 10 on your machine. Please note it will remove any other desktop programs you may have installed, including Microsoft Office and 3rd party programs you have installed since installing Windows 10 or purchasing your computer.
So you might ask why you can't just go ahead and use the Settings>Windows & update>Recovery>Reset this PC option to get a clean install.
While resetting your PC using that option will give you a fresh system and options to keep your personal files, it will also restore your system using the recovery image installed by the manufacturer of the device. That means any bloatware they pre-installed will be right back on your system and interfering with its performance.
The Windows 10 Refresh Tool does not depend upon that pre-installed recovery image. Instead it will download a clean copy of the Windows 10 operating system that you are using on your system (i.e. Home or Pro) and the restored operating system will be free of any OEM bloatware.
As mentioned above you will likely need to update your drivers through Windows Update but more OEMs have started uploading their drivers regularly to Windows Update and that should help you get back up and running quickly. An alternative option for missing drivers is to visit the support site for your PCs manufacturer and grab the driver downloads there.
The Refresh Tool, once it is released, will give you an option to retain your personal files during this clean installation process. However, once the process is done you will need to manually reinstall your apps and desktop software so make sure you have the installation media for that.
This tool may seem like an insignificant thing but in this era where we have seen security issues with OEM software and tools, it finally gives consumers a choice to get rid of the unnecessary layers of software and expiring trials and use their Windows 10 system with its best performance possible.
Source : http://winsupersite.com