If Windows 10 Is Not Running Well, Here Are Some Options
We’ve had several people write to us lately asking about re-installing Windows 10 because of problems, or malware or virus infections, or because Windows 10 was not running well.
Don’t forget Windows 10 Reset. If your Windows 10 computer is running poorly, has become infected with a virus or malware, or is having other serious problems ask yourself these questions:
- How long has the problem been going on?
- How long has it been since I upgraded to Windows 10?
- Are my personal files backed up or not?
First option: System Restore
If the problem has only been going on for less than 2 weeks, the best and easiest fix may be using System Restore. Do the following to use System Restore on Windows 10:
- Right click on the start button
- Click on “Run”
- In the Run box type RSTRUI and press Enter
- When System Restore loads, Choose a date that precedes the start of your problem(s)
- If you don’t see a date that is before your problems began, tick “Show more restore points” at the bottom of the System Restore dialog
If you upgraded to Windows 10 within the last 30 days:
- Click on the start button
- Click on “Settings”
- Click on “Update & Security”
- Click on “Recovery”
- Click on “Restore the previous operating system”
- Follow the on-screen instructions
If you do have your personal files backed up:
- Click on the start button
- Click on “Settings”
- Click on “Update & Security”
- Click on “Recovery”
- Click on “Reset this PC”
- Click on “Get Started”
- Choose one of the following options:
A. Keep my files: Removes apps and settings, but keeps your personal files.
B. Remove Everything: Removes all of your personal files, apps, and settings.
C. Restore Factory Settings: Removes all of your personal files, apps and settings and reinstalls the version of Windows that came that came on this PC.
If you’re sure you have all your personal files backed up you can choose option A or B. Option C would be a last resort to use only in the event that neither Option A or B worked for you. Choosing Options C would restore your computer to the way it was the day you first turned on your PC. It would wipe out everything but reinstall any bloatware that came with your computer along with the original operating system. Be careful.
If you don’t have your personal files backed up:
You’re only option is Option A – any other option would give you no chance at keeping your personal files.
One final word on using Windows 10 Reset:
No matter which Reset option you choose, you’re going to have to re-install all of your programs. Windows eases the pain a bit by leaving a text file on your desktop, after Reset, with a list of programs that were removed and which need to be reinstalled.
Sad state of affairs when an OS that has been out for such a short while is already running poorly on people’s PC’s. Clearly MS had anticipated that problem as they have made it easier for people to restore their system’s by giving them some options. Makes me feel pretty smug that I still have a couple of XP systems that are both fast and reliable, never been infected with a virus and haven’t had MS updates for more than a year.
I don’t think this has anything to do with being a problem with Windows 10. Every computer operating system, including Linux, and Apple, are subject to problems. Making it easier to solve problems does not mean the operating system is flawed. Automobile companies add troubleshooting computer to assist car mechanics find problems and repair them. It is not logical to assume that car companies know that their cars are flawed therefore they make them easier to fix. I’m quite sure cars are more reliable now than they were, let’s say, 40 years ago. Windows 10 is not perfect – but there are no perfect operating systems. Windows 10 has done good job of putting in safe guards to help consumers recover from a disaster without losing their personal files. Maybe they know that the majority of computer user do not back up their data.
I can’t even get system restore to work. (Almost all my desktop & taskbar icons are no longer working. They did for a short while on my new laptop…about 3 weeks old.) I would rather get Windows 7 back.
Carol,
You don’t really have a problem – you’ve somehow got your computer in tablet
mode. All you have to do to fix it is:
Click Start
Click Settings
Click System
On the left side of the System dialog click “Tablet Mode”
Turn the switch to OFF
Under “When I sign in” make sure it says “Remember what I used last”
Under when this device automatically switches Tablet Mode on or off: Make
sure it says: “Always ask before switching”.
Since installing Windows 10, my laptop frequently gives me a message of low memory, with a yellow triangle w/exclamation point in it, and before I can even say “oh no”, it goes to a blank screen and shuts off! I then have restart.
I don’t know what I am doing wrong, but it sure is frustrating.
Thanks for all your great tips.
Your suggestion didn’t help. Now what?
Carol
The article you commented on (above) has several suggestions you try. You don’t need a start menu to get to settings – all you need are a Windows key (which you have) and an I key (i like India) key. Press the Windows Key + I and settings will open
You also don’t need a menu to get to System Restore. You can press the Windows Key plus the R key and type RSTRUI in the run box and press Enter.
You can use one of the System Recovery options above – including System Restore and System Reset. And if all else fails you can do a factory reset.
It would be a really good time to make sure you have all your files backed up.
I like the idea of using Windows System Restore, but it’s an antiquated technique, and WSR is proving to be more and more a terrible service. Like MS wants you to disable an AV solution when using it (WHAT!?) and even if you do, it still probably won’t work on account of the restore points becoming corrupted.
I’ve replaced WSR with Comodo Time Machine for a while, then Rollback Rx. Both do a great job and don’t need AV disabled, and their equivilant to restore points don’t fail you after a short time.
I would not recommend any Comodo software to anyone… but to each his own.
We’ve used system restore dozens of times with Cloudeight Direct services and on our own computers. In fact when I test software on my test computer I immediately use System Restore to restore the system to it previous state.
I think you have some serious computer problems going on there.