“The ‘Reset this PC’ option in Windows wipes all drives.”
Windows does not wipe all drives. It wipes only the partition selected by the user. However, due to the complexity of the partition interface and the risk of user error, data on secondary drives is safest when disconnected during the process.
installed programs on secondary drives will stop working because the new Windows installation doesn't have their registry entries. You will likely need to reinstall those applications. Reddit +3 Summary Comparison Table Method Affects C: Drive Affects Other Drives (D:, E:, etc.) Reset: Keep My Files System files only; data stays No Reset: Remove Everything Wipes all apps and data Optional (via settings) Clean Install (Manual) Only the partition you delete/format No, unless you manually delete them To ensure your data is safe, always back up your critical files to an external drive or cloud service before starting any reinstallation. Dell Would you like a step-by-step walkthrough for does windows install wipe all drives
October 26, 2023 Subject: Analysis of data retention during Windows OS installation
No, a standard Windows installation does automatically wipe all drives. However, whether data is erased depends entirely on: “The ‘Reset this PC’ option in Windows wipes
By default, a standard Windows installation targets only the specific drive partition selected by the user. However, the potential for data loss is significant. User error, ambiguous interface language, or selecting the wrong installation type can result in the complete erasure of data on the target drive, and in rare cases (such as using the "Reset this PC" feature with "Clean the drive" enabled), it can affect the storage sectors deeply.
While the default behavior is targeted, specific scenarios will result in data loss. installed programs on secondary drives will stop working
| Action | Outcome | |--------|---------| | Selecting “Reset this PC” → “Remove everything” → “All drives” → “Fully clean the drive” | | | Using third-party disk cleaning tools (e.g., DBAN, diskpart clean all ) before install | All drives wiped | | Physically removing all partitions during custom install (across multiple drives) | All selected drives wiped | | Installing Windows on the wrong drive (e.g., selecting D: thinking it’s C:) | Only that drive/partition is wiped (others unaffected) |