Windows 10 has the built-in “Reset this PC” feature that allows you to reset your computer to factory settings when serious problems occur. With this feature, you don't need to rely on the factory recovery partition to restore your PC or use the installation disc to reinstall the operating system and then install all previous apps again.
However, at times, the recovery process may fail, and it may end up with the error "There was a problem resetting your PC". Then you will end up with Windows 10 restore failed. Don't worry, rest assured, scroll down and read the solutions to fix this error.
1. Startup Repair
The Startup Repair tool in Windows helps to fix the problem when Windows recovery fails or hangs. An unsuccessful recovery attempt is one of these situations. There is a hidden trick you can use to quickly access the Windows Recovery Environment, where you will find the option.
Step 1: hold down the Shift key and restart your computer from the Restart System> menu in the lower left corner.
Step 2: you will enter the boot screen with a blue background. Click Troubleshoot> Advanced Options> Startup Repair. You need an account with administrator rights to proceed, so choose this screen accordingly. Enter your account password and let the Startup Repair tool run its course.
Step 3: When done restart your computer and try to reset Windows again.
2. SFC scan
The SFC scan or System File Checker will look for damaged system files and try to repair them. One of the system files may be responsible for the failed restore error just encountered.
Step 1: open the command prompt from the start menu with administrator rights. Select the Run as administrator option to do this.
Step 2: type the following command and press Enter to execute the command. Wait for it to work. You will know when the verification will reach 100%.
SFC / scannow
3. Select disk scan
Don't close Command Prompt yet if you are still facing the recovery failed error. The Check Disk command will check the hard drive for errors and attempt to fix them once they are found.
Step 1: open the command prompt again with admin rights and enter the following command. We're scanning the C drive because that's where Windows is installed on most computers. For you, things may be different, so replace the drive letter accordingly.
CHKDSK C:
4. Virus scan
A virus or malware may be preventing the operating system from performing a reset. There is only one way to find out. You can use built-in Microsoft Defender or your favorite antivirus app to run a quick system scan. At this point, we also recommend that you download and run Malwarebytes because a virus and a malware are not the same. The free version of the app will be fine.
5. Update Windows
Updating your Windows operating system can fix many problems, including one where recovery doesn't work. Installing new Windows updates can cause problems, so you need to be careful and do your due diligence before proceeding with this step.
Step 1: press Windows key + I to open Settings and go to Update & Security> Windows Update.
Step 2: doing Click Check for Updates, any pending or new updates available for your computer will be detected. Click Download and Install to install the latest updates found.
6. System Restore
System restore points are created automatically in the background. It differs from the reset function in many ways. A weekly snapshot of the computer system is taken when everything was working as it should or when the system has detected a major change, such as an update.
Restoring your computer to an earlier point in time can fix almost any error. The link we shared above explains the key points and steps in detail, so take a look.
7. Use the media creation tool
If you've made it this far, it probably means your copy of Windows is irreparably corrupted. We recommend that you reinstall Windows 10 using the media creation tool. Since you want to restore your computer, you may have already made a backup of important data. If not, please do it.
Microsoft has made it easy to download the official Windows 10 ISO and perform a clean reinstall of Windows 10. We recommend that you perform the steps once before starting the process to clarify where it leads and how it ends.
A USB stick or flash drive will work fine if your computer does not have a CD player.
