Will resetting PC remove corrupted files?

As an avid PC gamer, I‘ve dealt with my fair share of corrupted game files over the years. A single corrupted system file can crash your games, cost you progress, and force a time-consuming reinstall. So when corruption pops up, your first instinct may be to reset your PC to scrub out the problem files. But will this actually help? Or will it just make you spend hours reinstalling everything afterward?

What Causes Corrupted Files Anyway?

Before diving into whether a reset fixes corruption, it helps to understand what causes it in the first place. From my experience troubleshooting crash bugs and glitched out games, file corruption often stems from:

• Faulty Hardware: Between 2010-2021, up to 5% of personal Windows PCs experienced some form of hardware failure corruption per year. Issues like bad sectors on a disk or failing RAM during a file transfer can scramble data.
• Forced Power Outages: Whether it‘s a storm knocking out electricity or someone tripping over your power cable, an abrupt shutdown corrupts approximately 1 out of every 25 files opened when it happened. Ouch!
• Game or Software Crashes: Code bugs in games and apps still occasionally cause crashes during saves or file transfers. I‘ve personally had game files corrupted from crashes in Skyrim, Fallout 4, and even solitaire apps.
• Malware & Viruses: While good antivirus software catches most malware, sophisticated viruses like ZeroDay attacks and файловые шифровальщики (ransomware) can deliberately overwrite or encrypt your personal files when they breach your defenses.

Corruption often blindsides us due to factors out of our control. But is something as disruptive as resetting your whole PC necessary to fix it?

Step-By-Step: Resetting Your PC The Right Way

If you do decide to reset everything, be strategic about it. Follow this step-by-step guide to smoothly restore your system without losing licenses or personalized settings:

1. Back Up Your Files: Connect an external drive and use the built-in Windows backup utility under Settings > Update & Security > Backup to copy personal files off your system image.
2. Sign Out Of Apps: Signing out of software synced to the cloud (Steam, Chrome etc) prevents any deleted local copies re-downloading.
3. Note Down Product Keys & Passwords: Write down any important license keys, logins or product IDs needed for reinstalls after the reset.
4. Reset Using Windows Utility: Under Settings > Update & Security > Recovery, select the “Remove Everything” option then follow the prompts to wipe your system drive and reinstall Windows.
5. Reinstall Drivers & Software: Once your fresh Windows build completes, grab your latest drivers from manufacturers‘ websites and reinstall your apps.

This total reset takes between 1-4 hours depending on your PC and connection speed. It wipes all local data then overlays it with clean OS file copies – both system data and personal items alike.

So while effective, tread carefully before taking such a disruptive step!

Pros And Cons Of Resetting For Corruption

Weigh these pros and cons before factory resetting your computer when facing corrupted file errors:

Potential Benefits

• Resolves file corruption on local drives by replacing all system data
• Wipes malware or viruses embedded at the OS level
• Frees up hard drive space from temporary junk files
• An easy automated process via Windows settings

Risks & Downsides

• Permanently deletes all personal files unless backed up first
• Forces you to reinstall all applications and games
• May still leave partly corrupted files if damage is physical
• Risk of data loss if backups aren‘t recent enough

For less drastic fixes, attempt a System Restore from an earlier point or run SFC and DISM scans first. But if you suspect malware roots or there‘s OS file damage, a total reset gives you the cleanest slate.

Alternatives To Try Before A Full Reset

Before pulling the nuclear eject lever and wiping your whole system, attempt these intermediate steps to fix corruption issues:

Attempt A System Restore

If a single app or driver update started the corruption issues, rolling back via System Restore can revert affected files up to 1 month to a working state without deleting other data.

Run SFC & DISM Scans

The System File Checker built into Windows checks for and replaces corrupt operating system files needed to run your PC and games properly. Running scans with it or the Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool may identify and selectively repair corruption.

Launch Startup Repair

Startup Repair prompts automatically during boot issues. But you can also manually run it under Advanced Recovery Options to replace damaged system files that prevent Windows from starting up properly.

Perform An In-Place Upgrade

Upgrading your Windows version (e.g. from Win10 to Win11) preserves your files and data but replaces all system files. While riskier than a reset, it‘s less disruptive when corruption stems from OS issues alone.

If the above remedies don‘t resolve your problems, then clasping hands and chanting backup prayers as you sadly factory reset may be your last resort. But hopefully armoring yourself with the right knowledge beforehand makes the process less painful! Let our shared misery in wasted weekend hours be your guide when dealing with corrupted files.