There are many ways to reset a desktop, and resetting from BIOS is perhaps the most drastic of these options. Learn how this reset differs, how to perform it and when to use it.
If a Windows OS is having significant and persistent issues, administrators might have to take drastic action to make the desktop usable again. In some cases, the best course of action is just to fully reset the desktop and start from scratch.
There are plenty of methods that desktop administrators can use to fully reset a Windows OS, but a factory reset from BIOS is straightforward, easy to access and hard to mess up. These reasons make the BIOS a consistent method for hands-on Windows admins.
Before IT administrators begin the process of fully resetting a Windows 11 PC with BIOS, they should review the desktop for critical business files and data. IT should work with users to review the desktop and back up anything important.
With the data backed up, admins can begin the process of accessing BIOS and performing the OS reset.
How to access Safe Mode and BIOS in Windows 11
To access Windows 11 BIOS, click on the Windows Start menu, and locate the power button. Hold the Shift key, and select Restart from the power button's pop-up. This restarts the desktop in Safe Mode. It is also possible to perform this action by navigating to the Windows Settings menu, selecting Recovery and clicking Advanced startup. One final method is to continuously click the power button to stop the desktop from booting -- this accomplishes the same thing and is a good fit for a significantly broken desktop.
The desktop takes a moment to reboot, and then it boots into Windows Safe Mode, a blue screen with several options, including Continue, Troubleshoot and Turn off your PC.
To get to BIOS or Unified Extensible Firmware Interface, admins can select Troubleshoot from these options and then click on UEFI Firmware Settings. However, to continue with the full reset process, this step isn't needed. Also, admins should keep in mind that UEFI serves the same function as BIOS for modern desktops.
How to reset a Windows 11 PC from BIOS or UEFI
Once administrators are in Safe Mode, they should select Troubleshoot, and then click on Reset this PC. From here, two options appear on screen: Keep my files and Remove everything. Unless data backup was not doable, admins should select the Remove everything option. This ensures a clean install without any persisting issues.
The next screen asks if the new desktop should be from a Cloud download or a Local reinstall. For a straightforward reinstallation of the existing desktop with all customizations and manufacturer specifications, select Local reinstall. Cloud download requires the desktop to download a new and completely blank image to replace your existing desktop, so this option does not include any customizations and takes a bit longer.
On the next page, click on All drives to indicate that the desktop should wipe all drives. This provides a truly clean reinstall of the desktop with none of the potential lingering issues. After that, select Fully clean the drive for the same reasons as above. While this prevents any data recovery, that isn't an issue as long as backups are in place. Then, click Reset. This begins the process.
Not all desktops require a BIOS- or UEFI-level clean reset. If a desktop is functioning effectively or only has minor issues, there's no need to jump to the dramatic step of performing a clean install.
After the desktop reinstall is complete, the Windows OS reboots and provides the configured out-of-box experience to set up the newly installed desktop.
When you should use BIOS to reset a Windows PC
Not all desktops require a BIOS- or UEFI-level clean reset. If a desktop is functioning effectively or only has minor issues, there's no need to jump to the dramatic step of performing a clean install. In fact, a BIOS-level reset should only be a last resort if a desktop is consistently performing poorly and simpler restarts haven't addressed any issues.
If any mysterious desktop performance problems are occurring, administrators can perform any of the following steps:
Shut off the desktop, and allow a few minutes before powering it back on.
Check Windows Update status, and apply any missing updates.
Review the firmware and driver status, and apply any missing updates.
Review Task Manager for any processes that are out of place -- i.e., if they have high resource usage or if they are unrecognized software or services.
Perform a malware scan with local or third-party software.
While this is not a comprehensive list of all steps that admins can take prior to a full clean install, it provides a good starting point for addressing problematic desktops. If none of these addresses the issue, a clean install via Windows Safe Mode BIOS is a good option.
John Powers is senior site editor for Informa TechTarget's SearchEnterpriseDesktop, SearchVirtualDesktop and SearchMobileComputing sites. He graduated from the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland.
