Re-Install W11 ONLY (KEEP apps and data files)

boblink · Mar 17, 2023

Are the ONLY options to reinstall W11
- Reinstall W11 and keep personal settings
or
- Reinstall W11 including (removing all) personal files, apps and settings
I would like to reinstall W11 ONLY and KEEP ALL MY apps and data files and would appreciate it if you can please advise me if this can be done and if so, how to do this?
Thank you
Bob

ThrashZone · Mar 17, 2023

Hi,
You try Help me choose yet
It might show apps to I've not used it so I don't know.

Bree · Mar 17, 2023

boblink said:
I would like to reinstall W11 ONLY and KEEP ALL MY apps and data files and would appreciate it if you can please advise me if this can be done and if so, how to do this?

An in-place repair upgrade will keep all your apps and files.

Repair Install Windows 11 with an In-place Upgrade

This tutorial will show you how to do a repair install of Windows 11 by performing an in-place upgrade without losing anything. If you need to repair or create a new recovery partition or having problems with the Windows 11 operating system on your PC, and the usual solutions will not fix it...

www.elevenforum.com

boblink · Mar 17, 2023

I don't understanding what you said TrashZone "You try Help me choose yet
It might show apps to I've not used it so I don't know."

I posted my request for help on

General Support (253 Viewers)

Post thread
General Help and support for Windows 11

should I be it in another board?

boblink · Mar 17, 2023

Thank you for your help Bree
Bob

Bree · Mar 17, 2023

boblink said:
I don't understanding what you said TrashZone "You try Help me choose yet It might show apps to I've not used it so I don't know."

TrashZone was referring to the 'Help me choose' link at the bottom left of your screenshot. If you had clicked it you would have opened this page in your browser.

Recovery options in Windows - Microsoft Support

Learn about the recovery options in Windows. Find out how to reset your PC, go back to a previous version of Windows, or use media to reinstall Windows.

support.microsoft.com

glasskuter · Mar 17, 2023

Keep my files option does just that. It keeps your personal files but removes apps you have installed and changes settings back to default.

Know that if there is a factory recovery partition on the device, using the local reinstall option will reset you back to whatever version of windows came on the device from the factory along with anything the manufacturer installed. If you want the most recent version of Windows, choose cloud download.

Cloud download: Download a fresh copy of the installation from the cloud and reinstall Windows 11. However, this option will not restore the tools, apps, and configuration that came with the original image provided by the manufacturer.
Local reinstall: Uses the files already available to reset the computer. If this is a branded device (such as Dell, ASUS, Lenovo, etc.), this process will restore the factory drivers, settings, and tools.

So to answer your question, no, when using reset you have 2 options. If you have a recent image, restoring an image is preferable to resetting.
These are the 3 screens you will see.

CHOOSE KEEP MY FILES on Screen 1

boblink · Mar 17, 2023

Thank you for the detailed information Kutter.
I have not attempted this yet and assume, hopefully I am wrong, that the items listed under "Reset with" (see below) are NOT selections that I can pick and choose but what WILL happen if I go ahead with the reset.
FYI, I need to keep NOT remove all my apps and programs since I no longer have some of the CDs for programs that I have installed such as MS Office, Photoshop,.......
I hope that I am wrong and that I can pick and choose the 4 selections under "Reset with", but if I am right, which I am as often as a broken clock, is/are there options where I can reinstall W11 or even W10 and KEEP my personal files, apps and programs, and only reinstall/reset Windows to default setting?
Thank you Glass
Bob

Ready to reset this PC
Reset with
Change settings back to default
Keep personal Files
Reinstall Windows from this device
Remove all apps and programs

ThrashZone · Mar 17, 2023

Bree said:
An in-place repair upgrade will keep all your apps and files.

Repair Install Windows 11 with an In-place Upgrade

This tutorial will show you how to do a repair install of Windows 11 by performing an in-place upgrade without losing anything. If you need to repair or create a new recovery partition or having problems with the Windows 11 operating system on your PC, and the usual solutions will not fix it...

www.elevenforum.com

Hi,
Yeah this is the easiest way to select keep files and apps I do this all the time
Also use new hardware bypasses

spapakons · Mar 18, 2023

If you downloaded Windows 11 ISO and you are offered to either keep your files only or remove everything (clean installation), this is because your current Windows display language and the ISO language do not match. If you have changed the original display language with a language pack, you cannot use an ISO the same language as the language pack, it must be the same language as the original language. For example here in Greece we mostly use Greek Windows but many also use English US Windows. Some stores to save time install Greek as default and then install the English US language pack and change the display language. In order to upgrade to the new version we must use the Greek ISO, not the English US ISO. So make sure you download the appropriate language ISO to upgrade keeping both your files and your apps. If you are not sure which is the original system language, you can use a utility such as Aida64 to find out, just go at the Operating System section and see the Windows installer language value. In my main computer is English US, for example. This in Microsoft site is "English", while "English International" is actually English UK, so beware.

boblink · Mar 18, 2023

Thank you so much for your help Spapakons.
FYI, I live in the US and installed W11 by upgrading W10 so I don't know how langauge (US English) could have changed but you never know what can happen.
I have attached a ScrShot of the Windows description page that unfortunately does not include LANGUAGE so I would appreciate your help in identifying what language my system is using?
BTW, I tried installing the Aida64 app

AIDA64

Utilities & tools · FinalWire

Hardware and software information utility for Windows 10 computers and mobile devices.

that states MOBILE devices, I need the app for Desktop computers.

and if I click on AIDA64, the options are Buy Now. Is there a free vutility that I could use to check the langage of W11 on my system?

Version	Release Date	Size
AIDA64 ExtremeTrial version, self-installing EXE package	6.85.6300	Dec 13, 2022	45.9 MB	Buy now	Download
AIDA64 ExtremeTrial version, portable ZIP package	6.85.6300	Dec 13, 2022	49.22 MB	Buy now	Download
AIDA64 EngineerTrial version, self-installing EXE package	6.85.6300	Dec 13, 2022	45.1 MB	Buy now	Download
AIDA64 EngineerTrial version, portable ZIP package	6.85.6300	Dec 13, 2022	48.42 MB	Buy now	Download
AIDA64 BusinessTrial version, portable ZIP package	6.85.6300	Dec 13, 2022	48.79 MB	Buy now	Download
AIDA64 Network AuditTrial version, portable ZIP package	6.85.6300	Dec 13, 2022	17.85 MB	Buy now	Download

Thank you
Bob

spapakons · Mar 18, 2023

Click on download to get the trial version. I am posting from my mobile at the moment, if I go to my computer I will attach a PowerShell script to detect the original language.

boblink · Mar 18, 2023

Thank you Spapakons from lovely Greece

spapakons · Mar 18, 2023

You are welcome to visit anytime. Summer vacations in a Greek island are unforgettable.

boblink · Mar 18, 2023

I have been there twice and as you have said, the Greek islands are FANtastic!
Unfortunately, I have never been to Athens and can just imagine what an interesting tour through history I would find sincce Greece is a little older that the (roughly) 250 years that US has been a country.

spapakons · Mar 18, 2023

Funny history: Back in 1830s Kapodistrias John, the first Governor of free Greece (after the Revolution of 1821) thought Athens of just a big village, or a primitive town at least, and said it would not be appropriate for a capital, so he declared Nafplio as the capital of Greece which was more advanced. About 200 years later this "village" has become a great city again with almost one third of Greece population leaving in Athens and the surrounding area (Attica prefecture).

KWEB · Mar 18, 2023

Get an ISO, extract it to a USB stick run Setup.exe which does a reinstall keeping all your settings and programs.
SIMPLE AND EASY

boblink · Mar 19, 2023

Hello K.
This is a little more than I bargained for so I am going to delay doing this is for a few weeks until I file my tax returns since I don’t want to re-do my taxes on a short schedule but in any event, I am going to ahead woth it and would appreciate it if you can please confirm that the file in the ScrShot is the one that I should be using?
Thank you K
B

ThrashZone · Mar 19, 2023

Hi,
Yeah that will create an iso
Just don't let it create the flash drive installer use rufus.

KWEB · Mar 19, 2023

What is SO HARD ? Get the ISO extract to a flash drive. I use 7zip. Run setup as admin.
I have even used this to "upgrade" Win 10 to Win 11 THREE TIMES without any problems.
KISS Keep It Simple Stupid The Win 11 ISO is in many places, Search for it

Re-Install W11 ONLY (KEEP apps and data files)

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