Windows 11 bug leaves some user data on disk after a factory reset...


Winuser

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I'm glad I always do clean installs before donating my old computers to a family member.
 

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Brink

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Files might persist after resetting a Windows device
Synced OneDrive files might not be deleted when selecting the "Remove everything" option when the device is reset.

 

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    Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
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    Custom self build
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    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
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    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
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    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
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The-Hive

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I never use OneDrive and when I finished with a machine it is scrap
 

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    Alienware Area 51m R2
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    10th Gen Core i9 10900K
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    32GB
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    Geforce RTX 2080 Super
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    Nvidia HD
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    Dual Boot Windows 11 Pro / Windows 11 Pro Dev build
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    Dell Inspiron 3501
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Winuser

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I never use OneDrive and when I finished with a machine it is scrap
I've had a few computers I had to send to the scrapyard. I take the HDDs out before I do.
 

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  • OS
    Windows 11 Canary Channel
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    PowerSpec B746
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    Intel Core i7-10700K
    Motherboard
    ASRock Z490 Phantom Gaming 4/ax
    Memory
    16GB (8GB PC4-19200 DDR4 SDRAM x2)
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 TI
    Sound Card
    Realtek Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung SAM0A87 Samsung SAM0D32
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    NVMe WDC WDS100T2B0C-00PXH0 1TB
    Samsung SSD 860 EVO 1TB
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    750 Watts (62.5A)
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    PowerSpec/Lian Li ATX 205
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    Logitech M185
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    HP Envy x360 15-ds1083cl
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    AMD Ryzen 7 4700U 2.0GHZ
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    16 MB DDR 4-2666
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    AMD Radeon
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The-Hive

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Same here, we had a good clear out of the loft old pc's all with no HDD's and a pile of them to destroy
 

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    Alienware Area 51m R2
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    10th Gen Core i9 10900K
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    32GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Geforce RTX 2080 Super
    Sound Card
    Nvidia HD
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    1920x1080
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    C: Samsung 2TB P981A
    D: Samsung 2TB 970 Evo
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    Dark side of the moon
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    Alienware AW610M
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    Killer E3000 Ethernet Controller
    Killer AX1650i Wi-Fi Network Adaptor
    Alienware Z01G Graphic Amplifier
    Tobii Eye Tracker
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    Dual Boot Windows 11 Pro / Windows 11 Pro Dev build
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    Dell Inspiron 3501
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Skull Kid

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Would this still be happening if I went to do a full reset, and also doing a full wipe of my data in the options? I did that for somebody else with important data on their computer so they could replace it with a new one.

Like so:
 

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    Intel Core i9-9900K @ 3.6 GHz
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    Asus PRIME Z-390-A
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    32 GB DDR4
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0hwell

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I think at the very least a person should sanitize their drives then maybe do a clean install just to the point of logging in. After that, the new user can finish the installation, but I myself have never given a computer away and when done with one I just destroy the hard drives.
 

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TheMystic

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Would this still be happening if I went to do a full reset, and also doing a full wipe of my data in the options? I did that for somebody else with important data on their computer so they could replace it with a new one.

Like so:
Yes. That's what this bug is about.
 

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System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
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    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy dv7
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 3630QM
    Motherboard
    HP
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 4000 & Nvidia GeForce GT 635M
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    IDT High Definition
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    1080p
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    1 TB Crucial MX500 on bay 1.
    1 TB Seagate HDD on bay 2.
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Skull Kid

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Yes. That's what this bug is about.
I did just that on one of my computers, and I didn't see anything in the OneDrive folder, not even any hidden files.

EDIT: I did indeed leave the OneDrive folder with local files before doing the reset, too...
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    Intel Core i9-9900K @ 3.6 GHz
    Motherboard
    Asus PRIME Z-390-A
    Memory
    32 GB DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio
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    Acer XV280K
    Screen Resolution
    3840 x 2160
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    Microsoft Edge
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    Windows Defender

TheMystic

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I did just that on one of my computers, and I didn't see anything in the OneDrive folder, not even any hidden files.

EDIT: I did indeed leave the OneDrive folder with local files before doing the reset, too...
Did you look into the Windows.old folder?

Ideally with the option you chose, the Windows.old folder shouldn't exist.

A bug need not affect all users because of the diversity of hardware, drivers and other factors when it comes to Windows.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy dv7
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 3630QM
    Motherboard
    HP
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 4000 & Nvidia GeForce GT 635M
    Sound Card
    IDT High Definition
    Screen Resolution
    1080p
    Hard Drives
    1 TB Crucial MX500 on bay 1.
    1 TB Seagate HDD on bay 2.
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender

Skull Kid

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Did you look into the Windows.old folder?

Ideally with the option you chose, the Windows.old folder shouldn't exist.

A bug need not affect all users because of the diversity of hardware, drivers and other factors when it comes to Windows.
I'll check again... and report back.

EDIT: Nope... no Windows.old folder.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    Intel Core i9-9900K @ 3.6 GHz
    Motherboard
    Asus PRIME Z-390-A
    Memory
    32 GB DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer XV280K
    Screen Resolution
    3840 x 2160
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender

TheMystic

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I'll check again... and report back.

EDIT: Nope... no Windows.old folder.
That computer likely is not one that was affected by this bug. But this bug is something to keep in mind for those who are planning to give away their computer.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy dv7
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 3630QM
    Motherboard
    HP
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 4000 & Nvidia GeForce GT 635M
    Sound Card
    IDT High Definition
    Screen Resolution
    1080p
    Hard Drives
    1 TB Crucial MX500 on bay 1.
    1 TB Seagate HDD on bay 2.
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
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