How to Fix “There Was a Problem Resetting Your PC” in Windows 11 and 10

There was a problem resetting your PC usually appears when Windows cannot use its recovery files, system image, or recovery environment to complete Reset this PC. The fastest fixes are to run Startup Repair, repair Windows with DISM and SFC, re-enable Windows Recovery Environment, then try the reset again from Settings or Advanced Startup.

Quick path: Restart into Advanced Startup, run Startup Repair, open Command Prompt, run sfc /scannow and DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth, then retry Reset this PC. If the error returns, repair WinRE with reagentc or reset using a bootable Windows USB.

Quick Answer

To fix There was a problem resetting your PC, repair Windows system files, check the Windows Recovery Environment, and retry the reset from Advanced Startup. Open Command Prompt as administrator and run:

sfc /scannow
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
reagentc /info

If Windows Recovery Environment is disabled, run:

reagentc /enable

Then go to Settings > System > Recovery > Reset this PC and try again. If Windows will not boot or the reset still fails, use a Windows installation USB and choose Repair your computer or perform a clean install after backing up your files.

Problem

The error appears during or shortly after starting Reset this PC in Windows 11 or Windows 10. You may see one of these messages:

• There was a problem resetting your PC. No changes were made.
• There was a problem refreshing your PC.
• Reset this PC failed before completing.

The reset can fail whether you choose Keep my files or Remove everything.

Cause

Windows reset depends on healthy system files, a working recovery environment, enough disk space, and readable recovery data. If any of these are damaged or unavailable, the reset process stops.

Prerequisites

• Sign in with an administrator account if Windows still starts.
• Back up important files before using reset or reinstall options.
• Connect the laptop to power.
• Make sure the Windows drive has at least 20 GB of free space.
• If Windows does not boot, prepare a Windows 11 or Windows 10 installation USB from another PC.

Step-by-step Solution

1. Try Startup Repair from Advanced Startup

1. Hold Shift and select Restart from the Start menu.
2. Go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Repair.
3. Select your Windows account and let the repair complete.
4. Restart and try Reset this PC again.

If you cannot reach Windows, interrupt boot three times by powering off during startup. Windows should open the recovery screen automatically.

2. Run SFC to repair protected system files

Open Command Prompt as administrator and run:

sfc /scannow

Wait until it reaches 100%. If it reports repaired files, restart your PC before trying the reset again.

3. Repair the Windows image with DISM

If SFC cannot repair everything, run DISM:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

This command checks the Windows component store and downloads clean files from Windows Update when needed. After it finishes, run SFC once more:

sfc /scannow

4. Check whether Windows Recovery Environment is enabled

Reset this PC often fails when WinRE is disabled or misconfigured. Run:

reagentc /info

Look for Windows RE status. If it says Disabled, enable it:

reagentc /enable

Check again:

reagentc /info

If the status changes to Enabled, restart and retry the reset.

5. Use Cloud download instead of Local reinstall

If the local recovery image is damaged, the Local reinstall option can fail repeatedly.

1. Open Settings > System > Recovery.
2. Select Reset PC.
3. Choose Keep my files or Remove everything.
4. Select Cloud download.
5. Follow the prompts.

Cloud download uses fresh Windows installation files, so it often works when the local reset image is broken.

6. Check the disk for file system errors

Disk errors can stop reset operations. Run:

chkdsk C: /f /r

If Windows says the drive is in use, type Y, press Enter, and restart. The scan can take a while on large or older drives.

7. Reset from a Windows installation USB

If the built-in recovery environment is broken, boot from installation media:

1. Create a Windows installation USB using Microsoft’s Media Creation Tool.
2. Boot the problem PC from the USB drive.
3. Select your language and keyboard layout.
4. Click Repair your computer, not Install now.
5. Go to Troubleshoot > Reset this PC.

If reset still fails from USB, back up your data and perform a clean installation.

Examples

Example 1: WinRE is disabled

reagentc /info
Windows RE status: Disabled

reagentc /enable

After enabling WinRE, Reset this PC may start normally again.

Example 2: Corrupt system files repaired

sfc /scannow
Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.

Restart the computer, then retry the reset before running more advanced fixes.

Common Causes

• Interrupted Windows update or failed feature upgrade.
• Deleted or modified recovery partition.
• Third-party cleanup tools removing recovery files.
• Corrupted component store.
• Bad sectors on the system drive.
• Insufficient free disk space during reset preparation.

Common Mistakes

• Trying the reset repeatedly without repair: If the recovery files are broken, repeated attempts usually fail the same way.
• Choosing Local reinstall every time: Use Cloud download when the local image is suspected to be damaged.
• Skipping backups: Reset and reinstall options can remove apps, settings, and sometimes personal files if the wrong option is selected.
• Forcing shutdown during repair: Interrupting DISM, CHKDSK, or reset can make the system harder to recover.

Best Practices

• Keep at least 20–30 GB free on the Windows drive.
• Create a recovery drive before major Windows upgrades.
• Use Windows Security or a trusted antivirus to rule out malware before resetting.
• Keep BitLocker recovery keys saved if device encryption is enabled.
• Prefer Cloud download when the PC has a stable internet connection.

Verification

You have fixed the issue when one of these is true:

• Reset this PC starts and completes without showing There was a problem resetting your PC.
• reagentc /info shows Windows RE status: Enabled.
• SFC reports no integrity violations after repair.
• Windows boots normally after the reset or repair installation.

If none of the fixes work, the safest final route is to back up your files, boot from a Windows USB, delete the old Windows partition during setup, and install a fresh copy of Windows.