Reset Windows 10 Without Losing Files on D: and E:

Reset this PC can affect different drives depending on the choices shown on your computer. Do not assume the letters D: and E: guarantee those files are outside the reset scope.

Identify the physical disks first

1. Open Disk Management and note which physical disk contains C:, D:, and E:. Drive letters can represent partitions on one disk or entirely separate disks.
2. Check whether D: or E: contains irreplaceable data, BitLocker encryption, recovery files, or a second Windows installation.
3. Copy important folders to a separate external disk and open a few files from that copy. Save the BitLocker recovery key if encryption is enabled.

Read the Reset this PC choices

1. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Reset this PC > Get started.
2. Choose Keep my files or Remove everything based on the Windows installation you want to keep. Keep my files still removes installed apps.
3. If you choose Remove everything, inspect Change settings and the final confirmation for an option covering all drives versus only the Windows drive.
4. Disconnect unrelated external disks and proceed only when the selected scope matches your plan. Do not interrupt a normal restart or dark screen.

After Windows starts again

Open Disk Management and File Explorer to check that D: and E: still appear with the expected capacity and files. Restore from the independent backup if anything is missing. Do not initialize or format a volume that unexpectedly appears unreadable.

Why a backup is still necessary

A reset can fail, the wrong drive can be selected, and hidden recovery or OEM layouts vary. Copying only a few visible folders may also miss application data stored outside Documents.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will Keep my files preserve D: and E:? Usually it targets Windows, but confirm the options shown on your PC and maintain a separate backup.

Is E: always a separate drive? No. Disk Management shows whether it is another partition on the same disk.

Conclusion

Back up D: and E: independently and read the final reset scope. After Windows restarts, check both volumes before assuming their data is safe.

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