Feature broken in the latest preview build of Windows 10

Sep 11, 2019 12:09 GMT  ·  By

One of the latest features that Microsoft has been working on and which the company plans to introduce in Windows 10 20H1 is an improvement for the Reset this PC option.

Technically, starting with the upcoming spring of 2020 Windows 10 feature update, users will be able to reset the device using an image stored in the cloud, which basically means that they would perform a reinstall of the operating system without the need for installation media.

While such an option has been around for a while on other platforms, it’s only now being added to Windows 10, and Microsoft is testing it with preview builds in the Windows Insider program.

In Windows 10 build 18975, however, the Reset this PC cloud download option is broken down, and Microsoft says that while it’s working on a full fix, you can manually repair it to give it a try.

Fortunately, the workaround is not at all difficult to use, albeit it’s not the most convenient either, as it involves removing some optional features.

But first of all, let’s see what’s happening.

Essentially, the resetting process begins as normal, but it fails at some point before competition. Microsoft says this is happening because of the optional features that are installed on your device, and once the system rolls back all changes, you should be able to boot to the desktop normally.

“The Reset this PC cloud download option is not currently working when specific optional features are installed. The process will begin, but an error will occur and roll back the changes,” Microsoft explains.

Managing optional features in Windows 10

Fortunately, dealing with this bug is easy, and as I said earlier, it comes down to removing the optional features that are currently incompatible with this new tool.

The features incompatible with the Reset this PC cloud download option are the following:  

EMS and SAC Toolset for Windows 10
IrDA infrared
Print Management Console
RAS Connection Manager Administration Kit (CMAK)
RIP Listener
RSAT tools
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)
Windows Fax and Scan
Windows Storage Management
Wireless Display
WI SNMP Provider
  In other words, these are also the optional features that you must remove in order to use the cloud tool properly.

Here’s what you need to do to remove one or several of these optional features.

The easiest way to find the menu is to click the Start menu and type:


Manage optional features
On the other hand, you can also browse to this menu manually by following this path:
Settings > Apps > Apps & features > Optional features
You can then choose any item from the list and hit the option that reads Uninstall.

As you can see, the whole process only requires a few clicks, but at the same time, it’s not really everyone’s cup of tea given that some features need to be removed from their devices.

The optional features are there for a reason, so removing them just to get another working isn’t something that everyone is willing to do.

On the other hand, keep in mind that the bug is only happening in preview builds of Windows 10 20H1, so there’s a chance that by the time this feature update hits RTM, the issue is already fixed.

According to Microsoft’s typical release schedule, Windows 10 20H1 is projected to be finalized in the first months of 2020, most likely in March, while the rollout to production devices that are not part of the Insider program should kick off in April or May the latest.

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