To guarantee that your secondary drives remain completely untouched, follow this foolproof workflow. Step 1: Back Up Your Data
One Microsoft Q&A user described this exact scenario: after resetting Windows, they lost everything on both their primary and secondary drives. A Microsoft support responder confirmed that once this happens, the drive is formatted and the files are gone. While third-party recovery tools like Recuva might offer a slim chance of recovery, the outlook is generally bleak. does clean install wipe all drives exclusive
The safest method for desktop PCs is to power down the computer and unplug the SATA or NVMe cables from your secondary internal storage drives. Leave only the target boot drive connected. If the installer cannot see the drives, it cannot wipe them. Reconnect them after the installation finishes. 2. Unplug External Storage To guarantee that your secondary drives remain completely
While the automated installer will not touch your other drives without permission, human error and complex drive configurations can lead to accidental data loss. User Error in the Partition Manager While third-party recovery tools like Recuva might offer