Windows 8 "Refresh"

For those of you new to Windows 8 there are a few areas that you should become aware of in the case you find your system not booting up properly.   If this has already been the case then you have noticed windows automatically goes to a repair screen where one of the options it provides is a 'windows refresh'. Reading the description of this is VERY MISLEADING so be aware.. Although it states "your data is safe" and that it will place windows back in to a 'default' state, and (here's the kicker) "all apps installed will be removed and will have to be re-installed".. OK so that sounds OK  if you are referring to the 'apps' as in the tiles that you may have chosen to install from the Microsoft Store such as Weather, or Kayak or News but THIS IS NOT WHAT IT IS REFERRING TO!  The APPS are actually the "programs" you have installed.. this includes things like Microsoft office even so be aware, the refresh is NOT to be used without knowledge that you will be spending hours re-installing many programs.  You are going to be better off using the 'windows restore' where it can choose an earlier restore point as this only deals with registry entries. Better yet, just try restarting normally.. quite often things will sort themselves out over a few failed reboots! Need more help? You can always contact me directly or visit my TIPS page for many other useful tidbits.