How to reinstall Windows and give your PC a fresh start

Once upon a time, "reinstalling Windows" was an often recommended remedy for all sorts of computer problems. Windows 95 and XP were notorious for becoming less stable over time, with "crap in the machine" in the form of settings left in the Registry, traces of uninstalled programs that had not been properly removed, and other things that lurked. Indeed, many people chose to reinstall from time to time even if the computer showed no symptoms, as part of regular maintenance. Windows 10 and 11 are much better at keeping order and cleaning up automatically. Today, frequent reinstallations are not something we at PCWorld or any other experts recommend.