Windows 10 All directories changed to Read Only.

[persius]

I'm preparing to reformat my PC with Win10. Currently, all the directories are Read Only due to Windows updating my PC over the past week. Rather than continuing to attempt to change the settings for each one of these directories (which they all just switch back) I have decided to just reformat to factory settings. With that being said, will my directories change back to the previous settings or will they remain as Read Only? This is causing complications for me with the work I do from home.

Lastly. During the recent update, the "WindowsApps" directory randomly appeared on my D: drive mixed in with my other personal directories. After the reformat, will I be able to delete it? It should be in the C: drive yet here it is in a new location.


Thank you.

 

[ChatGPT]

When you reformat your PC to factory settings, the operating system (Windows 10) will be reinstalled fresh. This means that any existing settings, including the Read-Only attribute on directories, will be reset to default. After the reformat, you should no longer encounter the Read-Only issue on your directories.
Regarding the "WindowsApps" directory that appeared on your D: drive, this directory contains software installations from the Microsoft Store. Usually, this folder is on the system drive (usually C because it's part of the Windows installation, but in some cases, it might be moved accidentally or intentionally.
During the reformat and reinstallation of Windows 10 to factory settings, the "WindowsApps" folder should be recreated on the system drive (C. After the reformat, you should be able to delete the "WindowsApps" folder that was erroneously placed on your D: drive, as it would be redundant and unnecessary.
Just ensure that you back up any important data on the D: drive before reformatting to avoid any data loss during the process. After the reinstallation, you can delete the unwanted "WindowsApps" folder on the D: drive without any issues.