A technician decides that the best way to eliminate a stubborn malware infection on a Windows PC is to return the computer to the exact condition it was in when it left the factory image, including reinstalling Windows and all standard applications. Which process should the technician perform?
Reimaging (also called a wipe-and-load) deletes existing partitions and writes a fresh image of the operating system and baseline software to the drive. Because the entire disk is overwritten, any hidden or persistent malware is removed and the PC is restored to its original, known-good state.
Why the other options are wrong:
System Restore rolls Windows back to an earlier restore point. It preserves personal files but removes any applications, drivers, or updates installed after that point, so it cannot guarantee removal of deeply embedded malware.
Startup Repair (sometimes called System Repair) scans for and repairs missing or corrupted system files so Windows can boot; it does not reinstall the OS or wipe user data.
Rollback returns Windows to the previous build or feature update and likewise leaves user files intact. It is intended for update-related issues, not malware eradication.
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