Overview

Windows provides a feature called:

Reset this PC

which is commonly used on physical computers to wipe user data and restore the operating system back to factory defaults.

However, performing this action inside a Softdrive virtual machine is not supported and can permanently remove critical Softdrive drivers, services, and virtualization components required for the VM to function properly.

Once the reset process completes, the virtual machine may no longer be able to:

• Connect through Softdrive
• Communicate with the Softdrive platform
• Load required virtual hardware drivers
• Start streaming sessions correctly

Applies To

• Softdrive Virtual Machines
• Windows 10
• Windows 11
• Reset this PC feature
• Cloud PCs

Symptoms

• The virtual machine becomes inaccessible after running:

  Reset this PC

• Softdrive can no longer connect to the VM
• Streaming sessions fail to initialize
• Critical Softdrive services or drivers are missing
• The machine may appear offline or unreachable in Softnet

Possible Causes

The Windows reset process removes system-level drivers and software components required for Softdrive virtual machines.

Unlike physical computers, Softdrive VMs depend on:

• Virtualization drivers
• Softdrive services
• Streaming components
• Guest agent integrations
• Cloud connectivity software

The Windows reset operation treats these components as removable software and deletes them during the reset process.

As a result, the VM is no longer able to communicate properly with the Softdrive platform.

Resolution

Once a Softdrive virtual machine has been reset using:

Reset this PC

the recommended recovery method is to recreate the machine.

Administrator Recovery Process

1. Log in to:
   https://softnet.softdrive.co
2. Navigate to:

   Computers

3. Locate the affected virtual machine
4. Delete the damaged VM from the Softnet console
5. Create a new virtual machine from the appropriate template

This ensures all required Softdrive drivers and components are installed correctly.

Validation / Expected Result

After recreating the virtual machine:

• Softdrive connectivity is restored
• The VM appears online in Softnet
• Streaming sessions launch normally
• Required Softdrive services and drivers function correctly

Troubleshooting Notes

• Do not use:

  Reset this PC

  inside Softdrive virtual machines
• For troubleshooting or cleanup, contact Softdrive Support before resetting the VM
• Snapshots, templates, or machine recreation are the preferred recovery methods in virtual environments
• Resetting a VM may also remove domain enrollment, Intune enrollment, and management agents

Escalation

If assistance is required recreating the virtual machine, contact Softdrive Support and include:

• Machine name
• Date and time the reset occurred
• Screenshot of any errors displayed
• Whether the machine was domain-joined or managed by Intune
• Email: support@softdrive.co