Recover devices

Article
02/22/2023

This article covers two primary scenarios for Windows Recovery in Microsoft Managed Desktop:

Break and fix
Reuse the device

The key factor in the two options is to ensure that devices don't have their mobile device management (MDM) enrollment data removed. Keeping the MDM enrollment data ensures device specific settings, related to upgrade and migration used in our Windows Update for Business service, are kept and features like Max OS Version are honored post Windows Recovery.

Break and fix

For scenarios where service desk teams have decided that the fastest way to resolve the issue is through a device reset, Microsoft Managed Desktop recommends the Microsoft Intune device wipe action and selecting the Retain enrollment state and user account setting. This action uses Windows recovery on the client device. Performing Windows recovery can place the system back into a known good state and address issues like Windows file corruption, reset to default settings, etc. For more information about Windows recovery (also known as push-button reset), see Push-button reset feature settings.

What to expect with the Wipe action and retaining enrollment state

The following table describes:

The information and files that are kept after the wipe.
The information and files that aren't kept after the wipe.

Kept after wipe	Not kept after wipe
User accounts associated with the device	User files
Machine state (domain join, Microsoft Entra joined)	User-installed apps (store and Win32 apps)
Mobile device management (MDM) enrollment	Non-default device settings
OEM pre-installed apps (store and Win32 apps)
User profile and some user configured settings
User data outside of the user profile
User autologin settings

Note

Performing the device wipe:

Does NOT format the drive, erase user data outside of the user profile, or clear the Trusted Platform Module (TPM).
The experience is different from the Out of Box Experience (OOBE) when users first turn on a new device. Since user profiles are maintained, the user is automatically presented with a Windows logon screen once Windows Recovery has been completed.

Reuse the device

The preferred method when handing an existing device from one user to another is to reimage the device (by USB key or other deployment method). Reimaging ensures all user data from the previous user is removed and provides the new user with a clean Microsoft Managed Desktop enrollment experience.

There are two options for device reuse scenarios available to IT admins in Microsoft Managed Desktop:

Reimage the device (preferred)
Autopilot Reset

Reimage the device

For imaging options, it’s best to utilize a OEM image whenever possible for this scenario but for some cases where a non-OEM image is needed, the Microsoft Managed Desktop universal image may be an option.

Autopilot Reset

An alternative to reimaging a device is to use Autopilot Reset.

However, this option isn’t preferred to reimage the device because OEM pre-installed applications (for example, Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise) aren't restored. Microsoft Office will need to be reinstalled post Windows Recovery using the Company Portal or Intune Application installation.