Very Slow PC. WARNING: Clearing erases information stored on the TPM

[graham67r]

Hello, I just bought a new Acer laptop. The item was advertised with windows 10 installed
and was supposed to be a brand new item, but box opened. When I first switched the laptop on, it was very
slow to load up. Immediately after entering a username name and password for the first time,
a light blue screen came up (looked like a legitimate windows screen) saying a critical windows update
was required, which took five plus hours to download before I could get to the desktop screen. I believe
this was windows 10 automatically installing or windows 10 updating, as on the desktop screen, one of the
few icons to appear was the windows 10 update assistant.

I tried using the PC, but it was very slow. I was hoping it would get better, but having tried for a few
hours, it didn't improve...so I tried the Acer factory reset to see if it would fix the problem, but it stuck for well over 3 hours on the same percentage number, saying "resetting this PC."

As I had no choice, I turned the PC off and on again, but got the message:

"A configuration change was requested to clear this computer's TPM (Trusted Platform Module)
WARNING: Clearing erases information stored on the TPM. You will lose all created keys and access to data encrypted by these keys. Press Yes to clear the TPM Press Non to reject the change request and continue."

1. Does anybody have an idea of what option should I press to completely remove the
personal information (as I had typed 1 written document on the PC and saved it?)

2. If I am having these problems when it is supposed to be new, do you think it is likely to get worse down
the line?

3. I was wondering, would the document I saved have been wiped when I did the Acer reset, or would it still be on the laptop, as the reset was not completed?

Thanks

 

[VirtualLarry]

Well, there's a couple of possibilities as to your document, although, if the laptop had the TPM configured, and you cleared the keys, then whatever's left on the HDD or SSD may be encrypted.

Is there some reason that you initiate a reset, before backing up your documents, on to, say, a flash drive?

You mention that the laptop is slow, what are the specs? Is it a Celeron N3050 or N3060? Or an AMD E1-series? Those are both some of the slowest laptop CPUs that you can buy new today.

 

[graham67r]

hi, are you right in saying it is better to press : "Press Yes to clear the TPM"

rather than "Press No to reject the change request and continue."

on the press 'yes,' it says - "You will lose all created keys and access to data encrypted by these keys."

so, am i right in saying, if i press yes, the pc will continue to boot, but any personal information i had typed on a document will be cleared/erased.

but if i press no, am i right in saying, any personal information i had typed on the laptop will not be cleared and be kept.

 

[DigDog]

format the laptop and install W7. disable all updates and install Avast. GG.

 

[ch33zw1z]

It's new, is there already data of your own stored on it?

Probably not, wipe it from scratch, new TPM keys will created

Windows 10 will still activate, so there's nothing to lose really, unless you put data on it

 

[silicon]

format the laptop and install W7. disable all updates and install Avast. GG.

This! it will solve your problems. win 10 is a pile of crap in my opinion.

 

[bbhaag]

Is there a reason you can't return the laptop? If you just purchased it and it is not working as intended I would return it to the store you bought it from for a replacement or refund.
Shirley you didn't put irreplaceable documents on a new laptop that was acting up from the get go....right?

 

[JeffMD]

Many new laptops don't have full windows 7/8 drivers.

If you don't mind the extra leg work, download the Microsoft media tools, download and burn windows 10 iso. Boot with the disc and choose install, delete all partitions. It won't need to touch your bios at all, and the iso will have most updates installed.

Pre download your laptop drivers to a usb stick, too.

 

[vailr]

Something's not right, if you're seeing TPM module warnings. A brand new machine from the factory install of Windows 10 should not even be aware of a TPM module being present, let alone having to worry about TPM-related data encryption. Either: return for refund, or if a price difference would tend to encourage repairing it yourself: re-format and re-install Windows.