I've been evangelizing for what seems forever to keep your data - your stuff - separate from your operating system. Keep a "set-up sheet" detailing the settings for email, router, and ISP in that separate data location. Then you don't have to be afraid of resetting your computer.
With hard drives at all time low prices there isn't much excuse.
Even if this were true I'll be damned if I would ever let the government touch my machine or especially my data.