By restoring Windows 7 to factory settings, the computer system will be returned to the factory settings as it was when you originally purchased it. Once you've done that, you can either sell the computer or run it like a new computer. How to restore your computer to factory settings will vary depending on the manufacturer.
Step
Method 1 of 5: Dell
Step 1. Back up and save all important data to an external hard disk, flash drive, or cloud storage service
Restoring the computer to factory defaults will erase all data on it.
Step 2. Shut down the computer and unplug all additional accessories and peripherals
This includes printers, scanners, network cables, and USB drives.
If there is, unplug the laptop from the docking station (a device that is connected to the monitor so that it functions as a computer desktop)
Step 3. Turn on the computer, then press the F8 key repeatedly when the Dell logo appears on the screen
The Advanced Boot Options menu will open.
If Advanced Boot Options does not appear, restart the computer and try again
Step 4. Select "Repair Your Computer" with arrow keys, then press "Enter" key
The System Recovery Options menu will open.
Step 5. Select a keyboard layout and click "Next"
Step 6. Sign in as administrator or local user, and click "OK"
Step 7. Select "Dell Factory Tools" or "Dell Factory Image Restore", then click "Next"
The Confirm Data Deletion menu will open.
Step 8. Tick next to "Yes, reformat hard drive and restore system software to factory condition", and click "Next"
Windows 7 will begin to restore to factory settings. This can take a minimum of 5 minutes. When finished, a notification will appear that the computer has been restored to factory settings.
Step 9. Click "Finish"
The computer will restart and the screen will display a wizard for setting up Windows 7.
Method 2 of 5: Hewlett-Packard (HP)
Step 1. Back up and save all important data to an external hard drive, flash drive, or cloud storage service
Restoring the computer to factory defaults will erase all data on it.
Step 2. Shut down the computer and unplug all additional accessories and peripherals
This includes printers, scanners, fax machines, network cables, and USB drives.
Step 3. Turn on the computer, then click "Start"
If Windows does not start properly and you cannot access the Start menu, press the F11 key repeatedly while the computer is booting to open Recovery Manager, then proceed to step 7
Step 4. Select "All Programs", then click "Recovery Manager"
Step 5. Click "Recovery Manager" again, then enter the administrator password
Step 6. Select "Yes"
Select Yes when the User Account Control window asks if you want to make changes to the computer. This will bring up the Recovery Manager on the screen.
Step 7. Select "System Recovery" which is under the section named "I need help immediately"
Step 8. Select "Yes", then click "Next" when asked if you really want to restore the computer to factory settings
The computer will restart, and the Recovery Manager window will appear again.
Step 9. Select "System Recovery" then select "Recover without backing up your files"
Step 10. Click "OK" to confirm that you really want to restore the computer to factory settings, then select "Finish"
The computer will restart and the Windows 7 setup screen will be displayed.
Method 3 of 5: Acer
Step 1. Back up and save all important data to an external hard drive, flash drive, or cloud storage service
Restoring the computer to factory defaults will erase all data on it.
Step 2. Restart the computer, then press the left alt=""Image" key + F10 when the Acer logo appears.</h4" />
The Acer eRecovery Management application will be displayed.
Press the " Enter " key when the Microsoft Windows boot screen is displayed to enter the eRecovery Management window
Step 3. Select "Completely Restore System to Factory Defaults", then click "Next"
Step 4. Click "Next" again to confirm that you really want to restore the computer to factory settings
This process can take about 10-60 minutes. A wizard to set up Windows 7 will appear on the screen when the computer has been restored to factory settings.
Method 4 of 5: Toshiba
Step 1. Back up and save all important data to an external hard drive, flash drive, or cloud storage service
Restoring the computer to factory defaults will erase all data on it.
Step 2. Shut down the computer and unplug all additional accessories and peripherals
This includes printers, scanners, fax machines, network cables, and USB drives.
Step 3. Make sure the Toshiba computer is connected to a power source
This is to prevent the computer from turning off when you restore it to factory settings.
Step 4. Restart the computer, then press and hold the "0" key on the keyboard
A recovery warning screen will appear.
If the recovery warning screen does not appear, restart the computer and try again
Step 5. Click “Yes” to confirm that you do want to continue the system restore process
The Toshiba Recovery Wizard window will open.
Step 6. Select "Recovery of Factory Software", then follow the given instructions to restore the computer to factory settings
The computer will restart several times during the process. When finished, the Windows 7 welcome screen will appear.
Method 5 of 5: Other Brands
Step 1. Back up and save all important data to an external hard drive, flash drive, or cloud storage service
Restoring the computer to factory defaults will erase all data on it.
Step 2. Restart your Windows 7 computer, then look for the boot command that appears on the screen
The but command is usually displayed at the bottom or top of the screen.
Step 3. Press the command button but according to the instructions to access the recovery partition of the computer
The command to boot will vary depending on the computer manufacturer:
- Asus: Press the F9. key
- Lenovo: Press the F11. key
- MSI: Press F3. key
- Samsung: Press the F4. key
- Sony: Press the F10. key
Step 4. Select the option to restore the computer to factory settings
The name of the option will vary depending on the computer manufacturer. This is because each manufacturer uses different software to perform the recovery. The name of the option used is usually "Restore factory settings" or "Perform factory restore".
Step 5. Follow the on-screen instructions to restore the computer to factory settings
The computer may restart several times while the process is running, which can take up to an hour. When finished, the welcome screen or the Windows setup wizard will be displayed.
