Many people have a habit of stockpiling files on their computer, not deleting what’s no longer needed. When they need to make some more room on the hard drive, they will usually delete some of these files. A common question is “what if I want them back later?” The answer to this is simple; performing a Factory Reset or reinstalling Windows on your computer will return it to its original state, with no trace of any files.
Warning: This guide is only for factory restore/reset and reinstallation of operating system. Anything else may result in permanent data loss or complete failure of the product. Make sure that you save all your data before proceeding with this guide.
how long does it take to reset a laptop?
This guide will help you learn the effective easy way how to reset a laptop computer. There are different ways to reset a laptop and this is one of them. Resetting your laptop can clear, delete or wipe all data from your computer so please take the necessary precautions to back up all data on your laptop before proceeding with this guide.
This can take about half an hour depending on how much data you have stored on your computer. It’s best that you do it when you don’t plan on using your laptop for a while.
What is a factory reset and why would you want to do it?
This is where you reset your laptop back to its original factory settings. This may also be referred to as a “hard reset” or a “wipe data/factory reset”. Why would you want to do this? Most commonly it’s because your computer is running slow or something didn’t work right so now you want to start over with a fresh version of the operating system.
It’s also helpful if you are selling or giving away your laptop. Many people do this for security reasons, so that someone can’t break into their laptop easily. You will have the peace of mind knowing that all data on your laptop is removed and no one else can access it without your password.
How to factory reset a laptop or computer – for Windows, Mac, and Chromebooks
The steps can be different depending on your laptop brand and operating system. Please follow these instructions for resetting a Dell, HP, Asus, Toshiba, Samsung, Acer or other Windows 10 or Windows 8 computer:
How to factory reset a Surface Pro 3 with Windows 10
- Press the power button on the right side of the device.
- Hold the volume up button and power button at the same time until it resets.
- Immediately after you see the logo, press and release the volume down button.
- You will into recovery mode that looks like this:
- Choose “Use a recovery image.”
What to do if your computer isn’t booting up properly after the reset
If your laptop still doesn’t boot up properly after the reset, please contact the customer service department of your laptop manufacturer for further assistance. For Mac computers (running OS 10.7 or higher) you will want to press and hold down the “Command” and the “R” buttons after you hear the startup sound. For Chromebook computers, please use this link to find out how to perform a factory reset or reinstall on your device.
Conclusion
Factory reset is a way to restore your laptop back to the state it was in when you first bought it. This process will delete all data from your device so please be aware that if there’s any files that you need, copy them off before doing this. If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments below.
