How to Restore a Computer to Factory Settings in Windows 7

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Restoring your Windows 7 computer to its original factory settings returns your system to a factory-fresh software state so you can resell your computer or experience a fresh start as a user. Instructions for restoring your computer's factory settings will vary depending on its manufacturer.

Method 1
Method 1 of 5:

Dell

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  1. Restoring the original factory settings will erase all personal data from the computer.
  2. This includes printers, scanners, network cables, and USB drives.
    • Remove your laptop from its docking station, if applicable.
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  3. This opens the Advanced Boot Options menu.
    • If the Advanced Boot Options menu fails to open, restart your computer and try again.
  4. ” This opens the System Recovery Options menu
  5. ”
  6. ”
  7. ” This opens the Confirm Data Deletion menu.
  8. Place a checkmark next to “Yes, reformat hard drive and restore system software to factory condition,” then click “Next. ” Windows 7 will begin restoring factory settings, which will take at least five minutes to complete. When finished, Windows will inform you the computer has been restored to a factory-new condition.
  9. ” Your computer will restart and the Windows 7 setup wizard will display on-screen.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 5:

Hewlett-Packard (HP)

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  1. Restoring the original factory settings will erase all personal data from the computer.
  2. This includes printers, scanners, network cables, fax machines, and USB drives.
    • If Windows fails to boot up correctly and you cannot access the Start menu, press F11 repeatedly as your computer reboots to bring up the Recovery Manager window, then skip to step #7.
  4. ”
  6. The Recovery Manager window will display on-screen.
  7. ”
  8. Your computer will reboot, and display the Recovery Manager window once again.
  9. ”
  10. ” Your computer will restart and display the Windows 7 setup screen.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 5:

Acer

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  1. Restoring the original factory settings will erase all personal data from the computer.
  2. This displays the Acer eRecovery Management application.
    • Press “Enter” if the Microsoft Windows boot screen appears to advance to the eRecovery Management window.
  3. ”
  4. The restoration process will begin, which can take anywhere between 10 and 60 minutes. When factory restoration is complete, the Windows 7 setup wizard will display on-screen.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 5:

Toshiba

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  1. Restoring the original factory settings will erase all personal data from the computer.
  2. This includes printers, scanners, network cables, fax machines, and USB drives.
  3. This prevents the computer from powering down during the factory restore process.
  4. This brings up the recovery warning screen.
    • If the recovery warning screen fails to display, restart your computer and try again.
  5. This opens the Toshiba Recovery Wizard.
  6. Select “Recovery of Factory Software,” then follow the on-screen instructions to restore your computer's original factory settings. Your computer will reboot several times throughout the process, and display the Windows 7 welcome screen when complete. [1]
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Method 5
Method 5 of 5:

All Other Brands

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  1. Restoring the original factory settings will erase all personal data from the computer.
  2. In most cases, bootup commands will display at either the top or bottom of your screen.
  3. Bootup commands will vary depending on your computer's manufacturer:
    • Asus: Press F9
    • Lenovo: Press F11
    • MSI: Press F3
    • Samsung: Press F4
    • Sony: Press F10
  4. This option is labeled differently for each manufacturer, since each manufacturer uses different software for the built-in recovery partition. In most cases, this option will read as “Restore factory settings” or “Perform factory restore.”
  5. Your computer may reboot several times throughout the process, which may take up to one hour to complete. When restoration is finished, the Windows setup wizard or welcome screen will display. [2]
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    Can I take laptop back to factory settings (Windows 7) and then upgrade to Windows 10?
    Community Answer
    Yes, but you will need the Windows 7 key.
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      Tips

      • If your computer's recovery partition was wiped or erased on behalf of an error or virus, contact your computer's manufacturer to obtain a Windows 7 recovery disk. The recovery disk will allow you to restore and reinstall Windows 7 on your system.
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      Warnings

      • Restoring your Windows 7 computer to the original factory settings will erase all files and programs excluding the default programs it came with. Back up all important files and data prior to restoring the factory settings.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://support.dynabook.com/support/viewContentDetail?contentId=2737864
      2. ↑ http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/laptop/factory-reset-laptop-image-3462995/

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