Restore windows 7 to factory settings. How to restore a laptop to factory settings

This option will help return the system to the state recorded in certain moment time, - recovery point. If saving such points is configured and enabled, then the system state will be recorded to the hard drive before installing updates, drivers and applications.

Returning Windows to a restore point will save all personal files, but drivers and applications that appeared after the point was created will need to be reinstalled.

To start Windows Recovery, right-click on Start (Win + X) and go to Control Panel → System and Security → System → System Protection. Click "Restore" → "Next" and select desired point recovery.

Another path option: “Control Panel” → “All Control Panel Items” → “Recovery” → “Run System Restore”.

If the restore point is not found, it means that system protection is disabled, and you will have to use other methods.

To avoid troubles in the future, enable the creation of restore points. To do this, in the same “System Protection” menu, select the system drive, click “Configure” and enable system drive protection.

2. Return the computer to its original state

If there are no restore points or going to them does not help, try returning the system to its original state. You can roll back while saving the files or completely delete everything and . Also, some computers - often laptops - have an option to restore factory settings.

In Windows 8 and 10, you can start restoring to its original state by going to Settings → Update and Security → Reset your PC → Get Started.

In Windows 7, to do this, go to “Control Panel” → “System and Security” → “Backup and Restore” → “Restore system settings or computer” → “Advanced recovery methods” → “Return the computer to the factory-set state.”

3. Restore Windows using a disk

A recovery disk is useful, for example, for rolling back to a saved point or returning to its original state if Windows refuses. An ordinary flash drive, external hard drive or DVD can serve as such a disk.

The recovery disc should be written in advance and stored in case of system failure. Under Control Panel → All Control Panel Items → Recovery, click Create a recovery disk. In the menu that appears, select the “Perform a backup” option. system files to a recovery drive" and you can use the USB drive not only to fix errors and rollback, but also to reinstall Windows.

You can create a recovery DVD in Windows under “Control Panel” → “System and Security” → “Backup and Restore” → “Create a system recovery disc.” The same method works in newer versions of the system, only the name is different: “Backup and Restore (Windows 7)” instead of “Backup and Restore”.

To correct errors, boot the system from disk. In the recovery environment that opens, click Troubleshoot. Start returning to a system restore point in the “Advanced options” → “System Restore” menu.

4. Restore Windows using a full system image

Another option Windows recovery- roll back to the previously created system image. The image is written to a hard drive, DVD, or network share.

Unlike a rollback or point-to-point restore, using a full image preserves all files, applications, settings, and drivers installed at the time it was created.

The most appropriate moment to create such an image may be when everything is installed on the system and required applications, but there is nothing superfluous. This way you can continue working immediately after recovery.

To create a full system image, in the Control Panel, select Backup and Restore (Windows 7) → Create a system image. (In Windows 7: Control Panel → System and Security → Backup and Restore → Create a system image.)

In the menu that appears, you can choose which of the existing partitions and files to include in the system image and on what media to burn it.

With a complete system image at your disposal, you can quickly return Windows to the state you want. You can start image-based recovery when you restart the computer: “Diagnostics” → “Advanced options” → “System image recovery”.

Auto Windows reset to a state “like from a store” (Factory Reset) - a good alternative to installing an operating system from scratch. This in many cases makes life easier for the user, as it eliminates the need to reinstall it manually. And it’s a pity that this feature is not available on every device, but only on those where the system is installed by the manufacturer. This is almost 90% of all laptops, all-in-one PCs and branded desktop computers.

In what cases is it useful? reset windows 7 to factory settings:

• if you decide to sell your computer - condition hard drive, as if just from the store, it will only be “at hand” for the buyer;
• at enterprises - in case of transfer of a computer for use to another employee;
• if the operating system has suffered from a serious failure that cannot be fixed by anything other than a complete reinstallation;
• after long use and repeated installation and reinstallation of programs, the system began to work slowly - due to litter in the registry and system directories;
• Windows 7 stopped loading after installing a new driver - resetting to factory settings will restore the known working drivers that were installed initially.
• Windows 7 has crashed for unknown reasons - the reset function will help solve the problem if the problem is not related to the failure of the hard drive.

Hidden recovery partition: where is it?

Why is the factory reset feature not available to everyone? The fact is that on computers where it is, HDD is marked in a special way: it has a hidden recovery partition (which is otherwise called the service partition), where a copy of Windows 7 is stored with all the drivers and proprietary software. This partition is created by the PC manufacturer and is allocated about 15-20 GB disk space(that's where it goes free place!). It does not appear in Explorer, but is visible through Disk Management. Let's see if you have this section.

• Open Control Panel >> Administrative Tools >> Computer Management applet.

Or in the context menu of the “Computer” folder, click “Management”.

• On the right side of the window, in the list of administration options, there is a “Disk Management” item. Click it.

Among other volumes, we see the same hidden partition under the name Samsung_REC (shown on the example of a laptop of this brand). It does not have a letter and is not accessible to the user from a running system. To look into it (but we do not advise you to do this unless necessary), you need to boot your computer from an external drive based on Windows or another OS, go to “Disk Management” and assign a letter to it. Then he, like the others, will be visible in the explorer.

If there is such a partition on your system disk, you have the opportunity to reset Windows 7 to its original state. If not, then no.

How to reset your system

Some manufacturers equip their equipment proprietary utilities, which allow you to start the reset process directly from under running Windows. But this will not benefit those whose system does not boot. Therefore, almost every laptop, all-in-one or branded desktop is equipped with a rollback tool, which can be launched from the recovery environment or by pressing a certain key at startup.

Here is a list of some of them for devices of the most common brands:

ASUS-F9
Acer – Alt+F10 (but first you need to go into the BIOS and activate the D2D Recovery (Disk-to-Disk Recovery) option in it)
Dell Inspiron – Ctrl+F11
Dell XPS-F8
Lenovo ThinkPad – F11
Lenovo IdeaPad – special key"OneKey Rescue"
Fujitsu Siemens – F8
Toshiba – F8 or 0
Sony VAIO – F10 or “ASSIST” key
Packard Bell-F10
HP Pavilion - F11
LG-F11
Rover – Alt (hold)
Samsung - F4.

Preparation

Important! Before resetting Windows 7, transfer all important data that is stored on your hard drive to another drive. And not only from system partition, and from all of them. On some devices, for example, from the Toshiba brand, the restoration procedure to factory settings is accompanied by repartitioning the disk and deleting information in all partitions. Restoring it after this will be very difficult, if not completely impossible.

Also make sure that the laptop battery is not discharged, otherwise a sudden power outage can cause a lot of trouble. Desktop computer and connect the monoblock to an uninterruptible power supply during this time.

Rollback with hotkeys

Pressing the above key starts the recovery wizard. In some cases (be careful, not in all!) you will be asked to do backup copy your data. Before skipping this step, make sure that you have already created it.

The wizard’s instructions have been translated into Russian, so there shouldn’t be any difficulties using it. Just remember that once the recovery process has begun, it is impossible to cancel and you will definitely have to complete it. On average it takes 10-15 minutes.

After completing the procedure, you will see the initial screen Windows settings 7. Further – creation of the first account, activation, etc., is done in the same way as after a normal system installation.

Rollback using Windows utility

Consider running the recovery utility on a Packard Bell laptop, where it is built right into the Windows shell.

• Open Control Panel and launch the Backup and Restore applet.

• Click “Restore system settings or computer.”

• Click “Advanced Recovery Methods”.

• Select “Restore your computer to factory default state.”

Rollback from recovery environment

Another way to reset Windows is to run the Rollback Wizard from the Recovery Environment (Windows RE). To get into it, press F8 after starting the PC and select “Troubleshoot computer problems” from the menu that opens.

After loading the RE environment, select the interface language,

user account (password may be required),

Sometimes a computer owner is faced with the need to clean the system of various bugs that interfere with normal operation. This can be done by reinstalling operating system, or using special utilities. But there is a method that has several undeniable advantages over them.

Resetting the settings to factory defaults will help restore the device to functionality in most cases, even if you cannot start the OS. This method is especially relevant for those who do not want to waste time reinstalling the OS.

When restoring factory settings, the OS will be reinstalled automatically. You will not need to enter the OS activation code again. That will be restored Windows version, which came with the laptop upon purchase.

By rolling back the BIOS, you will eliminate the problems listed above. In this article we will look at how to return a laptop to factory settings and restore its functionality. There are several methods, which we will take a closer look at.

The option to reset settings may be needed if:

What are the factory settings?

Factory settings are set by the manufacturer for a specific computer or laptop model. They store BIOS settings and computer configuration parameters. This information is located in the device's dynamic memory, which is called CMOS.

All factory settings take up very little space and are separately powered - from a small battery located on the motherboard. You can reset the laptop parameters without access to the BIOS. To do this, simply remove the battery, wait 30-40 seconds, and insert it again.

After the reset process is completed BIOS settings and the OS has been reinstalled, you will receive the laptop in the same condition in which you bought it in the store.

It is worth noting that to successfully return the device to factory settings, in addition to CMOS, you need a Recover partition, which stores installation files and other necessary system information.

Video: Laptop factory settings

Where is Recovery located and its activation

A hidden partition on the hard drive that stores all the files needed to restore the system is called Recovery. It is created by default on all laptops, and is deleted or damaged in most cases as a result of incorrect user actions.

You can see where the hidden section is located:

There you can see the size that Recovery occupies on the HDD. Typically this is 20-25 GB of system information and installation files.

If you have a Toshiba laptop, then you have probably already noticed that on drive D there is a system folder called HDD Recovery. It also stores the information necessary to reset the system, so it cannot be deleted.

Activating Recovery starts the process of resetting user BIOS changes, restoring factory settings, and reinstalling the OS and system programs and drivers.

To activate Recovery, press a specific hotkey combination. This will allow you to enter the system menu, where you can select several system recovery options. It should be remembered that each manufacturer has its own combination of hot keys; below we will look at the most popular ones.

Restoring settings using hotkeys

In order to return your laptop to factory settings, you should remember several hotkey combinations. When the system boots, you should press hot keys to access the BIOS Setup menu, from where you can start the process of restoring parameters.

Depending on the computer manufacturer, hot keys and their combinations differ:

1. Toshiba - depending on the model F8, or 0, or Fn+0;
2. Sony - F10;
3. Acer – Alt and F10 at the same time;
4. HP, LG and Lenovo – F11;
5. Samsung – F4;
6. Fujitsu - F8;
7. ASUS – F9;
8. Dell - both Ctrl and F11, but in some models F8;
9. Packard Bell - F10. If you have Windows 8 installed, you can use the power button when you log in. You should hold down Shift and at the same time select the “Reboot” menu item;
10. MSI – F3, and on some models F11.

How to reset a laptop to factory settings via BIOS

Using hot keys, you can roll back custom system changes and return the BIOS to factory settings.

On the black screen that appears, select sequentially:

1. option "Running the recovery center" for Sony, or "Troubleshooting your computer" for Toshiba, or "System Recovery" for HP;
2. menu item "Load Defaults BIOS".

Depending on the manufacturer, the option name may vary: "Load BIOS Setup Defaults", "Load Safe-Fail Defaults", but the words "Load" and "Default" will definitely be present.

Preparation

Prepare for a factory reset:

After you start the process of resetting the settings, the process of collecting information and preparing system files will begin. This may take some time, so don't worry.

Recovery process

Once you start the recovery process, all actions will be performed automatically, without your participation. The computer may reboot if required by the installed software. During the process of resetting the settings, device drivers will be restored and standard system programs will be installed.

It is worth mentioning that it is not always possible to successfully reset the settings on a laptop. This is possible if:

What can you do if you deleted hidden Recovery section from hard? You'll have to search boot disk with settings or image hidden section for your laptop. They can be found on the Internet, and sometimes manufacturers offer to buy such disks for system recovery on official websites.

If ready-made images not for your laptop, you can ask the owners of a similar model on computer forums to create such an image for you. And to avoid such a situation, you can create your own bootable USB flash drive or a DVD for your laptop that you can keep on hand and use when necessary.

Hi all.

Are you interested in how to reset your Android to factory settings? Then read this article where you will find several ways to complete your task. Still not sure whether you should really reset your gadget? Find out when to do this and how to avoid losing your data.

Reasons for resetting settings

What do you get when you return to factory settings? It's like a device you just bought. That is, your personal data is erased, the applications you downloaded are cleared RAM and clipboard. This may be needed if:

Saving data

If you are not going to sell the gadget, but only want to clean it, you should first save its contents. How?

• Go to “Settings”, and then to the “Backup and reset” tab (in some gadgets it is called “Privacy” or “Backup and reset”).
• Check the "Data backup" box.
• Write below Google account, to which this action must be performed.
• Place another tick in the “Auto recovery” checkbox.

Now you are not afraid of losing data, since it will return to its original place after cleaning the system.

Reset

In gadgets different models and brands, the algorithm of actions and section names may differ, but in general they are similar. I'll tell you about several ways to do it Hard Reset(that’s what it’s called) so that you can choose the most suitable one.

Via "Settings"

Method one:

• Go to the same tab as in backup, only this time click on the “Reset settings” section.

• You will receive a warning that all content will be deleted. Confirm your decision.
• Next you will see a list of parameters that will be erased. Give the go-ahead for that too.

Your participation will no longer be required: the gadget will do everything itself, restart and you will receive a reset system.

Using service codes

As with any other system, there are special codes for Android, by entering which you will return the factory settings.

This option is suitable in cases where you can only get to the emergency dial menu.

But you can also enter combinations from the same menu as other phone numbers.

Please note that the codes may change and differ for different gadgets. Try one of these:

• *#*#7378423#*#*
• *#*#7780#*#
• *2767*3855#

Using hardware keys

Does your gadget freeze when loading? Can't navigate the menu? Forgot your password? Perform a full clean through Recovery mode. How to activate it? First you need to turn off the device, and then hold down a certain combination of buttons. It differs from one manufacturer to another:

• Asus, Acer:

— volume down + power button.

• Huawei

— Offers a couple of options for different models:

— Press and hold the volume up and power keys for at least 10 seconds;

- The same thing, only the first one needs to be pressed in the middle. Wait for the logo to appear and release only Power. When you see an Android robot with gears, slide your finger on the volume up and press until the green loading bar appears.

• Lenovo. There are also several combinations:

— Volume “+ and -” together with the power key;

— Hold down the last button until vibration, and then increase the volume;

— Volume up and start button at the same time.

— Power + volume down. When you see the logo, release the buttons for a second and press them again until the recovery mode turns on.

• Prestigio:

— Volume “up” or “down” and “Power”.

• Samsung:

— “Home” + volume up + power or the latter and volume down.

Such variations:

— Volume up + power;

— Connect the gadget to the network. When the charging indicator appears, press the Reset button using a paper clip. As soon as the display lights up, hold down the “Power” button for a couple of seconds.

• Xiaomi, Meizu:

— Turn on + increase volume. When you see the picture, release only the first one.

What to do when you enter the Recovery menu?

• Navigate to the Wipe data/factory reset section.

• Agree that the information will be erased.
• When the reset is complete, click on Reboot System to restart the device.

If the sensor refuses to work, navigate through the menu using the volume keys and select an action using the power button.

By the way. An important note.

If the selection is not made using the volume buttons and the device reboots, then try removing the flash card.

Correcting errors in the engineering menu

Did you go to engineering menu and did something wrong? You can return the previous parameters in this way:

You can completely erase the last folder. Don't be afraid to do this, because the standard parameters are built into the kernel and the system will automatically restore them.

How to reset settings on Android via PC?

Resetting settings on a mobile gadget via a computer is more suitable for advanced users, but if a beginner strictly follows the instructions, the task will be crowned with success for him too :). So:

• Download the program from the official website Android System Development Kit.
• Unpack the archive, click the “Browse” button and specify the path “C:\Program Files”.
• Go to the folder with the extracted files and press F2 to give it a simple name that you like.
• Right-click on the “My Computer” icon or on the corresponding section in the “Start” menu to get to “Properties”.
• You will need the “Advanced system settings” section, where in the “Advanced” tab you should click on the “Environment Variables” button.

• In the “System Variables” window, select the “Path” field, and then “Edit”.
• Another window will open. Scroll down and set the path to the unpacked archive with a semicolon at the very beginning. For example, C:\Program Files\ADT\sdk\platform-tools\.
• Is everything right? Click "OK".
• Call command line. To do this, either go to “Search” and enter “cmd”, or hold down the Win + R keys.
• Connect mobile device to a computer via USB.
• Write “adb shell” in the line.
• Click the Enter key.
• When ADB connects to the device, add “-wipe_data”.

• Enter again.
• The gadget will reboot and return to its default settings.

I have nothing more to add on the topic of how to reset settings on Android to factory settings.

If the manufacturer of your computer stored the installation settings on it Windows data 7, you must proceed as follows: open Control Panel and go to the “System and Security” category.

In the “Backup and Restore” section, find the “Restore system settings or computer” option. Then click on “Advanced recovery methods”, select the “Restore your computer to its original settings” option and follow the instructions.

However, if you come across the option “Reinstall Windows (requires installation Windows disk)", you need to reset Windows 7 using recovery methods.

After starting your computer, during the boot process, notice the indication at the bottom of the screen that you can enter recovery mode by pressing the function key. In most cases these buttons are or , otherwise you should try other function keys.

On some laptops, you must press the key in the lower left corner of the keyboard to access the function keys. If you did not have time to press the desired key, you must repeat the download process.

Once your computer has booted into recovery mode, use the arrow keys to select Recovery. Since you have already saved the data, you can move on to the next step by clicking “Next”.

Windows will now prompt you to disable all input devices such as the keyboard and mouse. After confirming with the “Next” button, disable peripherals. The reset process begins and may take several minutes.

Photo: manufacturing company