how long does it take to factory reset a laptop

Introduce

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If your laptop is no longer working properly or it has been infected with malware that you cannot remove with anti-virus software, you should reset it to factory settings (also known as recovery or delivery status). However, doing so would delete all your personal data, such as documents, pictures, downloads, music, videos and any programs that you have installed since you bought your machine. Before you go to work, you should backup all data first online or to an external hard drive. This means that all your files will be secure and then you can proceed with the reset.

How long does it take to do a factory reset

But how long does a factory reset on a laptop take? Well, unfortunately this is more of a wildcard question. There is no one answer for that. The the whole process of factory resetting your laptop takes at least 30 minutes to 3 hours depending on the OS you have installed, processor speed, RAM and whether you have an HDD or SSD. In some rare cases, it can even take up your entire day. Similar to using the recovery partition, the time varies between computers. If you do a clean reinstall using the previously created installation disc instead, the whole job can usually be done in as little as 20 minutes on a fast computer. In the process, everything is wiped out, including manufacturer-installed bloatware. Unfortunately, it is not possible to save installed programs in this way. You will have to reset these settings manually after the factory reset. Keep your windows activation key at hand as you will need it after a fresh install.

Different ways to do a factory reset

I will walk you through several different scenarios that you can follow when trying to factory reset your machine.

Scenario #1 – Press the Function key on startup

Read more: How to fade makeup permanently at home Some laptop manufacturers display a message on the screen as soon as you turn it on. You will also see which function key you should press to enter the settings. Usually it says “Press F10 to restore” or something like that along the lines of. You can then factory reset your device from the options provided by the manufacturer.

Scenario #2 – Pressing a special key while the device is off

Some manufacturers have special keys on the keyboard. On Sony laptops, this button is called “Assist” (right next to the power button), on Lenovo devices it is “Novo button”. This is next to the power button near the power outlet or in another location. You press this key when the laptop is turned off. Only then will the device be booted and a menu will be displayed leading to the restore function (factory reset).

Scenario #3 – If Windows Still Works (Assuming you have Windows 10)

Reset Windows through settings is probably the easiest option. Click the Windows logo in the lower left corner, then click “Settings”. Otherwise, you can also open the settings with the Windows + i key combination. Now click on “Update & Security” and then select “Restore”. Under “Reset This PC”, then select “Get Started”. If you still need your files, click “Keep my files” in the next window. This option will delete apps and settings but will keep personal files. If you don’t need your data anymore, you can choose the “Erase All” option. The PC or laptop will then be reset. This process usually takes some time, once the process is complete you will need to install your programs and drivers again. Since this can be a bit time consuming, you can preload a backup program that can help you with this.