Now that you know your activation code and the F key combination to start up the factory reset and that you’ve done a back up of your documents and setting then you are ready to do a factory reset. If it isn’t there then check the box or manual that came with it to see if it is there. This can be found off the bottom of the laptop. A number of times the operating system action code is on the laptop itself. 3) Obtain the key for the Operating system that originally came with the LaptopĪll paid for operating systems require an activation code to activate your operating system. So before you start your factory reset, do some research on the make and model of the laptop to find out what you need to press. This varies from the different brand and model of laptop, an example being that for the Sony VAIO line of laptops you have to hold down alt+F10 during boot to start up the factory reset process. To do your factory reset you have to press a certain F key, when the laptop boot’s up, to start the factory reset. 2) Find out which F key it is that you press during the computer boot to start the factory reset If you are doing a factory reset of your laptop due to a virus then be careful of the fact that the virus may be attached to your backed up documents and settings so make sure that you scan and destroy the virus before you restore your settings. Nothing will be spared from your clean wipe of the hard drive so back it up to and external hard drive. To do a factory reset of your laptop, follow these steps: 1) Do a back upīefore you do a factory reset remember to do a backup of all the document’s that you want to keep. So basically, what will happen is the laptop will wipe everything off of the hard drive that you are using and then will reinstall the operating system and applications it came with out of the box. However, what if you don’t have the disk? Well with laptops they have the ability to reset to factory settings. Traditionally you’d need your Windows (or whatever operating system you’re using) CD and do a CD boot along with a clean install.

Sometimes with PC’s you will get a problem that only wiping the computer clean will fix.

How to completely wipe a laptop