Over time the computer system slows down. It may not function as per its ability. At times you may even decide to give up and sell it. At such a point of time, it will be better to opt for a reset. It might work great for you! When you choose to reset computer to factory settings Windows 7, your data will be erased from your hard drive. And your computer will be restored to the shipped condition.
In this post, we have provided so many methods in which you can learn how to reset computer to factory settings Windows 7. Scroll down to find out what these methods are.
11 Methods to Reset Computer to Factory Settings Windows 7
In the sections to come, we have shared as many as 11 methods to reset your Windows 7 computer to factory settings. These methods include factory-resetting via bootup command, with and without the installation disc, Easy Recovery Essentials program, Safe Mode option, System Restore option, Windows reinstallation, and the recovery partition feature. We have also shared the factory-reset methods for HP computer, eMachine computer, and Dell computer with Windows 7.
Method 1: How to Reset My Computer Windows 7 to Factory Settings via Bootup Command?
Here is the simplest of all methods for resetting your Windows 7 computer to factory settings. In this method, we will be using the bootup command. You will require the bootup command key to perform this method. Now, let us jump on to see how to reset computer to factory settings Windows 7 in just 5 steps.
1. First, save all your important files and documents to a device or system such as an external disk, cloud storage system, or flash drive. When you restore your computer to original factory settings, your personal data will not be lost.
2. The next step is to restart your Windows 7 computer.
3. Now, find the appropriate bootup command. The bootup commands in many cases will be displayed at the top or at the bottom of the screen. It is important to press the correct bootup command to access your computer’s recovery partition. Depending on the computer’s manufacturer, the bootup command will differ.
For Samsung, press F4.
For Lenovo, press F11.
For Asus, press F9.
For MSI, press F3.
4. Now, select the option to restore your computer to factory settings. In a majority of the cases, this option reads as “Restore factory settings” or “Perform factory restore”.
5. Follow the instructions on your screen. When the process is complete, the welcome screen or Windows setup wizard will be displayed. Your Windows 7 computer may reboot several times in the entire process. This may require an hour or more to complete the process.
Note: Here, we have mentioned the keys for the bootup command for several computer brands. In case you are using any other Windows 7 computer, you can go to the website of your manufacturer to look for the bootup command key. You can check the computer manually as well.
Method 2: How to Reset Your Computer Windows 7 To Factory Settings with Installation CD or DVD?
For those of you who have an installation CD or DVD, we will be teaching you how to reset computer Windows 7 to factory settings with its help. You can perform this method for resetting to factory settings in 9 clear steps.
1. First, turn on your computer to start it.
2. Now, tap and hold the “F8” key.
3. You will enter the “Advanced boot options”. Click on “Repair your computer”.
4. Next, tap the “Enter” key.
5. You will be asked to choose a “Keyboard language”.
6. Tap “Next” after making the keyboard language selection.
7. You may be asked to login with your administrative account.
8. In the “System recovery options”, select “Startup repair” or “System restore”.
9. Now, follow the instructions on your screen to complete the process.
Note: When you select the “System restore” option, your Windows 7 computer will be restored to an earlier date in case this option has been enabled. If you are selecting “Startup repair”, any errors with your system will be resolved.
Method 3: How to Reset Windows 7 Computer to Factory Settings without CD or DVD?
If you want to reset your Windows 7 computer to the factory settings without the use of a CD or a DVD drive, then you can opt for this method. This method will require you to perform 13 steps.
1. Click on “Start” and go to “Control Panel”.
2. Click on “System and security”.
3. Then choose the option of “Backup and restore”.
4. Now, click on the option of “Recover system settings or your computer”.
5. Choose the “Advanced recovery” method.
6. Here, two options will be available, that of “Restore files from a system image backup” or “Return your computer to factory condition”. Select the second option.
7. Again you will see two options, that of creating a backup or to continue without a backup. You can choose any option based on your preference.
8. Press the “Restart” button. Now, your computer will start rebooting and begin the factory-reset procedure.
9. Your system will shut down and then start on its own. You will receive a notification for a system recovery option. You will be required to choose the keyboard input method. Then click on “Next”.
10. Now, three options will be visible to you for selecting the restore type. Choose “Restore operation system to factory default”.
11. Tap “Next”.
12. Tap on “Next” again.
13. Lastly, press “Ok”.
Method 4: How to Reset Computer Windows 7 to Factory Settings via Easy Recovery Essentials?
The fourth method for how to reset your computer Windows 7 to factory settings involves the use of Easy Recovery Essentials. Easy Recovery Essentials is a recovery and repair program for Windows. Let us see how you can use Easy Recovery Essentials to restore your Windows 7 computer to factory settings in 8 short steps.
1. The first step is to download “Easy Recovery Essentials”.
2. Next, burn the “ISO image”. Follow the instructions displayed on your screen to burn the image carefully.
3. Now, boot “Easy Recovery Essentials”.
4. Choose “Windows 7”.
5. Click on the option of “System restore”.
6. The sixth step involves selecting a restore point.
7. A backup of the current system configuration will be created by Easy recovery essentials. Then the process of restoring will begin. When the restoring process finishes , press “Restart”.
8. Allow some time for your Windows 7 system to restart.
Method 5: How to Reset My Computer to Factory Settings Windows 7 via Safe Mode?
This method will be the most helpful to you when you do not have the installation CD or DVD available. Here, we will tell you how to reset computer Windows 7 to factory settings by using the safe mode. Let us read the 8 steps to try this method.
1. Start your Windows 7 computer.
2. Press the “F8” key and hold it.
3. Go to the “Advanced boot options”.
4. Select “Safe mode with command prompt”.
5. Then tap the “Enter” key.
6. Type in “rstrui.exe” when you see the “Command prompt”.
7. Now, press “Next”.
8. A set of instructions will be provided on your screen. Follow these instructions to complete the method.
Method 6: How to Reset My Windows 7 computer to Factory Settings via System Restore?
For those of you who are thinking “How to reset my computer Windows 7 to factory settings without any installation CD or DVD”, you can use this option as well. In this option, the System Restore method has been used. You can use the System Restore option by following 2 different options. The steps for each of these have been mentioned below.
Option 1:
1. Turn on your Windows 7 computer and press the “F8” key.
2. In the “Advanced boot options”, you have to select “Repair your computer”.
3. You will be required to select a “Keyboard layout”.
4. Then click on “Next”.
5. When you see the “System Recovery Options Window”, select “System restore”.
6. Go through the on-screen instructions to begin the restoration process.
Option 2:
1. Boot your Windows 7 computer.
2. Click on “Start”.
3. In the search bar, type “System restore”.
4. From the list of search results, choose “System restore”.
5. You may be asked to enter the password of the administrator.
6. Now, click on “Next”.
7. Then click on “Choose a different restore point”.
8. Tap on “Next”.
9. Now choose a “Restore point”.
10. Again click on “Next”.
11. Then click on “Finish”.
12. To confirm, click on “Yes”.
13. The process will begin after the confirmation and your system will reboot. When the process is over, you will be notified. Then click on “Close”.
Method 7: How to Reset Your Computer to Factory Settings Windows 7 via Reinstallation?
Reinstalling Windows 7 on your computer will hard reset it. Here, we have provided different options to reinstall Windows on your system. You may require the installation CD, USB, or DVD recovery drive for some of these options. Now, let us move ahead and explore these options.
Option 1:
1. In the disc tray, place the CD or DVD.
2. Now, boot your Windows 7 computer.
3. When the “Install Windows screen” turns up, choose a “Language”, “keyboard”, and “time”.
4. Then click on “Next”.
5. Click on “Install now”.
6. Tick the checkbox for “I accept the license terms” to accept the terms of the license.
7. Then tap on “Next”.
8. When you are prompted for the type of installation you want, choose “Custom (advanced)”.
9. Then do as per the instructions on your screen to complete the reinstallation process.
Note: Reinstalling Windows 7 on your computer will erase your data completely. We will suggest you backup your files. You can use the backup files feature of Easy Recovery Essentials for this purpose.
Option 2:
1. Turn off your computer.
2. Detach all the peripheral devices except your monitor, mouse, and keyboard.
3. Now, turn on your computer.
4. Press the “Windows” key on your keyboard.
5. Type in “Recovery” and hit the “Enter” key.
6. Click on “Recovery”.
7. Go to “Advanced recovery methods”.
8. Click on “Reinstall Windows”.
9. Tap “Yes”.
10. Then click on “Back up now”.
11. Click on “Restart” afterwards.
12. Do as per the instructions on your screen to reset your Windows 7 system to the factory settings.
Option 3:
1. Open the “Windows 7 disc image download page”.
2. Provide your “Product key”.
3. Now, click on “Verify” for downloading the Windows 7 ISO files.
4. Now, make an installation USB drive. For this, go to the “Windows USB/DVD download tool download page”. Then click on “Download’.
5. Choose “Windows7-USB-DVD-Download-Tool-Installer-en-US.exe”.
6. Tap “Next”.
7. Run the file you have downloaded to install the tool.
8. Now, run the tool and press “Browse”.
9. Locate the Windows 7 ISO file and press “Next”.
10. To use a USB drive, click on “USB device”.
11. Select your USB flash drive and tap “Begin copying”.
12. Close the tool when the process is complete.
13. Now, turn off your computer.
14. Detach all the peripherals but not your monitor, keyboard, and mouse.
15. In the USB port, plug in your USB flash drive. Alternatively, you can place the CD in the drive.
16. Turn on your Windows 7 computer.
17. Keep pressing the “Function” key before the Windows logo appears. Then you will enter the “Boot” menu. The “Function” key can differ for different brands.
For Acer, use Esc/F9/F12.
For Asus, use Esc/F8.
For Dell, use F12.
For HP, use Esc/F9.
For Lenovo, use F12.
For Samsung, use Esc.
For Sony Vaio, use F11.
For Toshiba, use F12.
18. In the “Boot” tab, select “Boot device priority” using the arrow keys. Then tap “Enter”.
19. Choose the “1st boot device”. The boot device should be set to your USB.
20. Tap the “F10” key on the keyboard.
21. Continue with the on-screen instructions. Windows 7 will be reinstalled to your system.
Note: If you are using a Windows 7 computer other than the ones mentioned here, then you can look for the “Function” key on the manufacturer’s website. Alternatively, you can check the computer manual for the same.
Method 8: How to Reset My Computer to Factory Settings Windows 7 via Recovery Partition?
Some Windows 7 computers come with a recovery partition. This recovery partition is helpful in restoring the system to factory settings. If your computer has this feature too, then you can use it by following two different options. For both of these options, the steps have been defined below.
Option 1:
1. Go to “Start” on your Windows 7 computer.
2. Click on “Control Panel”.
3. Then click on “System security”.
4. Tap on “Backup and restore”.
5. Tap on “Recover system settings or your computer” in the “Backup and restore” window.
6. Select “Advanced recovery methods”.
7. You will see two options, “Restore files from a system image backup” and “Return your computer to factory condition“. Select the second option.
8. You can click on “Back up now”/”Skip” as per your preference.
9. Press the “Restart” button to reboot and begin the factory reset process.
Note: This procedure for how to reset computer to factory settings Windows 7 using the recovery partition will be really successful. In case your computer has no recovery partition, then select “Reinstall Windows”. This will require the Windows installation disc.
Option 2:
1. Press the “Windows” and “E” keys together on your system’s keyboard.
2. Right-click on “Computer”.
3. Click on “Manage”.
4. Then click on “Storage”.
5. Select “Disk management”. Here, you can see whether or not you have a recovery partition.
6. Now, shut down your computer.
7. Detach the peripherals except monitor, mouse, and keyboard.
8. Tap the “Power” button to start your computer.
9. Repeatedly tap the “Recovery” key before the Windows logo turns up. The “Recovery” key can differ for different systems.
Acer, press F10/Alt+F10/Ctrl+F.
Advent, press F10.
Asus, press F9,
Dell, press Ctrl+F11.
HP/Compaq, press F11.
IBM-Lenovo, press F11.
LG, press F11.
MSI, press F3.
Samsung, press F4.
Sony Vaio, press F8/F10.
For Toshiba, press F8/0
10. Then continue with the on-screen instructions.
Note: In this method for how to reset Windows 7 computer to factory settings, we have provided several recovery keys. In case the recovery key for your computer has not been mentioned in this section, we will suggest you check for the same from your manufacturer’s website or the computer manual.
Method 9: How to Reset HP Computer to Factory Settings Windows 7?
Are you looking for the best procedure to reset HP computer to factory settings Windows 7? You can find it right here. We have shown how to reset your HP computer to factory settings via the Recovery Manager. This procedure is only 18-step long. Let’s read it.
1. Turn on your HP computer Windows 7.
2. Click on “Start”.
3. Click on “All programs”.
4. Go to “Recovery manager”.
5. Now, click on “Recovery manager” once again.
6. You may be asked to provide the administrator password or confirmation. Provide the same.
7. Click on “Yes” to allow the program to make changes to your computer.
8. Choose “System recovery” under “I need help immediately”.
9. You will be asked whether you want to restore your HP computer to the original factory condition. Tap “Yes” to confirm. Then tap “Next”.
10. Your HP computer will restart.
11. Now, tap on “System recovery”.
12. Choose an option for backup or you can skip backing up and continue without it.
13. Press “Next” to continue.
14. Press “Ok” if a warning appears.
15. When the system recovery procedure is over, click on “Finish”. Now, your computer will restart.
16. Allow your HP computer to complete the setup.
17. Now, turn off your computer. Connect all devices removed during the process. Then turn your system on.
18. Then make sure to update your system before using it. If you have any virus or security softwares in your computer, you will have to install them again. Also, reinstall your files, in case you backup them up.
Method 10: How to Reset eMachine Computer to Factory Settings Windows 7?
Let us take a look at the procedure for how to reset eMachine computer to factory settings Windows 7. In this procedure, we will also tell you how to create a recovery disk. Before you begin, please note that you will require a blank CD or DVD to perform this procedure.
1. First, create a recovery disk. Go to “Start”.
2. Open “All Programs” and click on the “eMachines” folder.
3. Start the application “eMachines Recovery Management”.
4. Tap “Create factory default disc”.
5. Insert a blank CD or DVD. then choose an optical drive.
6. Press the “Start” button to begin the process. Insert another CD or DVD if required.
7. When the process finishes, tap “Ok”.
8. Now, reset to factory settings. For this, go to “Start”.
9. Go to “All Programs”.
10. Search for and select the application “eMachines recovery management”.
11. On the left, select “Restore” from the menu.
12. Select one of these options as per your preference, “Completely restore system to factory default”, “Restore operating system and retain user data” or “Reinstall drivers or applications”.
13. Fill in your password in case you are prompted to do so. Then click on “Ok”.
14. Go through the wizard instructions to finish the procedure.
Note: If you are selecting “Completely restore system to factory default”, then all your computer data will be deleted and your system will be restored to the factory settings. If you are choosing “Restore operating system and retain user data”, then your personal files will be moved to a backup folder and your system will be restored to the default settings. If you are opting for “Reinstall drivers or applications”, then the drivers as well as applications will be reinstalled.
Method 11: How to Reset Dell Computer to Factory Settings Windows 7?
For the users of Dell computers, if you have Windows 7, then you can try this method given below to reset it to factory settings. You can reset HP computer to factory settings Windows 7 from the Control Panel. This method can be executed in just 12 easy steps.
1. Boot your Windows 7 Dell computer.
2. Go to the “Control Panel” in “Start”.
3. Click on “System and security”.
4. Then click on “System”.
5. Select “System protection” in the “Control Panel home menu”.
6. Select “System restore”.
7. Click on “Recommended restore”.
8. You can also select any other restore point. For this, click on “Choose a different restore point” and tap “Next”.
9. Select a restore point and press “Next”.
10. Confirm the restore point by pressing “Finish”.
11. Tap “Yes” to begin the restoration process. Your Windows 7 Dell computer will restart when the process is complete.
In Closing
We have shared 11 different methods to reset your Windows 7 computer to factory settings. You can pick any of these methods as per your convenience. Once your computer has been restored to the factory settings, you can enjoy a smooth experience. If this post worked well for you, then do recommend it to your friends.
Are you also in the need of methods for how to reset computer to factory settings Windows 10? We have got you covered! Read our guide factory reset your Windows 10 system without any hassles.