How to factory reset windows 7

[AIO]

Hi there!

TLDR : I need to factory reset a windows laptop with no CD, Windows key, and knowledge of ISO files.

 

I have a laptop (Asus) that originally came with a HDD, however after it broke the people at the computer repair store replaced it with a 256gb ssd, they some how put windows 7 on it but doesn't have the reset method that the original HDD had. I am now getting a new computer and would like to salvage my sdd, however do not want all the old crap thats on it ^^ Is there any method to factory reset it?

Thanks in advance

[Speedbird]

Hi there!

TLDR : I need to factory reset a windows laptop with no CD, Windows key, and knowledge of ISO files.

 

I have a laptop (Asus) that originally came with a HDD, however after it broke the people at the computer repair store replaced it with a 256gb ssd, they some how put windows 7 on it but doesn't have the reset method that the original HDD had. I am now getting a new computer and would like to salvage my sdd, however do not want all the old crap thats on it ^^ Is there any method to factory reset it?

Thanks in advance

No Windows key? There should be one under the laptop. The only thing you can do is reintsall, and I can provide you an ISO.

[SkywardKkalox]

Only way that I can think is a format of the disk and re-install windows.

[AIO]

No Windows key? There should be one under the laptop. The only thing you can do is reintsall, and I can provide you an ISO.

I think I may have found mine, I didn't know what they mean, could you please show me the format of the code so I know what to look for e.g. xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx. And how do you reinstall and whats with the ISO.

Sorry for the lack of knowledge

[Thx And Bye]

You can get your Windows Key with produkey:

-> http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html

The Key format: XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

(It might get detected as malware - VirusTotal)

[AIO]

You can get your Windows Key with produkey:

-> http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html

The Key format: XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

(It might get detected as malware - VirusTotal)

Great! I got it now what?

[Thx And Bye]

Great! I got it now what?

Check if you can download the ISO from Micosoft with that Key:

-> http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-recovery

(unfortunately it doesn't work for OEM keys)

[Speedbird]

Great! I got it now what?

Run slmgr /dlv in an admin command prompt, and tell me if the it's OEM_SLP or OEM_COA_SLP. What edition of Windows are we talking about?

[AIO]

Run slmgr /dlv in an admin command prompt, and tell me if the it's OEM_SLP or OEM_COA_SLP. What edition of Windows are we talking about?

OEM_COA_SLP

[AIO]

Check if you can download the ISO from Micosoft with that Key:

-> http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-recovery

(unfortunately it doesn't work for OEM keys)

The website wont open

[Speedbird]

OEM_COA_SLP

Alright, write down the key. And what edition of windows is this? Home Premium, Pro, Starter, something else?

[AIO]

Alright, write down the key. And what edition of windows is this? Home Premium, Pro, Starter, something else?

Home premium, and I take it you mean product key.

[Speedbird]

Home premium, and I take it you mean product key.

Yep, when I say key I usually mean product key. Anyway, download an ISO from https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B6bNnleDp7llUlc0LTVEMTc0b2M&usp=sharing&tid=0B6bNnleDp7llcGdMR3FEcjRjTGM.

To use it, you need to burn it to a DVD or put it on a USB that is 4GB or larger. To burn a DVD, simply right-click on the downloaded ISO and select Burn to Disk. To put it on a USB, you need 7-zip. Let me know if you need instructions for USB.

[AIO]

Yep, when I say key I usually mean product key. Anyway, download an ISO from https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B6bNnleDp7llUlc0LTVEMTc0b2M&usp=sharing&tid=0B6bNnleDp7llcGdMR3FEcjRjTGM.

To use it, you need to burn it to a DVD or put it on a USB that is 4GB or larger. To burn a DVD, simply right-click on the downloaded ISO and select Burn to Disk. To put it on a USB, you need 7-zip. Let me know if you need instructions for USB.

First of all, thanks a lot for helping me this much!

Sadly I have to go soon, but would greatly appreciate it if you wrote down the instruction of what I should do next. And just to be safe, I need to download whatever bit windows I have i.e. 64-bit go for 64-bit ISO.

Thanks again! 

[Speedbird]

First of all, thanks a lot for helping me this much!

Sadly I have to go soon, but would greatly appreciate it if you wrote down the instruction of what I should do next. And just to be safe, I need to download whatever bit windows I have i.e. 64-bit go for 64-bit ISO.

Thanks again! 

No problem. Helping people reinstall Windows is what I do around here. Anyway, I suggest downloading the 64-bit version, as your new computer will most likely be able to run it. It will also probably have more than 4GB of RAM, which is the limit for 32-bit. Anyway, here are the instructions for putting a Windows installer on a USB. I assume you already have 7-zip, if not, get it from http://7-zip.org/

 

1. Format your USB in FAT32.
2. Use 7-zip to extract the ISO from the downloaded RAR.
3. Then, extract the contents of the ISO (7-zip can open them) to the root of your USB drive. This can take up to 30 minutes, please be patient.
4. On your USB, there should be a folder named sources, and in there a file named boot.wim. Open it with 7-zip (yes, it can open WIM too). In there, go to folder 1\Windows\Boot\EFI.
5. There is a file called bootmgfw.efi in there. Extract it to a folder named boot in the efi folder on the USB.
6. Name the extracted file bootx64.efi
7. Now, in the boot folder on the USB (not the boot folder in the EFI folder), there should be a file called bootsect.exe. Copy it to your hard drive.
8. Open an admin command prompt where you put bootsect.exe, and run bootsect /nt60 <drive letter>. So, for drive G you would run bootsect /nt60 G:.

That should be it. Let me know if you have any problems. This USB can be used to install Windows on your new computer. Make sure to format the drive during the install.

[AIO]

No problem. Helping people reinstall Windows is what I do around here. Anyway, I suggest downloading the 64-bit version, as your new computer will most likely be able to run it. It will also probably have more than 4GB of RAM, which is the limit for 32-bit. Anyway, here are the instructions for putting a Windows installer on a USB. I assume you already have 7-zip, if not, get it from http://7-zip.org/

 

1. Format your USB in FAT32.
2. Use 7-zip to extract the ISO from the downloaded RAR.
3. Then, extract the contents of the ISO (7-zip can open them) to the root of your USB drive. This can take up to 30 minutes, please be patient.
4. On your USB, there should be a folder named sources, and in there a file named boot.wim. Open it with 7-zip (yes, it can open WIM too). In there, go to folder 1\Windows\Boot\EFI.
5. There is a file called bootmgfw.efi in there. Extract it to a folder named boot in the efi folder on the USB.
6. Name the extracted file bootx64.efi
7. Now, in the boot folder on the USB (not the boot folder in the EFI folder), there should be a file called bootsect.exe. Copy it to your hard drive.
8. Open an admin command prompt where you put bootsect.exe, and run bootsect /nt60 <drive letter>. So, for drive G you would run bootsect /nt60 G:.

That should be it. Let me know if you have any problems. This USB can be used to install Windows on your new computer. Make sure to format the drive during the install.

Thanks a lot!!!!!