Reset needed, no option given

Hi, I searched this forum for this issue, but didn't find the same one.
I have an old hp pavilion dv6500, in rather bad shape,win7 ultimate now (though it was Vista originally). I am planning to upgrade RAM in the near future, but for now I want to completely restore the system to clean factory windows. However when I run System Restore, no initial state option is given to choose (or any option really, noone bothered to make a restore point). I do not know if a backup restore point should manually be made immediately after the laptop was purchased, it is quite old. I didn't attend to this laptop all this time because I was not the one using it. But now because of how slowly the device runs and how many errors are occuring, I see no other option - I must restore it. I'd rather not perform a complete format.

How can I restore to original state windows 7 now?

Hi Sonamsopmist,

Highly unlikely to have a Factory restore partition on that comp, and it would have only been for Vista,
as you have installed W7 on it.
The furthest the system can take you back now is from System restore - tick the show all box.

Have you still got the media you used to install Ultimate in the first place
Perform a repair Install NO loss of your data
Repair Install - Windows 7 Help Forums
Thats you best option,


otherwise
Download Windows 7 Disc Images (ISO Files)

note your product key MUST be for a Retail version

notes
Ultimate requires a minimum of 2GB (x86) or 3GB for a 64 bit
possibly why its running slowly -only fix is more ram

you could run the following repair tools,

KB947821 - version dependant (X86 or X64)

from an elavated command mode
sfc /scannow

and
Chkdsk /r

Roy

The only way to get to a clean, original factory condition is to run the Factory Restore process. However, this will put you on Windows Vista, if that is what came with the computer. Also, you need to have the factory restore disks. Either that, or you could run the recovery process from the hard drive, if the recovery partition is present. However, if you do this, the drive will be wiped, and you said you didn't want to format the drive.

The other option would be to go back to a restore point. This will not clean the disk, but rather it should bring Windows to whatever condition it was in when the restore point was created. But the popup window says that there are no restore points.

If you have a good backup, then you could restore the backup. But it sounds like you don't.

Your only options are either to manually clean things up, or do a clean install of Windows. If you first backup all of your data, and also make sure you can install and activate all needed software, then a clean install of Windows would be the most effective way to fix things.