How do I reset Windows 7 to factory?

[betelgeuse4721]

Hey everyone,

I'm returning my Asus G53sw-A1 w/ Windows 7 and getting a replacement shipped.

Long story short, my video card is demonic.

Anyways, I have done a lot of personal work during the last week and want to make sure everything is absolutely wiped clean before I ship this back.

How do I do this?

Thanks in advance,
Brady

 

[Maguscreed]

Just hit it with the oem disks that came with the computer that should wipe everything and return it to a factory state.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello betelgeuse4721, welcome to Seven Forums!


If you really want to over-write everything on the Hard Disk Drive so it can never be recovered.

Use this to create a bootable disk if you don't have an actual Windows 7 (or Vista) installation disk, have a look at this tutorial at the link below.

How to Create a Windows 7 System Repair Disc


Use the appropriate method in this one to boot the PC to diskpart.

DISKPART : At PC Startup


Then use Step One of this to do a wipe secure erase of the entire HDD and be sure to post back with any further questions you may have and to keep us informed.

SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

 

[Ztruker]

If you wipe the hard drive you will lose your Recovery Partition so I would avoid doing this unless you have a Recovery or Windows 7 Installation DVD.

Here is info for using the Recovery Partition for your computer: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. -Support- Troubleshooting G53SW

 

[curtiswardwell]

I agree, wiping out the HD will remove the restore partition. Just use the Restore Partiton on the HD to restore your computer. I have done this on plenty of computers and it does wipe out any and all previous information that was stored,saved and downloaded.

 

[JaidynM]

Did You Know... In 2003 two MIT students purchased 158 used disk drives from various locations and found more than 5,000 credit card numbers, medical reports, detailed personal and corporate financial information, and several gigabytes worth of personal e-mail and pornography on those drives.

I see the necessity...

Active@ Kill Disk Hard Drive Eraser. Low Level Format.
Active@ Kill Disk - Hard Drive Eraser - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Downloads

Active@ Kill Disk is very useful. I've added the cnet.com link too if you want to read the reviews.

 

[gregrocker]

Make the Recovery Disks first if you haven't done so yet, then run the Recovery Partition as suggested which is a more stable method than the disks. Then if it fails you have the disks to fall back on.

 

[theog]

Ensure to connect your PC to the AC power adapter before using F9 recovery to avoid recovery failure.
Using recovery partition (F9 Recovery)
1. Press <F9> during bootup.
Ensure to press <F9> only once during bootup.
2. Select the language you use and click to continue.
3. Click Recovery in the Recovery System dialog box to start the system recovery.
4. The system starts system recovery automatically and follow the onscreen instructions to complete the recovery process.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Geez, if y'all would bother to read the OP, the point is to over-write the HDD for security reasons.

 

[caperjack]

If you wipe the hard drive you will lose your Recovery Partition so I would avoid doing this unless you have a Recovery or Windows 7 Installation DVD.

Here is info for using the Recovery Partition for your computer: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. -Support- Troubleshooting G53SW

this is not true ,i had a Compaq laptop for testing,wiped its hdd and reinstall different versions of windows ,many ,many times ,and the recover partition stayed intact ,until i selected it one time to format it and make one big partition .

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

If you wipe the hard drive you will lose your Recovery Partition so I would avoid doing this unless you have a Recovery or Windows 7 Installation DVD.

Here is info for using the Recovery Partition for your computer: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. -Support- Troubleshooting G53SW

this is not true ,i had a Compaq laptop for testing,wiped its hdd and reinstall different versions of windows ,many ,many times ,and the recover partition stayed intact ,until i selected it one time to format it and make one big partition .

When the term wipe is used here a secure erase in meant, not a format which is not all the same thing, all a format does is remove the format configuration data and a secure erase over-writes the entire HDD with zeroes.

 

[Ztruker]

caperjack, if you truly wipe the hard drive, all partitioning information is gone and that includes your Recovery partition. If you have a wipe program that wipes individual partitions then I would agree with you but what has been recommended here is not that, it is a full drive wipe.

BFK, the op said "How do I reset Windows 7 to factory" then said "want to make sure everything is absolutely wiped clean before I ship this back". Can't have it both ways unless he has a Recovery DVD or has created the Recovery discs as Gregg mentioned.

If he wipes the drive he no longer has the capability of restoring to Factort state.

 

[caperjack]

i stand corrected ,thanks, and sorry for the missinfo

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello again caperjack.


If ever you don't want to wipe the entire HDD, you can do a partition-specific wipe of any single partition using the Partition Wizard Bootable Disk (PWBD) have a look at Option Three in the tutorial at this link below.

Partition Wizard : Use the Bootable CD

 

[Ztruker]

Ah ha! That's the one betelgeuse4721 needs. Does a good wipe of his boot partition and leaves his recovery partition intact.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Ah ha! That's the one betelgeuse4721 needs. Does a good wipe of his boot partition and leaves his recovery partition intact.

Yep, it'll do that too, have a look at Option Two for that.

 

[frenchieinusa73]

Not exactly sure if I should restore to factory settings

Purchased a HP DV6 (going by memory i am at work right now) its a floor model (demo). There are a bunch of programs I do not use and I am getting a reoccurring message from hp manager. (its actually not working). Never done a factory restore before and believe by reading some of your posts that maybe I should do this. Get a fresh start. But my concern is since I bought it with no windows 7 start-up disc (it was pre-installed ), how would I make sure that I don't screw this up.
I would like to be able to just be able to reinstall the programs/software I do own with a clean slate. What first steps do I need to do with what I want to keep before I hit factory restore. Hope I make sense.Thanks for any help received.

 

[theog]

   Information

We always assume you have made your Recovery Disks using the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Media Creator app the first day you had your new PC.
& made the Startup Repair CD.
startup repair disc-create
​

Did you make the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Disks?


Pressing the f11 key during startup on a computer with an HP factory image will start the system recovery process even if the prompt is not displayed.

How to use HP Recovery:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01895783&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en
Performing an HP System Recovery (Windows 7) | HP® Support
How to make HP Recovery DVD disks:
Recover Windows Vista Operating System Using HP Recovery | HP® Support

How to make HP Recovery USB disk:
Using the Downloadable USB Recovery Flash Disk Creation Utility HP Pavilion dv6700z CTO Entertainment Notebook PC | HP® Support

or
You can Order HP Recovery Disks from here:
Country-Language Selector | HP® Support

 

[theog]

Hi frenchieinusa73
Welcome to SevenForums.

   Information

We always assume you have made your Recovery Disks using the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Media Creator app the first day you had your new PC.​

& made the Startup Repair CD.
startup repair disc-create ​

Did you make the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Disks?


Pressing the f11 key during startup on a computer with an HP factory image will start the system recovery process even if the prompt is not displayed.

How to use HP Recovery:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01895783&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en
Performing an HP System Recovery (Windows 7) | HP® Support
How to make HP Recovery DVD disks:
Recover Windows Vista Operating System Using HP Recovery | HP® Support

How to make HP Recovery USB disk:
Using the Downloadable USB Recovery Flash Disk Creation Utility HP Pavilion dv6700z CTO Entertainment Notebook PC | HP® Support

or
You can Order HP Recovery Disks from here:
Country-Language Selector | HP® Support

 

[frenchieinusa73]

Theog,

No recovery disc nor startup repair cd was made. Purchased about a yr ago. And it was a demo. so people had been"using" it in store.
When you speak of recovery usb disk. Is this for the usb ports? Or just to have on a flash drive? Sorry for my ignorance...