[SOLVED] Cannot reset windows, no recovery enviroment

[tommy_88]

I recently built myself a new computer and am going to sell the old one. its got a 2tb hdd and a 128gb ssd. When I got the ssd i moved windows to it as one should. At one point the ssd failed but windows still booted up and functioned normally. I want to factory reset it now that im selling it but can't. It tells me "Could not find the recovery environment". When I try to create a recovery drive it says " We can't create a recovery drive on this PC" "Some required files are missing." I do not have the original windows usb stick or disc. I also got windows 11 for my new pc so I cant use that either. I really don't want to buy another copy of windows 10, I asked some friends near me if they had a spare windows 10 usb I could borrow but none of them got back to me yet. I also tried a repair command in command prompt, with no avail. I want to get this thing sold because its taking up room along with all the accessories to go with it. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Lutfij]

I would just format and reinstall the OS at this point, after you've created your bootable USB installer using Windows Media Creation Tools(regardless of Windows 10 or 11).

 

[USAFRet]

Full wipe of all drives in the system.

Fresh insall of the OS if that is to be included in the sale.

 

[tommy_88]

So then would i have to rebuy windows 10?

 

[tommy_88]

I might be onto something. The command promt said the windows RE imagine was not found. So i'm now on the windows media creation software downloading windows 10 on a usb drive. Ill update if it works

 

[USAFRet]

So then would i have to rebuy windows 10?

Does the agreement between you and the new owner include the OS license?

Where did the original license come from?

 

[tommy_88]

Well i guess the original license came from a prebuilt i bought like 7 years ago that I slowly upgraded, everything ended up getting upgraded at one point and I just moved the windows over to the newer hard drives. I want to sell it plug and play, because im including everything else with it to get started, like monitors, peripherals, wires, etc.

 

[USAFRet]

Well i guess the original license came from a prebuilt i bought like 7 years ago that I slowly upgraded, everything ended up getting upgraded at one point and I just moved the windows over to the newer hard drives. I want to sell it plug and play, because im including everything else with it to get started, like monitors, peripherals, wires, etc.

If you're selling it with the OS license included, then you need to buy a new license for your new PC.

Can't use the same one on both systems.


So...reinstall the OS on whatever drive is to be included.

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

Buy a new valid OS license for your new system.

 

[tommy_88]

My first post might be confusing. My new pc does have a new license for windows, its windows 11. The problem is that I cant factory reset my old pc. But it says that it could not find the recovery environment. I had windows 10 installed on the ssd but the drive failed. It still boots and functions normally. My guess is because i copied it over to the ssd when I got it, so the hdd still has windows on it. My new pc is irrelevant and just mentioned it as a reason for selling my old one. The question is about my old pc. Since I bought the pc as a prebuilt 7 years ago, I either didn't get the windows disc/usb or I lost it over time.

 

[USAFRet]

My first post might be confusing. My new pc does have a new license for windows, its windows 11. The problem is that I cant factory reset my old pc. But it says that it could not find the recovery environment. I had windows 10 installed on the ssd but the drive failed. It still boots and functions normally. My guess is because i copied it over to the ssd when I got it, so the hdd still has windows on it. My new pc is irrelevant and just mentioned it as a reason for selling my old one. The question is about my old pc. Since I bought the pc as a prebuilt 7 years ago, I either didn't get the windows disc/usb or I lost it over time.

Don't factory reset.

Fresh install, and see if it activates.

 

[tommy_88]

That's what I meant, fresh install. Like in settings, "Reset this PC>remove everything. but when I do it tells me it could not find the recovery enviroment.

 

[USAFRet]

That's what I meant, fresh install. Like in settings, "Reset this PC>remove everything. but when I do it tells me it could not find the recovery enviroment.

"reset" is not a fresh install.

This is...

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[tommy_88]

I did not know that, ill look through that and try it and update if it works. Thankyou

 

[USAFRet]

I did not know that, ill look through that and try it and update if it works. Thankyou

Pay particular attention to Section II, Step 6 & 7.

 

[tommy_88]

Pay particular attention to Section II, Step 6 & 7.

It worked! I really did not know there was a difference between clean install and factory reset. When people say clean install I just assumed they meant a factory reset. I appreciate the information and the very quick replies.