[SOLVED] factory reset

[crooky56]

i got a hp notebook laptop from my grandson as he bought a new one, when i got it he had it full of games, homework, and all sorts. so i decided to factory reset the laptop, i followed all the steps on how to do it, it advised that if it was passed onto a friend or relative to do a full reset, which i chose to do. i pressed start and off it went, about 30 mins into it aprox 46% it stopped saying it had encountered a problem, and to press cancel, which i did. i then tried to boot windows 10 back up and all it would do was show the hp logo with a blue backround. it would not recover the laptop saying sorry can not repair this computer, i tried everything but the laptop refused to boot up, i am a complete novice with computers, but i think what it has done is wiped part of the main data i needed to boot back up, it kept saying it could not find pzander user on start up. so I gave the laptop to my brother in law who knows a bit about computers, he installed a version of windows 10 pro onto the laptop and it runs fine, but it will not let me activate windows, i thought that when the laptop was purchased with windows 10 (energy star) on it, windows would recognize it but it says no. it seems it was not a genuine copy of windows he installed. Is it possible to retrieve the original windows 10 that was on the laptop ? at the time i ran a test on everything and they all passed, if that helps ?

 

[thx1138v2]

"Is it possible to retrieve the original windows 10 that was on the laptop?" No. You wiped it. You might try calling Microsoft and explain the situation. They may give you something to activate the current copy.

 

[Nemesia]

Hi crooky56.

Windows 10 is free. You can install Windows 10 by downloading it on Microsoft's website. Your brother in law probably used that.

Unfortunately if you do not have the key written somewhere like under the laptop on a sticker or on a manual that came with the laptop the only way to see the key was on the Windows your brother in law wiped.

Were you using an offline license or a digital license tied to your microsoft account? A digital license will reactivate automatically after you log in your microsoft account and try to activate the license. If you're using an offline account you have to enter the key.

Or you could just call Microsoft and explain.

 

[Colif]

Your brother in law installed Pro, its likely the original install was Home. That is why its not activated.

Its also possible that if you installed Home onto it, the key that came with laptop will activate again once you complete the install process. follow this guide: https://forums.tomshardware.com/faq/how-to-do-a-clean-installation-of-windows-10.3170366/

there is a work around if you don't want to clean install but its not guaranteed

You could try the following work around then test your luck:

1. Open Registry Editor(WIN + R, type regedit, hit Enter)
2. Browse to key HKEY_Local Machine > Software > Microsoft > Windows NT > CurrentVersion
3. Change EditionID to Home (double click EditionID, change value, click OK). In your case it should at the moment show Pro
4. Change ProductName to Windows 10 Home. In your case it should at the moment show Windows 10 Professional
5. Browse to key HKEY_Local Machine > Software > Wow6432Node > Microsoft > Windows NT > CurrentVersion, change the same two values as in steps 3 and 4 above
6. Close the Registry Editor
7. Insert the Windows 10 Homeinstallation media, do an in-place upgrade by launching the setup from desktop (not booting with Windows 10 Home install media)
8. When asked, enter your validWindows 10 Home product key and select what to keep(settings, personal files and apps, only personal files or nothing)
9. Windows 10 Home in-place upgrade will be done now.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...-to-home/345f5464-cb7a-44b3-8856-237cbec072c8