Things You'll Need:
- Backup of all items on your PC
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Step 1
Make copies of all things on your PC you want to save, such as photos, documents and other installed programs. Resetting your PC to factory settings will erase all data on the hard drive. It will erase anything that you installed on your computer after you received it.
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Step 2
Restart your computer.
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Step 3
As the computer is turning on, you will see a blue bar that says "Dell.com" across the top of your monitor. At this time, press the Ctrl and F11 keys simultaneously. If you wait too long, you will miss the opportunity to do this and will have to restart your computer again.
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Step 4
Click the "Restore" option when the next screen appears.
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Step 5
Click "Confirm." The PC will begin its resetting process. This process takes approximately 10 minutes.
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Step 6
Click "Finish" when the process is complete. Allow the PC to restart itself. Do not restart it yourself since it needs to run through its boot program.
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Step 7
Click "Yes" to allow the computer to restart. When it does, it will be at original settings, and you will see the "End User License Agreement" screen. Click "Next." The System Restore screen will appear, and the computer will do another restart.
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Step 8
Once it does another restart, click "OK." You have now reset your Dell desktop to factory settings.
