How do I Restore My PC to Original Without a Restore Disc?

Restoring a malfunctioning computer to the original operating condition can salvage a system from a serious error, a corrupt hard drive, an unstable registry or a debilitating malware infection. Fortunately for computer users, many manufacturers include a built-in recovery partition on each computer to aide users in restoring their system without the need for any additional restore discs or expensive technical assistance.

Things You'll Need

• External hard drive

Instructions

1. Connect the external hard drive to one of the computer's USB ports. Copy and paste any valuable data, documents, programs, music or other files into the hard drive's folder because all the data stored to the computer's hard drive will be erased during the restoration.

2. Restart your computer. Press the "F8" or "F11" key when the BIOS options appear to access the "Advanced Boot Options" window screen. Complete this step before the Windows operating system can launch.

3. Use the arrow keys to select the "Repair Your Computer" option and press "Enter" to open the recovery partition.

4. Configure the language settings for the system and enter the administrator account credentials to access the restoration function.

5. Follow the steps in your computer's restoration wizard that appear to complete the restoration process. Keep your computer plugged into its power source throughout the duration of the restoration if you are restoring a laptop computer. The process can take up to several hours to complete.

Tips & Warnings

• Some computers will go straight to the Recovery environment after you press the "F8" or "F11" keys during the startup phase.

References

• Dell: Restore Your Computer To Factory Settings
• HP Support: Using HP Backup and Recovery Manager