All-in-one needs a complete reboot and erased

[SuiQ222]

My gifted by friend All-In-One hp computer has not been used by me since I have got it due to the computer locking itself out. It was originally someone else’s and they got their info from it already. I want to clear the computer in all and make it my own without having to go to a computer store and pay for a hard reset as I know it can be simpler than that. How? Google wasn’t enough as it says it has an error finding a code/name of some sort.

[Hawks_Eye]

Hi @SuiQ222 

Welcome to the HP Support Community! 

Thanks for posting your query! We're here to help you get back up and running.

It sounds like you're looking to completely reset the HP All-In-One computer to make it your own. 

Here's how you can perform a factory reset without needing to visit a store:

 

Steps to Reset Your HP All-In-One:

Access Recovery Options:

• Restart your computer and press F11 repeatedly as it boots up. This should take you to the HP Recovery Manager.
• If F11 doesn't work, try pressing Esc during startup and selecting the recovery option from the menu.

Choose Factory Reset:

• In the HP Recovery Manager, select System Recovery or Factory Reset.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to erase all data and restore the computer to its original factory settings.

Create a Bootable USB (if Recovery Manager is unavailable):

• Download the Windows Media Creation Tool from Microsoft's website.
• Use the tool to create a bootable USB drive with Windows 10 or 11.
• Insert the USB into your computer, restart, and boot from the USB to reinstall Windows.

Check for Recovery Partition:

• If the recovery partition is intact, you can use it to reset the computer. Open Settings > Update & Security > Recovery, and select Reset this PC.

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Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye