Factory reset issue

[Cmattingly96]

I have a HP Victus Laptop that I’ve had for a year now that needs a recovery key to start it back up. Problem is it’s an old email that I used for it and I don’t remember the email address. However when I’m at the screen there is an option to factory reset it but every time I click on reset laptop it says “there was a problem resetting your PC”. Has any one else ran into this issue or does anyone know how to resolve the issue I’m running in to?

[Max3Aj]

@Cmattingly96, Welcome to HP Support Community. 

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you. 

It sounds frustrating to deal with a factory reset issue, especially when you can't access the recovery key. Here are some steps you can try to resolve the problem:

BitLocker Recovery Key Issue

If you're seeing a message like "Enter the recovery key to continue", then BitLocker is enabled.

Try Microsoft Account Recovery:

• Visit: https://account.microsoft.com/devices/recoverykey
• Sign in with any Microsoft account you may have used.
• Look for the key associated with your HP Victus.   
  
  If you don’t remember the email used and can’t access it, you won’t be able to bypass BitLocker.

BitLocker cannot be bypassed without the key. If you can't retrieve it, the only solution is a full clean install of Windows.

“There was a problem resetting your PC” Error

This usually means the recovery partition is damaged or missing. Here's what you can try:

Option A: Use HP Cloud Recovery Tool (Official HP)

1. On another PC, go to:
   HP Consumer PCs - Using the HP Cloud Recovery Tool in Windows 11 and 10 | HP® Support
2. Download the HP Cloud Recovery Tool.
3. Prepare a USB stick (at least 16 GB).
4. Follow instructions to create recovery media for your HP Victus (you’ll need your device’s serial number).
5. Plug the USB into your Victus, power it on, and boot into USB (press F9 at startup).
6. Reinstall the OS from scratch.

This method bypasses recovery partition issues and reinstalls the OS cleanly.

Option B: Use Microsoft Media Creation Tool

If you don't care about HP software or drivers:

1. Go to: https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/windows11
2. Create a bootable USB.
3. Boot into the USB on the HP laptop (F9 key).
4. Do a full custom install (delete existing partitions if BitLocker is not a concern).

I hope this helps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Select "Yes" on the bottom left to say “Thanks” for helping! 

Max3Aj

HP Support