Trying to do os recovery by pressing f11 and its asking me for a password, not sure how to get it

[csmith01]

I need to reset my pc and from what I've read I pressed the F11 and then it took me to a blue screen that is asking me for a password. I'm not sure what it is. When I turn on my pc, it retstarts on its own over and over without me doing anything.

[IT_WinSec]

Hello,

Thank you for posting in the HP Support forum.

For better support options, please, review this >> http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/First-Time-Here-Learn-How-to-Post-and-More/Advice-for-asking-the-quot-V... and provide your full computer model number.

Here is how it works :

- Shut down your computer - power it off/use the button

- Start your computer

and immediately start to hit the Esc button like tap-tap-tap

- HP Startup menu will appear with multiple options F something (e.g. F1/F2/F9/F10/F11...)

- Choose F11 for recovery if such an option is available - if not, let me know

- If F11 option is available, press F11 from keyboard. If the recovery partition is there intact and functioning well, computer will load from this partition and will start recovery procedure

Full details here >> http://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c01867418#AbT3

>> http://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c01867418

Please, write back and let me know how it goes. If my post helped you, please use the button to mark it as an accepted solution

[csmith01]

It does the same thing as before, it's asking me to enter setup password, I don't know what the password is, or where to get it from. I don't know what to do here.

[IT_WinSec]

I am not in front of the PC and I am not 100% sure what exactly you mean - but I suppsoed this should be the BIOS password because perhaps it is configured to be asking for boot password when booting from the HDD.  Is it something like this > here< ?  Please, confirm.

If yes, try to restart the computer, repeat the procedure above with Esc (tap-tap-tap) but this time choose F10 for entering BIOS.

When it pops-up with the BIOS password, enter 3 times a wrong password (whatever) and the system will get locked. You should see a System Disabled message and a code.  

Write down this code and visit https://bios-pw.org/

Place your system disabled code there  and you will be able to get the an unlock code*.

Write/save the unlock code*  for HP computers.

Eventually, restart the computer, again choose the option for F11 and when it dispays a message asking for code or system disabled, please, enter the unlock code* - this will clear the password protection and you will be able to enter and continue with recovery.

[csmith01]

Yes, its a blue screen asking for a password.

I did as you said, resart the computer, hit esc, selected F10, entered wrong password 3 times.

After I did that, my screen when black and nothing came up like you stated. I didnt see the System Disabled message with a code to follow as you instructed.

Why did it not give me that code?

My computer is an HP Pavillion HPE h8-1240t CTO Desktop PC

[IT_WinSec]

Hello,

Please, excuse me, I forgot you use a Desktop PC, I was thinking of a notebook when I posted above. Clearing BIOS passwords on different notebooks and Desktop PCs is different.

Re. Desktops: here are some general ones you may wish to follow re. your motherboard and clearing the password:

>> http://h20564.www2.hp.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docId=emr_na-c03132942

Clearing CMOS settings / clearing password (bottom side of the article)

>> http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Desktop-Operating-Systems-and-Recovery/How-to-Reset-BIOS-Clear-CMOS-of-...

If you manage to clear/remove the password, you can proceed with the desired recovery procedure.

If you still cannot remove the password, I'd suggest you contact HP Support for further assistance:

>> https://support.hp.com/us-en/contact-hp/product/HP-Pavilion-HPE-h8-1200-Desktop-PC-series/5187019/mo...

>> http://www8.hp.com/us/en/contact-hp/ww-phone-assist.html

[csmith01]

I did that, now it doesn't give me anything after I press ESC to get to the blue screen and select F10 or F11. I tried pressing each of those keys and nothing, my computer just restarts over and over

[csmith01]

I turned of my computer again just now, and I was able to get to the startup menu box with the F11 fuction along with F10 and so forth. (I was able to change the password) Now I select the System Recovery (F11), enter the password, press enter then I get a black screen and my computer restarts again after a while. What can I do?

[IT_WinSec]

Hello,

Thank you for the elaboration. If you were indeed able to reset the password and if you press F11 but nothing happens, most probably the recovery partition is missing or corrupt.

F11 only works if the recovery partition is there and intact.

In this case, you will need to use Recovery media.

Option 1) You can contact HP support to see if they can offer you original recovery media for this computer (a.k.a. recovery DVDs or USB). Info

>> http://support.hp.com/bg-en/document/bph07143

>> http://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c00707939

Here is how you can contact them :

>> http://support.hp.com/us-en/contact-hp

>> http://www8.hp.com/us/en/contact-hp/ww-phone-assist.html

Option 2) If there is no recovery media at HP, you can try to contact

http://www.best2serve.com/page/rcd_landing   OR   http://www.computersurgeons.com/

I see Computer Surgeons have recovery media available >> http://www.computersurgeons.com/p-30060-windows-7-64-bit-recovery-kit-c4g69av-for-hp-pavilion-hpe-de...

Last step

Once you receive the recovery media, here are instructions how to perform the recovery:

>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFBWPmy32ms

>> https://youtu.be/dFBWPmy32ms?t=99

 Please, let me know if this works.