tried to do factory reset, now stuck at HP logo

[Guy64]

Hi, i was trying to do a factory rest on HP  Pavilion with beats audio. it all started  fine at first, then at first it got stuck at 66percent for over a day, i unplugged it and tried to start it but it never goes past the HP logo now. ive done remove battery, long press power button, done the hold windows key and the b key for bios gone into advanced options to do haedware and software checks all passed, tried the windows media tool downloaded to usb flashstick put it in, but keep saying not recognised. i cannot afford to take it to a repair shop/centre and i am getting very frustrated

[WAWood]

@Guy64 

I can certainly understand the desire to do factory resets -- given the prevalent view that such an action, though extreme, will fix a variety of mysterious problems and return a troublesome PC to working condition.

Problem is -- that very often is NOT the case and if there is any hardware issue at all, which is nearly always the cause with a SLOW PC (which is why most folks do the factory resets), you end up trashing your PC and rendering it useless. So, you trade a SLOW PC for a non-working PC. Not a good trade -- and certainly not what you intended.

So if your PC was running real SLOW, or apps are not launching, then let's check for the drive failing, if your PC is new enough to support UEFI, you can use these steps to test the drive: https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/ish_2854458-2733239-16

If not, you have to follow these steps:
1) Press Esc key repeatedly, several times a second, while rebooting the laptop. Do NOT hold the key down, just press it over and over.
2) Eventually, you will see an HP Startup Menu
3) press the Function key for testing the hard drive (usually F2) and let it run.

If the test will not run or if it fails, that indicates that your drive has failed and would need to be replaced.

If the test passes, then report that back here and I'll provide information on steps you can take to restore Windows to your PC.

[Guy64]

Hi, yes the Harddrive is fine, i ran all the tests from HD to RAM clicked run until error, after a day of running no faults were found. also did the bios as well. still does not get pass the HP logo. the laptop has hardly been used it is in near mint condition. i was doing a reset as i was trying to help a friend out, she needed a laptop for zoom meetings for her business in May. All my details were on the laptop so i was trying to do a reset and then updating it before i passed it on to her. 

[WAWood]

@Guy64 

You Do realize, right, that resetting a laptop only ERASES the data; it does not WIPE it, right? Anyone with a half-decent data recovery app than then recover most, if not all, of your sensitive information.

I wrote a tutorial on the steps you need to take to actually WIPE a laptop before you give it away or sell it:  https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebooks-Knowledge-Base/Preparing-a-used-HP-notebook-for-resale/ta-p/...