Can't reset my Pavillion Win 8.1 to factory

[BenCoo]

Hi, I wan't to reset my Pavilion to factory settings, I have a set of 4 original HP System Recovery discs (came with the product), but what I do - nothing helps. When I run HP utility Center, select te option "Factory reset" and asked for the disc the I get an error saying that they don't match my laptop. I want a clean laptop as from the store. Thanks in advance.

[WAWood]

@BenCoo 

If your PC is a 2016 model or newer, you should see if you can make a bootable USB recovery drive using the HP cloud recovery tool on a working PC.

The recovery drive can then be used to install Windows and the HP drivers and utilities that originally came with your PC.

Here is the link: https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c06162205

[BenCoo]

Hi WAWood,

Thanks for the help, But unfortunately your tip doesn't work, when I download the recovery tool I get the following error:

FYI: my HP system is a Pavilion 17-E090EB (year 2014) with OS Windows 8.1

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi, @BenCoo 

Have you tried booting directly from the first recovery disk and not through the recovery manager?

Boot up the PC, press the ESC key and then press the F9 key.  Select the DVD drive and press the enter key.

If you get the same error, unfortunately no one will be able to help you get the recovery disks to work.

I can give you a free way to clean install W8.1 by using the W8 product key in your notebook's BIOS but that is not the same as a factory reset.

You will have to install the drivers yourself and you will be limited to the software available on your notebook's support page.

Let me know if you want to do that.

[BenCoo]

Done that, but get the error :

The system recovery media does not support this computer. You cannot recover this system using this media.

[BenCoo]

my HP system is a Pavilion 17-E090EB (year 2014) with OS Windows 8.1

[Paul_Tikkanen]

OK, so that didn't work either.

I'm pretty sure your PC originally came with Windows 8, which was upgraded to Windows 8.1.

Can you still access Windows on the PC?

If so, run the free Showkey Plus utility that I zipped up and attached below, and it will show you the product key and the version of Windows the key is good for.

Please copy and paste the report of the description of Windows.

Do not post the product key itself.  I don't need to know that information.

This is what I am looking for...It should be the last line in the report.

OEM Edition: Win 8.1 RTM Professional OEM:DM

If you want to clean install W8.1 since the recovery disks won't work, I'll give you the instructions, but I need to know the version of Windows 8/8.1 that the key is good for.  Otherwise there will be re-work and time wasted.

[BenCoo]

Thank you for your answer. I can inform you that in the meantime I have found an OEM version of Win 10 in my archives which I was able to install on my laptop. So the problem is gone. Nevertheless, I would like to thank you very much for the time and energy you have put into examining my problem.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.