Cleaning off the previous owners information, and resetting the computer properly

[Jaded_66]

I recently purchased a 5 year old HP 15 Notebook PC Energy Star Laptop. The serial number is [edit]; model 15 1033 WM; Product J9M35UA#ABA. It contains Realtek Radio Model RTL818833. It has 7-Zip on it, and I have no idea what that is used for. The OS is Window Home 10. I have reset laptops in the past, but it was on Toshibas. Can any one suggest a website that would safely lead me through the steps of cleaning off this computer, without losing MicroSoft Windows? I have tried using HP support, with out luck. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, J.

[banhien · Accepted solution]

@Jaded_66 

You have few options

(a) Clean install Windows 10:  Since your machine previously ran Windows 10, you can do a clean install W10 for free by using the media creation tool at the link below.

    https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

The tool will allow you to make a bootable installation media (USB/DVD) and you can use installation media to install.

During the installation process if you are asked to enter a product key, check the 'Skip' box and W10 will install and then automatically activate once you are connected to the internet using the key embedded in BIOS of your machine.

You can also mount downloaded ISO file as DVD drive and run Setup from there.

Then you can install the drivers and available software you need from your PC's support page. Normally few Windows 10 updates can install nearly all drivers for you.

(b) Factory Restore

Please try:

          https://support.hp.com/au-en/document/c06162205

Regards.

[Jaded_66]

I didn't clean off the disks in this computer, when I stated the download of the MicroSoft link that you sent. It's downloading right not; slow process. I've got to get this machine cleaned off soon, and take full ownership of it. I just hope I'm doing things in the right order. Thanks again Mr. B.    J-

[WAWood]

@Jaded_66 

If you have an account on this PC you can use to login as an Adminstrator, just use the settings option for Accounts to remove the other account(s) you no longer want on the PC.  That will remove their accounts, their settings, and their personal files -- as long as those are in the default accounts directories.

[Jaded_66]

Thank you for the reply, Mr. Wood. I was able to use the link that Mr. Banheim sent, to reinstall windows. I haven't worked on computers for a few years, and my memory is bad. I used DOS a lot, as I had remote hackers, who were remotely accessing my laptop for storage of fraudulent media files. After I re-installed Windows 10 on this previously owned computer that I have; a few issues came up. When I look at the disk management; Disk 0 has 3 partitions, and I can't get access to them. I'm blocked somehow. I'm leery of deleting them, as they could be important?? Also, since I put the windows re-installation file on it's own flash drive; I'm not sure if I still need a Recovery drive or a WinRe drive. Can they be deleted. If I recall, there is a way to make yourself "a super administrator" in DOS. The previous owners had two user accounts. I will be the only person using this computer; and have quality security on standby to install on it. I just want to make sure that every detail of the previous owners data is history. It's looks as if he was a gamer. That recovery disk, has only 1% of free space, and those partitions, are taking up a lot space, as well. I won't to get that machine up and running, and put to work. Do you think I should contact the MicroSoft Community. I've never worked on a used computer. I don't even know how to tell when it was originally built. When I had my laptop; I bought it new....Toshiba. HP Support isn't the greatest, neither was Toshiba's, for that matter. I just need to re-visit my past expertise. Never want to deal with hackers ever again. Thanks so much for your time.  J-

[Jaded_66]

I wish that I had the time to relearn, all of my computer skills. I've just never dealt with a previously owned computer. Those OEM partitions on Disk 0, make me nervous. I'm not able to open them. I used a flash drive to re-install windows, and it didn't clean those out. I'm not sure if I still need the WinRE or Recovery drives, as well. The computer took the first four letters of one my e-mail address, and made it a username. That doesn't seem right to me. I need to do a lot of studying.

[Jaded_66]

Is there still a way to make yourself the "super administrator" on a notebook/laptop?