Factory Reset HP EliteBook 755 G5

[Dan6erbond]

I already tried resetting it with the Cloud Recovery tool but my issue with the GFX drivers still persist and the harddrive was clearly not formatted as the reinstallation of Windows 10 PRO created a Windows.old folder and my personal data on the C:\ drive was saved. Will using the recovery menu by pressing F11 during the boot factory reset it or just do something similar to what the cloud recovery did? I see there's an option for Local Drive and Network and would like to know what the difference between the two is and which one definetly resets the system to factory defaults including 'bloatware' and drivers.

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Hi:

There should be an option by tapping the F11 key to factory reset the notebook.

If that doesn't work, I suggest you clean install W10 using the media creation tool at the link below.

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

The tool will give you the option of making a USB installation flash drive.  You will need an 8 GB flash drive for this.

The software will work with the W10 product key in the BIOS, and automatically activate once you are connected to the internet.

Then you can install the drivers and available software from your notebook's support page.

[Dan6erbond]

Hi, when I use F11 to get in the recovery options I get two option to recover from a disk and recover from a network location and when I select disk I land in the Windows recovery screen which is what I used previously to reset the system. I used the Cloud Recovery software to get the drivers and OS on a USB stick and this time I formatted the SSD before installing Windows in hopes that everything should be gone this time, at least my data's gone. Now my question is actually a) where I can get ALL the HP software (including software like the support assistant etc.), preferably in a neat package and b) how the D:\ recovery drive can be filled with a new recovery? When formatting the SSD, I formatted EVERYTHING including the recovery drive to make sure everything was deleted and now I would like a working recovery drive again. Thanks so much for your reply!

[Paul_Tikkanen]

OK, so you formatted the recovery drive which is why the factory reset didn't work.

You can't get that back.  Once it is gone, it's gone.

You can use the driver matrix at the link below and select your model from the grid.

http://ftp.hp.com/pub/caps-softpaq/cmit/HP_Driverpack_Matrix_x64.html

You can get the latest version of the HPSA at the link below.  The download button is on the upper right side of the page.

https://www8.hp.com/us/en/campaigns/hpsupportassistant/hpsupport.html

[Dan6erbond]

Well, I just formatted the recovery drive actually. After I had reinstalled Windows 10 Pro for the third time, so that's not the reason the recovery didn't work. My question is if I can create a new one and what are the two links for? I'm not sure what HSPA and what a driver matrix is. BTW: The stick created by the cloud recovery software has an executable called HPSoftwareSetup.exe, could that be the software to reinstall all drivers and 'bloatware'?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Yes, that HP SoftwareSetup.exe file should do the work for you. 

It would probably be the same thing as the file on the matrix link I posted.

The HPSA is the HP Support Assistant software you wanted.

[Dan6erbond]

And what's the HPSA for? I don't recall asking for it, I just asked how I could recreate the recovery drive. Does HPSA do that?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

The HPSA will not create a recovery drive.

You did ask for it above...and I quote...a) where I can get ALL the HP software (including software like the support assistant etc.),

[Dan6erbond]

Ohhh... you're right. Thanks! And there's no way of recreating the recovery drive at all?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Unfortunately there isn't.

But what I use because it is easy and it works is this free disk imaging utility.

https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree?x-ca=blog

Once you get everything set up the way you want, create a system image using Macrium Reflect.

Store it on a portable hard drive.   The utility will then ask you to create a rescue DVD or USB flash drive, which you boot from to access the system image stored on your portable hard drive.

Then you can periodically create a new backup image, as you add files, programs or new releases of W10 come out.

Then restoration is a snap.