Factory Reset will not work, nor do I know my Microsoft Account.

[JustJake89]

Hello Community, 

I was recently given this Laptop from my aunt. She has since passed away but I was trying to use the laptop and she had a pin number set to log into the laptop. I don't know the pin number. So I clicked on forgot pin number, it tries to take me to her windows login but I don't know her info. I've tried clicking on F11 numerous times to factory reset the laptop but when I get to the option to reset it or not, I click on reset but a box pops up saying reset there was a problem resetting your PC. Can someone please help?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

You can use another Windows PC and the HP cloud recovery tool that will create a bootable USB recovery drive that will return your notebook's drive to its 'out of the box' condition.

Here is an info link for how to use the utility.  You will need a 32 GB USB flash drive for this.

HP Consumer PCs - Using the HP Cloud Recovery Tool in Windows 11 and 10 | HP® Support

You can download the software from the Microsoft Store.

HP Cloud Recovery Tool - Free download and install on Windows | Microsoft Store

You will have to enter your notebook's product number in the tool's search window in order to proceed to make the recovery media.

The 794H8AV product number is the general product number that covers many different individual model product numbers as you can see from the list at the link below.

HP PartSurfer

The easiest way to find the product number for the specific PC you have would be to enter the serial number in the search window at the link below, and it should provide the product number of the notebook.

HP PartSurfer

Along with the product number you also have to include #ABA to the right of it.

For example:  7F5H4UA#ABA

[JustJake89]

Paul I got an error code. 

 

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

Unfortunately, I wouldn't know how to fix a problem like that.

You could try clean installing W11 on the PC by using the Media creation tool to create a bootable USB installation flash drive.

Download Windows 11

When you get to the part of the installation process that asks, 'Where do you want to install Windows,' if no drives can be found, you will have to load the Intel storage controller drivers so Windows can find the drive.

I have zipped up and attached the Intel storage controller drivers you need, below.

Unzip and copy all of the files in the folder in the attachment to a USB flash drive.

Have the flash drive and your Windows installation media plugged into USB ports.

Boot from the Windows installation flash drive.

When you get to the screen where no drives can be found, click on the Load driver option, browse to the flash drive with the storage controller drivers on it.

If you check the box, it will only include the compatible driver.

If Windows still can't find the drive, uncheck the box to include the compatible driver and try any of the ones listed.

[JustJake89]

Good afternoon Paul,

Well I did the whole flash drive boot up from HP Recovery and I have since tried to fix the laptop. When I go to install I'm now getting this error code.

[SSRM_SetSystemDefault] Failed to load BIOS PIN default.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

Sorry that didn't work either and I wouldn't know how to get around that [SSRM_SetSystemDefault] Failed to load BIOS PIN default error your notebook now has.

Unfortunately, I don't have any other suggestions for you to try.

It might be time to take your PC into your local PC repair shop.