Forgotten password - Help wiping my kids hp stream from 2017

[Catherine198]

I want to give my son’s blue hp stream from 2017 to a friend’s young son. My son is 17 and cannot remember his password from that time. I figured out how to get through most of the factory reset but then it tells me there isn’t enough space for windows and I have to delete or remove things from the computer (which I obviously can’t do because I can’t get into it). Should I just throw this thing in the trash? I’m kind of over trying to get it up and running again but it’s still in great shape so it feels like such a waste! If anyone has any advice I’d appreciate it. 

[Max3Aj]

@Catherine198, Welcome to the HP Support Community – it’s great to have you here!

I appreciate you taking the time to share your question. I'm more than happy to assist with this and provide a solution that works for you.

I totally understand how frustrating it can be to deal with forgotten passwords and limited storage on older devices like the HP Stream. The good news is: you don’t need to throw it away! You can still wipe and reset it properly even without the password.

Here's what you can do to reset the HP Stream from 2017:

Option 1: Use HP Cloud Recovery Tool (Recommended for HP Stream)

Since HP Stream devices have very limited storage, the built-in reset often fails due to space constraints. Instead, you can use the HP Cloud Recovery Tool to create a fresh recovery USB and reinstall Windows.

Steps:

• On another working Windows PC, download the HP Cloud Recovery Tool: HP Consumer PCs - Using the HP Cloud Recovery Tool in Windows 11 and 10 | HP® Support
• Plug in a 16GB or larger USB drive and run the tool. It will detect the HP Stream model (you may need to enter the product ID from the sticker on the bottom).
• Follow the prompts to create the recovery USB.
• Insert the USB into the HP Stream, power it on, and press Esc repeatedly until the Startup Menu appears.
• Press F9 to select boot device, choose the USB drive, and follow the on-screen instructions to reinstall Windows.

Option 2: Use Windows Installation Media (if Cloud Recovery doesn’t work)

You can also use Microsoft’s Media Creation Tool to install a fresh copy of Windows:

• Go to: Create installation media for Windows - Microsoft Support
• Create a bootable USB (8GB or more).
• Boot the HP Stream from the USB (same Esc → F9 method).
• During installation, choose Custom Install and delete all partitions to free up space.

Important: This will erase everything on the device, including the forgotten password and all files.

Tips:

• If the HP Stream has 32GB eMMC storage, Windows installation may still fail unless you delete all partitions during setup.
• You can optionally install Windows 10 Home 32-bit to save space and improve performance for younger users.

I hope your issue is now resolved. If not, feel free to reply and we’ll continue helping until everything’s sorted!

If the post helped, please click “Accepted Solution” to help other users easily find it. And if you’d like to say thanks, just tap the “Yes” button!

Cheers,

Max3Aj

HP Support