Reinstall of windows 10 on hp x2 210G1

[marko_kue]

Dear community,

I have a HP x2 210G1 notebook, hardly used and forgot the password to log in. Moreover the hard drive is encrypted by the Bitlocker and unfortunately I am unable to recover that passphrase. Nor I have the recovery media created. Sh... happens.

I have researched a bit and several users were sharing issues at the reinstall process of a clean Windows copy by using a flash drive.

Before suffering from the same pitfall I would like to clarify some points.

I downloaded the latest BIOS version from HP website to create a recovery BIOS flash drive.

Unfortunately that tool doesn't allow me to create that recovery flash drive. Awesome!

Some users were reporting issues at the reinstall of Windows and couldn't succeed.

Can somebody share which Windows 10 Version was installed on that device by default.

BIOS is only giving the information of Windows10.

Can somebody please share the steps to perform a clean reinstall.

Thanks a lot!

[WAWood]

@marko_kue 

I never cease to be amazed by how everyone seems to think flashing the BIOS is the first thing to do regardless of the problems with a laptop.  It is easily the most dangerous thing to do, and I would NOT do it unless absolutely necessary.

The steps to a clean install are the following:

1) Download and create install media using a working PC.  Since you will need the HP drivers, which you will not get from Microsoft media, I suggest following the instructions for the HP Cloud Recovery (below)

2) Boot your PC from the Recovery Media

3) Follow the directions -- this will take a couple of hours, at least

4) When finished, the PC will reboot into initial startup -- where you follow the directions and enter your personal information.

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 Win10 and the HP drivers and utilities that originally came with your PC.

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

[marko_kue]

@WAWood

Thank you for your reply.

Let me elaborate why I was asking regarding the BIOS update. Other users could succeed a clean WIn10 reinstall after they did a BIOS update!

Unfortunately that device is not yet supported by the HP Cloud Recovery service.

Can I just give it a try by plugging in a Windows 10 flash drive and perform?

I am a bit concerned about the recovery partition which I might have to delete during the reinstall.

Thanks.