Resetting to factory, now stuck in "preparing" loop with blue installation screen "blip".

[Sunnedaize]

Hey All,

Forgot windows login password, no media CD, usb or otherwise to reset so made a backup of my files, videos etc and started reset to factory.  Rolled back BIOS to previous, and also changed 1 to a 3 in a setting on the boot menu.  Now stuck in restart boot, HP logo - then "preparing" screen show, spinning wheel shows, then blue "installation" screen blips before it restarts itself.

I've let it run all night (on advice from others).  I just want to reset it to factory, and start over (then save my password somewhere so that I don't have to do this again; btw, NEVER have had this issue before).

Thanks, Sunne

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

The only suggestion I can offer if the factory reset option isn't working would be to reinstall W10 using the media creation tool at the link below.

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

If you are asked to enter a product key during the installation process, select the 'I don't have a product key' option, and W10 will install and automatically activate once you are connected to the internet.

Then you can reinstall the drivers and available software from your PC's support page.

I'm pretty sure your PC came with a 64 bit operating system, so make sure you create the 64 bit installation media.

[Sunnedaize]

Thanks Paul, I'll try that when I get home and update this thread with the outcome; I appreciate your help 🙂

Sunne

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome, Sunne.

[Sunnedaize]

Hey Paul,

So, yeah - got super busy and haven't been able to sit down with the PC until last night.  Then realized I hadn't asked how to get out of the restart loop so that I can use the media you suggested....

I tried F8, but other than that...nada.  What do you suggest?

Thanks again, Sunne

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi, Sunne:

You boot from the installation media to reinstall W10.

To do that, have the W10 USB flash drive plugged into the USB port.

Turn on or restart the PC.

Tap the ESC key at the beginning of the HP welcome screen to get the menu of options.

Select the F9 boot options menu, and from that, select the USB diskette on key/USB flash drive, and press the Enter key.

The PC should then boot from the W10 installation flash drive and begin to load the installation files.

[Sunnedaize]

Alrighty, I'll be trying that this evening.  You're a life saver, thanks Paul...

Sunne

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome, Sunne.

If that doesn't get the PC to boot from the flash drive, go into the BIOS, enable Legacy Mode and disable Secure Boot.

Some notebooks need that setting changed so you can boot from a USB flash drive as well as a DVD.

See this link for the settings to change.

https://www.support.hp.com/us-en/document/c03736054/

After you change those settings restart the PC, follow the guidance I posted above, but this time select the Legacy USB diskette on key/USB flash drive, and press the Enter key.

The PC will then hopefully boot from the USB flash drive.

[Sunnedaize]

Hi Paul,

OK, so after trying everything you suggested, at the end of the story: no dice.  It says "No bootable partition in table".

Ugh.  Where did I go wrong?!

Thanks, Sunne

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi, Sunne:

Unfortunately, I have never come across that error before.

I suggest that you google the error statement and see if there are any clues how to resolve the problem out there.