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HP Recommended
stream 11-y12nr
Microsoft Windows 10 (64-bit)

i recently purchased a used HP stream laptop model 11-y012nr. it is running Windows 10 Home (64 bit). the previous owner did remove ANY personal info or files or sign out of anything.  im new to a non-apple product so i dont know where to start. How can i perform a factory reset or whatver its called so that all the previous owners files and settings and info is erased and so its like a new computer/?

1 REPLY 1
HP Recommended

@Here2stayMN 

OK, so one thing you need to know about Microsoft PCs is that a factory reset only ERASES the files; it does not WIPE them.  That means the files and folders are still there, just not seen by Windows.

 

With such a reset, however, you will not longer see those files; they just physically will not be gone.


The Stream's "drive" is too small to be able to do a factory reset internally, so you have to use external media.

 

Since your PC can not successfully do an internal factory reset, your ways to accomplish this are the following:
- Factory reset using external HP image you make
- Factory reset using external HP image you buy

Each of these is discussed in some detail below ...

---------- Factory reset using external HP image you make ----------
HP provides a Cloud Recovery tool that you can use, together with a 32GB USB stick, to create your on HP reset media.

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

This works the same as the factory reset described above.

---------- Factory reset using external HP image you buy ----------
For those PCs not supported by the Cloud Recovery, in some cases, HP offers Recover Media for sale. This can not be downloaded; instead, it must be ordered from HP.

HP Recovery Media is a set of DVDs and a CD, or USB stick, that will erase the hard drive (removing all data, settings, and applications, reinstall the original OS, drivers, and some HP Utilities.

In some cases, you may be able to order a USB stick instead of disks.

You can look online for Recovery Media starting with the linked paged: http://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers

Once there, input your Product name or number. On your Software and Drivers Download page, select your Operating System and and Version. Click &quot;Update&quot;.<br><br>If HP Recovery Media is available for your machine, down near the bottom of the page, you will see an entry for Order Recovery Media-CD/DVD/USB. Click the &quot;+&quot; symbol to expand that entry and click on Order Media for details.

Or, if you prefer, you can do the same by contacting HP Customer Support.

HP contact info: https://support.hp.com/us-en/contact-hp?openCLC=true

If HP no longer carries the media you need, another site you should check for HP Recovery Media is: http://www.computersurgeons.com/

These work the same as the factory reset described above.



I am a volunteer and I do not work for, nor represent, HP
† The opinions expressed above are the personal opinions of the authors, not of HP. By using this site, you accept the <a href="https://www8.hp.com/us/en/terms-of-use.html" class="udrlinesmall">Terms of Use</a> and <a href="/t5/custom/page/page-id/hp.rulespage" class="udrlinesmall"> Rules of Participation</a>.