
In some rare cases, it may even take up your entire day.

The entire process of factory resetting your laptop take as little as 30 minutes up to 3 hours depending on what OS you have installed, your processor speed, RAM and whether you have an HDD or an SSD hard drive. How Long Does it Take to Perform the Factory Resetīut how long does a factory reset take on a laptop? Well, unfortunately, this is more of a wildcard question. This means your all of your files will be secured and you can then proceed with the reset. Before you get to work, you should first back up all data online or to an external hard drive. documents, pictures, downloads, music, videos and any programs that you have installed since purchasing your machine. However, doing so will delete all of your personal data, i.e. To install applications not included in the default configuration, you must have the original installation discs or download the programs from the Internet.If your laptop is no longer working properly or it has been infected with malware that you are unable to get rid of with an antivirus, then it is a good idea to reset it back to factory settings (also known as recovery or delivery status). Install other third-party applications or programs on the ThinkPad. Alternatively, copy and paste the files from a backup CD or DVD disc you created. Copy and paste the data files you backed up before restoring the ThinkPad to its original configuration.

Log on with the username and password you created during the restore process.Ĭonnect your external USB flash drive or hard drive to the laptop. The ThinkPad will restart and boot into Windows. When prompted, press any key on the ThinkPad keyboard to restart the laptop. During the restore process, enter a Windows username and password for the laptop when prompted. The restore process also reinstalls other third-party software included on the computer when you first purchased it. Enable the “Restore Factory Defaults” option and follow the on-screen instructions to reinstall and customize your Windows operating system. Press the “F11” key after the ThinkPad Recovery Menu appears. Press the down arrow key until the cursor highlights the "ThinkPad Product Recovery Program" option and press “Enter.” After a few seconds, the ThinkPad Product Recovery Program menu will appear on the display screen. On most ThinkPad laptops, the blue key is just above the top row of keys on the keyboard.


Press the power button to turn on the ThinkPad, and press the blue "Access IBM" or “Access ThinkPad” key on the keyboard as soon as you see the IBM or Lenovo logo. You do not want to run out of power before the process is complete. If you have not already done so, connect the AC adapter to the ThinkPad and plug the other end into an electrical socket.
