Reset Windows 8 to initial startup

atomicskylark

Junior Member
Aug 2, 2013
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Hello

I bought a windows 8 laptop and I turned it on and put in location, language, keyboard etc.. and went through the initial setup to get to the desktop.

However I want to return the laptop but I want it to seem like I've never turned it on, is there anyway I can reset it so that it presents the next person to turn it on with the initial welcome to windows 8 setup your username and computer name and network etc page.

Lenovo laptops come with their own apps on the desktop so is there anyway I can keep them there?

Thanks!
 

atomicskylark

Junior Member
Aug 2, 2013
12
0
0
But how would that make it look like it did the first time I turned it on? For instance when I initially pressed the on button it loaded up the finalise windows 8 setup and I had to make a microsoft account, put in language and keyboard settings etc and choose a computer name, username and connect to the wifi?

Would this creating a new user reset the laptop to that state?
 

Ketchup

Elite Member
Sep 1, 2002
14,559
248
106
But how would that make it look like it did the first time I turned it on? For instance when I initially pressed the on button it loaded up the finalise windows 8 setup and I had to make a microsoft account, put in language and keyboard settings etc and choose a computer name, username and connect to the wifi?

Would this creating a new user reset the laptop to that state?

Then do a factory restore if the computer supports it. You didn't give any indication of what the computer is, but many manufacturers offer this.
 

Mushkins

Golden Member
Feb 11, 2013
1,631
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You'd either have to use the restore partition to do a factory restore, or reinstall windows 8 with the supplied recovery media.

If you're returning it to a retailer, they frankly don't care that you set it up. It's gonna get sent back to a refurb center and be wiped/reinstalled anyway before it can be resold as refurbished.

If you're trying to restore it to factory defaults to make it look like you never used it/opened it to circumvent a return policy, well, shame on you.
 

atomicskylark

Junior Member
Aug 2, 2013
12
0
0
It's a Lenovo Y510p laptop that comes preinstalled with some Lenovo bloatware but I'd rather it didn't remove those apps if I did some kind of factory restore.

I'm really not familiar with Windows 8 as if this is the first device I've owned that runs it so not sure how to proceed. I know there's the built in Windows 8 Refresh or Reset functions but I'm not sure which one I'd need?