Begin The HP Recovery Process

The first thing you should do is backup any important data, such as pictures, music files, favorites, and anything important that you've saved since purchasing the computer. All new data will be lost and the system will be returned to factory condition.

Next, you'll want to unplug any external devices, such as USB printers, cameras or scanners. These devices could interfere with the recovery process.

There are a couple of ways to reach the recovery screen. The easiest will be to tap the F10 key repeatedly when booting the PC. This will take you to a screen to begin the process. Or, once in Windows, you can go to Start>All Programs>HP Tools>HP PC System Recovery.

Follow the onscreen instructions. The process may take an hour or two depending on the size of the hard drive. Once complete, your HP computer should be reverted to the original factory condition.

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