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How to reset a T440S with Win 8 to factory settings?

Windows 8 on ThinkPads
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mirileh
Posts: 23
Joined: Tue Jul 14, 2015 12:28 pm
Location: Tel Aviv, Israel

How to reset a T440S with Win 8 to factory settings?

#1 Post by mirileh » Sat Aug 06, 2016 4:07 am

I want to wipe and revert a T440S with Windows 8 to factory settings before selling it. The action is failing on me (more details below). If you've succeeded in doing this without installation discs please please please tell me how you did it!

According to the user manual, this should have been a breeze -
To reset your computer to the factory default settings, do the following:
1. Move your cursor to the top-right or bottom-right corner of the screen to display the charms. Click
Settings-> Change PC settings-> General .
2. In the Remove everything and reinstall Windows section, click Get started . Then click Next to
confirm the operation.
3. Depending on your needs, do one of the following:
• To perform a quick format, click Just remove my files to start the process. The process will take
several minutes.
• To perform a complete format, click Fully clean the drive to start the process. The process will
take several hours.
4. Follow the instructions on the screen to reset your computer to the factory default settings.
Did exactly that and no matter which option I chose (remove files/fully clean) I get the error message (refreshing the PC fails similarly) -
There was a problem resetting your PC, No changes were made

HALP!

RealBlackStuff
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Re: How to reset a T440S with Win 8 to factory settings?

#2 Post by RealBlackStuff » Sat Aug 06, 2016 5:03 am

How about item 5 on this list: https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/documents/pd028006

Also, if the recovery partition is still on your HD/SSD, press F11 at boot-time to recover to ex-factory status.
Lovely day for a Guinness! (The Real Black Stuff)
Lenovo: X240, X250, T440p, T480, M900 Tiny.

PS: the old Boardroom website is still available on the Wayback Machine
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mirileh
Posts: 23
Joined: Tue Jul 14, 2015 12:28 pm
Location: Tel Aviv, Israel

Re: How to reset a T440S with Win 8 to factory settings?

#3 Post by mirileh » Sat Aug 06, 2016 6:10 am

The laptop doesn't respond to f11 during startup. The only way to interrupt startup is by pressing Enter, and I can then get a BIOS screen (the BIOS has no recovery menu).

I'll leave the emergency reset via hardware as a last resort (makes me nervous).

RealBlackStuff
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Re: How to reset a T440S with Win 8 to factory settings?

#4 Post by RealBlackStuff » Sat Aug 06, 2016 6:44 am

Set Windows Explorer to show hidden/system files, then check if you have a recovery partition on your HD/SSD.
Did you ever make recovery CDs?
Or contact Lenovo to get a set of W8/W8.1 recovery CDs.

mirileh
Posts: 23
Joined: Tue Jul 14, 2015 12:28 pm
Location: Tel Aviv, Israel

Re: How to reset a T440S with Win 8 to factory settings?

#5 Post by mirileh » Sun Aug 14, 2016 6:10 am

update (in case anyone has the same problem) - the rescue disc (I made beforehand) totally worked and let me reset the the computer.

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