Need help resetting Windows 11 (on an actual PC)

[MacGizmo]

Maybe not the right place, but the normal Google searches almost all lead to a Microsoft help page that is of absolutely no help whatsoever.

I have a Lenovo laptop that currently has Windows 11 installed, along with Office 365. It has two user accounts set up. There is very little existing data and just a few 3rd party apps installed between the two users.

My son wants it for college and I would like to give it to him in as new a state as possible.

So I EITHER need to create a new user (which I can obviously figure out how to do) and then completely erase all data/settings for the two existing users – all without reinstalling Windows.

OR, I need to completely reset the laptop to it's original setup. No discs were provided with the laptop, so it's obviously some sort of cloud re-install much like the Mac.

I would love to get some advice and/or step-by-step instructions from more experienced Windows users here. I more than know my way around a Mac, but I'm a little less confident on Windows.

Thanks in advance!

 

[SteveJUAE]

Maybe not the right place, but the normal Google searches almost all lead to a Microsoft help page that is of absolutely no help whatsoever.

I have a Lenovo laptop that currently has Windows 11 installed, along with Office 365. It has two user accounts set up. There is very little existing data and just a few 3rd party apps installed between the two users.

My son wants it for college and I would like to give it to him in as new a state as possible.

So I EITHER need to create a new user (which I can obviously figure out how to do) and then completely erase all data/settings for the two existing users – all without reinstalling Windows.

OR, I need to completely reset the laptop to it's original setup. No discs were provided with the laptop, so it's obviously some sort of cloud re-install much like the Mac.

I would love to get some advice and/or step-by-step instructions from more experienced Windows users here. I more than know my way around a Mac, but I'm a little less confident on Windows.

Thanks in advance!

As it's your son I would just create a new user, then elevate him to admin, then you can delete the 2 other accounts from his account

Just Google - create a new admin account windows 11 and you will get step by step instructions and follow on help with other files and apps issues

If you have a family Office 365 account your son will have access to all those and 1TB of storage if you add him to the sharing in your office subscription account.

 

[maflynn]

My son wants it for college and I would like to give it to him in as new a state as possible.

Get your restore media here:

Lenovo Digital Download Recovery Service (DDRS) - Download the files for creating a Lenovo USB Recovery key - Lenovo Support US

support.lenovo.com

There's links and videos on that page to help you create the restore thumb drive, If memory serves me once you boot into the thumb drive and select install/restore (or what ever its called), the process will basically reset the laptop back to factory new with a fresh copy of windows that was initially installed on your laptop.

 

[Steve Adams]

Maybe not the right place, but the normal Google searches almost all lead to a Microsoft help page that is of absolutely no help whatsoever.

I have a Lenovo laptop that currently has Windows 11 installed, along with Office 365. It has two user accounts set up. There is very little existing data and just a few 3rd party apps installed between the two users.

My son wants it for college and I would like to give it to him in as new a state as possible.

So I EITHER need to create a new user (which I can obviously figure out how to do) and then completely erase all data/settings for the two existing users – all without reinstalling Windows.

OR, I need to completely reset the laptop to it's original setup. No discs were provided with the laptop, so it's obviously some sort of cloud re-install much like the Mac.

I would love to get some advice and/or step-by-step instructions from more experienced Windows users here. I more than know my way around a Mac, but I'm a little less confident on Windows.

Thanks in advance!

I would just download the media creation tool from microsoft and make a USB drive installer. Load it onto the notebook, when prompted hit format drive, then let it do its thing. Once windows is reinstalled it will be like a brand new laptop. Go to Intel/AMD, get the neccesary drivers off their websites instead of lenovo's and it will be as good as new. I hate reseller drivers and only use manufacturer drivers (i.e. Intel/AMD/Nvidia, not lenovo, dell, asus).

 

[winxmac]

Reset your PC
https://support.microsoft.com/en-US/Windows/Experience/Backup-Recovery/reset-your-pc

 

[maflynn]

would just download the media creation tool from microsoft and make a USB drive installer

You certainly can, but I think Lenovo offers a couple of advantages, at least that's been my direct experience.

First (depending on the age of the laptop), the recovery image provided by Lenovo will be an older version of Windows, so that means you can easily set up a local account and not be forced into the microsoft account (this may not matter to the op),

Second, you're resetting the PC back to factory settings, and I think there's something to be said about going that route, at least for my perspective.

 

[Steve Adams]

It's still windows 11, you can't setup a windows 11 pc without a ms account....yet. Doing what I said is setting back to actual factory settings. Meaning how INTEL or AMD wants the system to run and not the manufacturer.

I have personally experienced a 5-10% increase in speed by using factory (intel and Nvidia) drivers compared to using Dell's drivers. This is across 4 different pcs as well. I am sure the other manufaturers systems are the same.

I also have better battery life without the dell drivers and software constantly making the system report back to the mothership. If anyone out there owns dell pcs, remove support connect and any other dell software stat. It's all just baked in spyware.

 

[maflynn]

It's still windows 11, you can't setup a windows 11 pc without a ms account..

You actually can, I did so with my thinkpad. It was running an older flavor of Windows 11

MS has been actively closing the loopholes, which is why an older image of Windows 11 is preferred. For instance, you at one point only had to turn off wifi and it would let you proceed with a local account. The OOBE\BYPASSNRO method was long favored as the best way to bypass the MS account requirement.

I believe there are still ways but its getting harder and harder.

 

[Steve Adams]

You actually can, I did so with my thinkpad. It was running an older flavor of Windows 11

MS has been actively closing the loopholes, which is why an older image of Windows 11 is preferred. For instance, you at one point only had to turn off wifi and it would let you proceed with a local account. The OOBE\BYPASSNRO method was long favored as the best way to bypass the MS account requirement.

I believe there are still ways but its getting harder and harder.

They are actually going to allow Local account soon. It's being worked on in the project whatever it's called.

 

[maflynn]

They are actually going to allow Local account soon. It's being worked on in the project whatever it's called.

One can only hope, but I'm not going to get my hopes up