Restoring a Toshiba to factory settings

Bounty Hunter · 16-06-2009 01:48PM #1

as the title suggests im trying to restore my laptop to its factory settings, wipe it clean and start again in essence.

Maybe im looking in the wrong places to do this but i had a HP before and this was a fairly straight forward process, now however I only seem to be able to do a system restore which involves returning it to how it was on a set restore date which i think is a few months ago.

Anyone know what exactley im not doing or should be doing etc?

ronkmonster · 16-06-2009 01:57PM

Did you have to burn restore discs when you bought it.

Some laptops have a key to press on boot up to start a built in restore. f11 i think is used for some but it would give you a prompt for a few seconds

Bounty Hunter · 16-06-2009 02:02PM

ronkmonster wrote: »

Did you have to burn restore discs when you bought it.

Some laptops have a key to press on boot up to start a built in restore. f11 i think is used for some but it would give you a prompt for a few seconds

I dont recall ever having to do so, My father has the same laptop and I dont think he ever had to either (but ill ask him later when he gets home). F11 removes all toolbars it seems i.e the start bar and anything at the top of the screen i.e the ones in my browser atm.

ronkmonster · 16-06-2009 04:44PM

sorry for not being clear. you'd be given the option to press f11 when the laptop is starting up

usually in the few seconds between bios and windows starting

did you receive any windows/restore cds with the laptop?

Bounty Hunter · 16-06-2009 05:26PM

F8 seems to bring me to the recovery options when im starting up although ill try F11 next time as im still struggling. I dont recall getting any recovery disks I when first got the computer. However my dad did have to burn off his with his Toshiba (different model ive got a Satellite A200-27Z, his is Satellite Pro 300-1FQ). He never had until now however when I just did it for him. I then tried them in mine but that didnt work, also tried searching for the same progam i used to create them on his and my computer doesnot seem to have it, infact a search withjust the words Toshiba Recovery comes up with 0 matches on my laptop.

ive no idea how im supposed to do this now

ronkmonster · 16-06-2009 06:13PM

f8 is the windows recovery options like safe mode.

the f11 (or any other key that it may be) will bring you into a manufacturer application to restore to factory defaults

you can try the following to see if there is a hidden partition on your pc to restore with

Right click my computer and select manage
Click on disk management
In the bottom half of the screen, there will be disks listed.
One being your hard drive with a c partition. If there is a second partition with no letter and possibly called a recovery partition, the files might be there. just have to find out how to start the restore.

Bounty Hunter · 16-06-2009 06:23PM

firstly thank you for your help

ronkmonster wrote: »

f8 is the windows recovery options like safe mode.

the f11 (or any other key that it may be) will bring you into a manufacturer application to restore to factory defaults

you can try the following to see if there is a hidden partition on your pc to restore with

Right click my computer and select manage
Click on disk management
In the bottom half of the screen, there will be disks listed.
One being your hard drive with a c partition. If there is a second partition with no letter and possibly called a recovery partition, the files might be there. just have to find out how to start the restore.

there is its 1.46 gb in size and called EISA Configuration, Do youknow how id fnd out how to start it?

Lazarus2.0 · 16-06-2009 07:49PM

Press and hold the 0(zero) key while powering on the computer . Toshiba Recovery Wizard will launch .

from page 60 of the Toshiba A200/A205 series User's Guide , available here

Bounty Hunter · 16-06-2009 08:02PM

nessyguin wrote: »

Press and hold the 0(zero) key while powering on the computer . Toshiba Recovery Wizard will launch .

from page 60 of the Toshiba A200/A205 series User's Guide , available here

unfortunatley that did nothing

ronkmonster · 16-06-2009 08:23PM

is there a bios option that might have turned the restore option off?

Bounty Hunter · 16-06-2009 08:31PM

to be perfectly honest i wouldent know if there is a bios option or where to look to find out.

usually I can stumble through these things and with another computer i could do it, infact i did earlier for my fathers toshiba

ronkmonster · 16-06-2009 08:50PM

its usually f2 or delete to enter the bios. might be different though
you press the key right when the laptop is starting

should give you a menu of setting. just have a look through it for anything that could be a restore option

also look at the bottom of the screen when the laptop is starting. usually it tells you what keys to press to do certain actions. like enter bios, restore, flash bios

rebel girl 15 · 16-06-2009 09:07PM

You should have a product recovery disc, I got one with my toshiba.

Bounty Hunter · 16-06-2009 11:05PM

Thanks for all your help Ronkmonster after restarting my computer about 20 times today and fiddeling with the bios and other options in all the menus the F keys got me to I was eventually able to make it so that the CDs i burnt for my father earlier worked for me too and ive just re-booted my computer... YAY!!

its like haviing a new computer again

Restoring a Toshiba to factory settings

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