Windows 10: Reset Micosoft Surface Laptop to factory image

I have Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 13" that was upgraded to Windows 11. I want to reset it to Fresh Install like factory reset setting as I am gifting it to my daughter. When I choose the Recovery Option "Reset this PC" I get the error message "Could not find the recovery environment"? Can I created a recovery drive and then install from that USB drive without have to use a Windows 10 image and then upgrading?

:)

 

Factory Reset for Surface Pro 3

My first post, so be gentle!
Just got an oldish Surface Pro 3 and I would like to do a 'factory reset'

I'm trying to add an attachment




If I have uploaded the disk management image correctly, there seem to be more partitions than I was expecting!
Would anyone like to suggest what the previous owner(s) have done?
Also where (which partition) , and how would I go about a factory reset.

Please let me know if this post is in the wrong area and if I've broken any rules or conventions.
Cheers
Jack

 

Surface Laptop Go Factory Reset

Hi jjg1157,

Thank you for reaching Microsoft Community.

Doing a just a Reset within Windows (Windows Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Reset this PC) will not switch the device back to S mode. The device will still be in Windows 10 Home after the reset. See Reset your PC section in Recovery options in Windows - Microsoft Support for details in doing a reset.

If you want to have the device back to S mode, you'll need to do a clean installation of Windows on the device using the Surface Recovery Image available for your Surface in Surface Recovery Image Download - Microsoft Support through USB Recovery. You'll be provided on the link with the Windows 10 S mode image once you enter the serial number of your Surface. See guide below:

USB Recovery:

This option will reimage the entire device and reload Windows including the drivers and firmware. It is the most complete form of Reset and it will wipe out everything on the device. You will need also a 16GB/32GB of flash drive that must be formatted into FAT32 prior to downloading the Recovery Image. If you like to try, you can follow the steps provided below:

How to Download, Create and Use a USB recovery drive



To download the Recovery Image:

• You'll another working device running on Windows.
  

1. Visit the page to Download the recovery image for your Surface
   
2. Sign in with your Microsoft Account
   
3. From the list of Surface devices available, select the device that you need a recovery image for
   Please note that while you will only be presented with devices that are currently registered on your account, you will also be presented with the option to get an image for a different type of device. If you try to use this option, you will be prompted to enter the serial number for that device
   
4. Download the recovery image using the button on the page
   
5. When the download bar pops up at the bottom of your screen, save the file in a location you will be able to find it.
   

Format USB Drive:

• Note: Formatting a recovery drive will erase anything that is already stored on your USB drive. Make sure to transfer any important data from your USB drive to another storage device before using it to create a Surface USB recovery drive.
  

1. Insert your USB drive into the USB port of your PC.
   
2. From the desktop, open File Explorer
   
3. Tap and hold or right-click on the USB drive and choose Format
   
4. Select FAT32 as the file system and enter a Volume label to name the USB drive, such as RECOVERY, and then tap or click Start
   
5. Tap or click OK to erase the contents of the USB drive
   
6. Tap or click OK when the format is complete
   

Create a recovery drive:

1. On your Surface or PC, open recovery image that you downloaded by double-clicking it or right click then select Extract and then Extract all.
   
2. Select the USB drive you formatted earlier for the location and click Extract.
   

Use a USB recovery drive to reset your Surface:

1. Shutdown the Surface
   
2. Insert the USB recovery drive into the USB port
   
3. Press and hold the volume-down (-) rocker
   
4. Press and release the power button
   
5. When the Surface logo appears, release the volume-down (-) rocker
   
6. Surface will start the recovery software on the USB recovery drive
   
7. When prompted, choose your language options and keyboard layout
   
8. Select Troubleshoot
   
9. Select Recover from a Drive. Choose Remove Everything and Fully Clean the Drive. Recovering this PC.
   
10. If prompted, select Repartition the drives
    
11. If prompted for BitLocker Key, tap Skip this Drive
    

Hope this helps.

Kind regards,

Marrion

 

SURFACE PRO 3 RESET TO FACTORY DEFAULTS PROBLEM

The camera caused a system freeze every time it was activated so I thought why not restore.

• I attempted to reset my Surface Pro 3 to Factory defaults.
• The Surface Pro made it to 1% then crashed.
• Now it is in a reboot loop.

I have tried several times and now it gives an "Unable to reset your PC. A required drive partition is missing" error.

Do you have any suggestions on how to make it work again?