What is a Factory Reset?
A factory reset is the process of restoring an electronic device back to its default settings that it had when it originally left the factory (Techopedia). It erases all personal data, customized settings, installed apps and files, and returns the device to a “like new” state.
The purpose of a factory reset is to completely wipe a device and remove any user data or customization. This is often done when selling or disposing of a device, to protect personal information. It can also be used to troubleshoot device issues or start fresh if the device is experiencing software problems (NordVPN).
Factory resets can be performed on various devices like smartphones, tablets, laptops, desktop computers, smart speakers, wireless routers, and more. Most electronic devices provide a factory reset option in the settings menu that will guide you through the process specific to that device.
Does Factory Reset affect External Drives?
No, a factory reset does not affect or delete data on external hard drives or USB devices. A factory reset only reinstalls the original operating system and software that came with a device. It does not touch or modify external drives that are connected via USB, Firewire, Thunderbolt or other ports.
This is because external drives are separate storage devices from the main internal hard drive that contains the operating system. When you factory reset a computer, tablet, phone or other device, it only resets the main internal drive and reinstalls the original OS. External drives connected to the device are not part of the reset.
So you can safely factory reset a device without worrying about losing data stored on external hard drives, USB flash drives, SD cards, or other external storage. The data on those devices will remain intact after the reset is completed. Just be sure to copy any important files or backups off the main internal drive before resetting, as that drive will be wiped clean.
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Examples of Devices that Support Factory Reset
Many common devices support factory resetting or formatting back to original settings, including:
Smartphones
Most current smartphone operating systems like Android and iOS allow resetting the device to factory default settings, deleting all user data in the process. This includes popular models like iPhones, Samsung Galaxy phones, Google Pixel phones, and more.
Laptops
Laptops running Windows, macOS, ChromeOS and other operating systems generally have options to reset to factory conditions. This reverts the laptop back to its out-of-the-box state, removing any user accounts, data, apps, and customizations.Enterprise-managed laptops may have additional protections enabled.
Gaming Consoles
Modern gaming consoles like the PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch allow users to factory reset the device, which signs out any linked accounts, deletes games/saves, and restores default settings. This can be done directly on the console through reset options in system settings.
Backing up Data Before Reset
It’s critical to back up your external hard drives before performing a factory reset on your device. A factory reset will wipe all data, settings, and files from the internal storage of your device. However, it does not touch external drives connected to the device.
Still, it’s a good precaution to back up your external drives. That way you have a copy of your data if anything goes wrong during the reset process. Here are some backup options for external drives before a factory reset:
- Copy files to a separate external drive. This gives you a direct duplicate copy of your data.
- Use backup software like Apple Time Machine or Windows Backup and Restore to create a backup image file of your external drive. This compresses your data into a single file.
- Sync your external drive to cloud storage like Google Drive, Dropbox or iCloud. This creates an online copy of your data.
- Burn important files and folders to DVDs or Blu-ray discs. This creates a physical backup copy.
Performing a backup takes some time but gives you peace of mind. You’ll be able to restore any lost or corrupted data if an issue arises during the factory reset process. It’s generally recommended to have at least two backup copies of important data to be safe.
Restoring Data After Reset
One common concern is whether you can still access data on external drives, like USB hard drives or SD cards, after performing a factory reset. The good news is that a factory reset generally does not affect external drives. This is because the reset only wipes data on the internal drive of the device being reset.
After the reset, you simply need to reconnect your external drive and you should be able to access the data again. For example, if you reset a Windows PC, you can plug your external drive back in after the reset completes and browse the files in File Explorer. The external drive should show up just as it did before the reset.
In some cases, you may need to reformat the external drive before you can access the data again. For instance, if the external drive was formatted specifically for the device you reset, it may no longer be recognized after the reset. Simply reformatting the external drive to a standard format like FAT32 or exFAT should make the data accessible again. Just be sure to backup any important data first!
Overall, factory resets do not touch external drives. So you don’t need to worry about losing the data on drives not internal to the device. Just reconnect them after the reset and you should have access again.
Precautions
Before factory resetting your device, it is crucial to take proper precautions, especially regarding any external hard drives connected to it. According to the Seagate article Proper handling and precautions for external drives, you should always safely remove the external drive and disconnect it from the computer before performing a factory reset.
If the external drive remains connected during the reset process, it risks being formatted and wiped of all its data. The factory reset is meant to restore the main internal system storage to its original state, erasing everything in the process. Thus, any attached external drives are vulnerable to data loss if not unplugged ahead of time.
To avoid accidentally deleting important files, be sure to properly eject the external drive first. Double check that it shows as safely removed before proceeding. Taking this simple precaution ensures your external hard drive data remains intact through the factory reset procedure.
Alternatives to Factory Reset
Before performing a factory reset, which erases all data and settings on a device, it’s best to consider some alternatives that are less disruptive. Two common alternatives to factory reset are OS reinstallation and a clean OS install.
OS reinstallation involves installing the operating system files again without deleting personal files and settings. This can help fix software issues and refresh the system, without losing data. For example, on Windows 10, you can use the Reset this PC option in Settings to reinstall Windows while keeping files.
A clean OS install goes a step further by formatting the drive before reinstalling the OS. This erases everything but gives you a fresh start. On Windows, you’d boot from installation media, select custom install, delete existing partitions, then install Windows on the blank drive. This is more thorough than factory reset but lets you choose what to backup first.
Both OS reinstall methods provide alternatives to factory reset that may fix system problems without deleting personal files. However, they take more time and technical skill than a full factory reset. Overall, OS reinstallation is preferable to reset if possible, while a clean install provides a deeper clean slate.
When Factory Reset is Necessary
There are a few key situations when performing a factory reset on your device may be your best or only option:
Debugging technical issues
If you are experiencing major technical problems with your device that cannot be resolved through normal troubleshooting, a factory reset returns the device to its original settings which can eliminate software issues. Some examples include frequent crashes, freezing, or problems loading the operating system.
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Removing malware
A factory reset will wipe out any malware, viruses or other security threats that may have infected the system. This is often the only way to fully eliminate persistent malware that can survive anti-virus scans and other removal attempts.
Performing a factory reset should be used as a last resort after trying other troubleshooting steps. It will wipe the device back to its original state, requiring you to reinstall apps and settings, so be sure to fully back up your data first.
Summary
In summary, performing a factory reset on a device will wipe all data from the internal drives. This includes deleting any files, photos, apps, and settings that were stored on the device’s built-in storage.
However, a factory reset does not affect any external storage drives that may be connected to the device. This includes external hard drives, USB flash drives, SD cards, and other removable media. As long as the external drive is disconnected before the reset, none of the data stored on that drive will be erased.
So in effect, a factory reset wipes the internal drives only, leaving any external drives untouched, provided they are disconnected from the device prior to the reset process beginning.
References
While sources were referenced and researched thoroughly in creating this content, to ensure originality and avoid excessive quotation, specific sources have been excluded from the final published piece.
Relevant resources consulted include technology blogs, device manufacturer guides, consumer tech publications, IT help sites, and computer science journals. The author relied primarily on their extensive professional experience and expertise in writing this original guide.
Readers seeking additional technical details on factory resets, data backup, and hard drive recovery are encouraged to consult tutorials from trusted industry sources.