How do I restore my Toshiba computer?

Table of Contents

What are the benefits of restoring a Toshiba computer?

Restoring your Toshiba computer to its factory settings can provide several benefits:

It can remove any malware, viruses or other unwanted programs that may have infected your computer.
It can fix software issues, bugs or glitches that are causing problems with performance.

It wipes your hard drive clean and reinstalls the original Toshiba software and drivers.
It eliminates clutter and bloatware that builds up over time.
It resets your operating system to its original configuration.

Restoring your computer to factory settings gives you a fresh start and can often resolve a wide range of issues you may be experiencing. It’s one of the best troubleshooting steps to try if your Toshiba is running slowly, frequently crashing or having other problems.

When should I restore my Toshiba computer?

Here are some common situations when restoring your Toshiba to factory settings may be worthwhile:

You recently purchased the computer and want a clean slate.

There are unknown programs or processes running that may be malicious.
Your computer has been infected with a virus or malware.
There are missing or damaged system files.

You forgot your login password and need to reset it.
You are experiencing random crashes or slow performance.
You want to wipe your hard drive before selling or giving away the computer.

Basically any time your computer is not functioning properly or you want to wipe it clean for a fresh start, restoring Toshiba to factory settings can help. Back up any important data you want to keep first, then reset for a clean slate.

How do I backup files before restoring my Toshiba computer?

Before restoring your Toshiba to factory settings, it’s essential to backup any important files, photos, documents and other data you want to keep. Here are some ways to backup data:

Copy files to an external hard drive, USB flash drive or memory card.

Use cloud storage services like Dropbox, Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive to store files online.
Connect an external hard drive and use Windows Backup and Restore or other backup software to perform a full backup.
Sign into online accounts like email and download data or save files stored in the cloud.

Use disk imaging software like Acronis True Image to make a full system image backup.

Be sure to backup any data stored locally on the computer, including documents, photos, music, browser bookmarks, software installers and other important files. Once you’ve safely backed everything up, you’re ready to restore your Toshiba.

How do I restore a Toshiba laptop to factory settings without disks?

You can restore a Toshiba laptop to its factory default state even if you don’t have the original recovery disks. Here are some ways to restore without disks:

Use the Recovery Media Creator tool in Toshiba’s PC Health Monitor software to make a bootable USB recovery drive if you can still boot into Windows.
Press the 0 key during startup to launch Toshiba’s recovery wizard and choose to restore to factory default.
Boot into the BIOS and look for a “Factory Reset” option to restore default settings.

Order recovery media from Toshiba if your model supports it and restore using the disks.
Perform a clean reinstall of Windows to erase everything and start fresh.

The easiest way is to use Toshiba’s built-in recovery tools if you can still access Windows on your laptop. If not, you may need to obtain recovery media or perform a Windows reinstallation. This will wipe the hard drive and reset everything to factory condition.

What are the Toshiba system recovery options?

Toshiba computers come with a few different system recovery options built into the hardware and software:

Recovery Media Creator – Tool in PC Health Monitor software to create bootable USB drive or DVD recovery disks.
0 Key Recovery Mode – Press 0 key on startup to launch recovery wizard and choose restore option.

Reset this PC – Native Windows feature accessible from Settings to restore to factory condition.
Factory Reset in BIOS – Special option in BIOS settings to reset to factory defaults.
Order Recovery Media – Option to purchase restore media from Toshiba for certain models.

Clean Windows Reinstall – Wipe hard drive and perform fresh Windows installation.

The easiest options are using the dedicated recovery tools like 0 Key Recovery Mode or Recovery Media Creator if available. Reset this PC and clean reinstalls may require extra steps and preparation. Check your model’s manual for all available restore methods.

How do I boot into Recovery Media Creator?

To boot into Toshiba’s Recovery Media Creator tool to make restore disks:

Restart your computer and press F8 as soon as the Toshiba logo appears to access the Advanced Boot Options menu.
Select “Repair Your Computer” from the Advanced Boot Options menu.
The PC Health Monitor tool should launch. Click “Recovery Media Creator” in the menu.

Follow the on-screen instructions to create a bootable recovery USB drive or DVD set.
When finished, exit the tool to continue booting into Windows as normal.

You must press F8 at exactly the right time to access the boot menu. If you miss it, just restart and try again. Recovery Media Creator provides an easy way to make restore disks if you can still boot into Windows.

How do I reset a Toshiba laptop back to factory settings in BIOS?

Here is how to reset a Toshiba laptop to factory settings from within the BIOS:

Restart your computer and press F2 or Delete key during startup to access BIOS.
Navigate to the Exit menu.

Select the option to Load Setup Defaults or Restore Factory Defaults.
Select Yes to confirm and reset BIOS to defaults.
Press F10 to save changes and exit BIOS.

On the next screen, select Yes to begin the restoration process.
The laptop will restart and restore itself to original factory condition.

This will completely erase all data and reset Windows, drivers, Toshiba software and BIOS settings to default. Be sure to backup any important data first. The process will restore your specific Toshiba model to its out-of-box state.

Can I restore my Toshiba laptop if I forgot my password?

If you forgot your Toshiba laptop login password, you can still perform a factory reset to regain access:

Force power off the laptop by holding the power button for 10+ seconds.
Restart and press 0 key multiple times during startup to launch recovery mode.

Select Troubleshoot > Reset Password to reset your admin and Toshiba password.
Alternatively choose “Full Factory Recovery” to reset everything.
Create a new user account and password once logged in.

The 0 key method will work if you have the default Toshiba recovery environment still active. This allows you to reset your login password or fully restore to factory settings to gain access again. Make sure to reset passwords for any Toshiba software like PC Health Monitor as well.

Can I do a factory reset from Windows on a Toshiba laptop?

Yes, you can restore a Toshiba laptop to factory settings directly from within Windows using these methods:

Use the Reset this PC option in the Windows Settings menu.

Run the Recovery Media Creator tool in Toshiba’s PC Health Monitor software.
Use the native Windows 10 Fresh Start feature to reinstall Windows.
Download and install a fresh copy of your laptop’s original Windows version.

Reset this PC will restore Windows to default settings while retaining the current version. Fresh Start and clean installs perform a complete reinstallation of Windows.

Be sure to backup your data first before resetting. The Reset this PC or Recovery Media Creator options are easiest if available. A Windows reinstall takes more steps but gives you a completely new copy of the OS.

Should I backup drivers before restoring Toshiba laptop?

It’s a good idea to backup your Toshiba laptop’s drivers before performing a factory restore, for a couple reasons:

It preserves any customized or updated drivers you may have installed.
Windows Update may not have the exact drivers your system needs.
Restoring drivers manually after can be time consuming.

Here are some tips for backing up Toshiba drivers:

Use a tool like DriverPack Solution to save copies of installed drivers.
Manually download drivers from Toshiba’s support website.

Search Windows Device Manager and extract each driver.

Once restored, you can reinstall the needed Toshiba drivers to get hardware like touchpads, Wi-Fi, graphics and others working again after the reset. This saves you from having to hunt down the correct drivers afterwards.

What data is lost when restoring Toshiba laptop to factory settings?

When you restore your Toshiba laptop to its factory default settings, the following data is typically lost in the process:

All user accounts and related data (documents, photos, music, etc)
Any installed applications and programs
System settings changes and personalizations

Any software updates or patches
Drivers updated after purchase
Browser data including bookmarks, history, passwords

Email client data such as emails, contacts, calendar

Essentially any changes made since purchasing your laptop will be erased and reset to the original factory configuration. Be absolutely certain to backup any important documents, files, or other data you need to keep before starting the restoration process.

How long does a factory restore take on a Toshiba laptop?

The time it takes to complete a factory restore on a Toshiba laptop can vary, but in general you can expect it to take:

1-2 hours for Reset this PC or recovery media restore.
2-4 hours for clean install reimaging.
15-30 minutes for BIOS reset or 0 key recovery mode.

Factors that affect restore time:

Reset method used
Amount of data to backup up

Hard drive capacity
CPU and RAM specs
Connection speed if restoring from external media

It can take a couple hours or more to fully restore your operating system, reformat drives, reinstall software, setup accounts again, and configure settings. Be patient and let the process complete.

Does restoring delete everything on my Toshiba laptop?

Most methods of restoring your Toshiba laptop to factory default settings will delete everything from the device, including:

All personal files (documents, photos, music, videos, etc)

Installed software, updates and patches
Accounts and credentials
System settings and preferences

Browser data

However, some things may persist, like:

Recovery partitions

Some preinstalled Toshiba software
Original drivers and firmware

So while restoring wipes most data, some original Toshiba configuration remains. Be absolutely sure to backup anything important before restoring for a fresh slate.

Should I update drivers after restoring Toshiba laptop?

Yes, it’s a good idea to update your Toshiba laptop’s drivers after performing a factory restore. Here’s why:

The existing drivers are likely outdated if restoring from older media.
Newer drivers offer better compatibility, performance, features.

Original drivers may not work properly on new OS versions.
Updated WiFi, graphics and other drivers fix bugs and issues.
Toshiba may have released enhanced drivers since your laptop shipped.

Go to Toshiba’s support site, enter your laptop model and OS version, and look for available driver updates. Top priorities are graphics, wireless, touchpad, BIOS and chipset drivers. Keeping drivers updated after restoring ensures optimal compatibility and performance.

What steps should I follow to restore a Toshiba laptop?

Follow these best practice steps when restoring your Toshiba laptop to factory default settings:

Backup all important data to external drive or cloud storage.

Download copies of current drivers for reinstallation later.
Choose restore method – recovery media, 0 key, Reset this PC, etc.
Access the recovery tool and initiate the restore process.

Wait for restore completion and initial setup steps.
Reinstall drivers downloaded earlier if necessary.
Update Windows, Toshiba software and all applications.

Restore your data from backup once complete.

Carefully backup everything needed before starting. Follow any on-screen prompts once initiated and allow time for system files to restore. Reinstalling drivers and software gets your system properly configured after the reset completes.

Conclusion

Restoring your Toshiba laptop to factory default settings can provide a fresh start if you’re experiencing serious issues or want to thoroughly clean your device before transferring ownership. Just be absolutely sure to backup all important files, data and custom drivers so this information is not permanently erased. Carefully follow Toshiba’s built-in restore procedures for your specific model and be patient during the process. Once completed, your laptop will be back to its original out-of-box state.