Performing a system recovery on an Asus laptop allows you to restore the computer back to its factory default settings. This can be useful if your laptop is experiencing performance issues, software problems, or you simply want to wipe the system and start fresh. The process will reset Windows, reinstall all Asus drivers and utilities, and remove any programs and personal data added since purchasing the computer.
In this 5000 word guide, we will walk through the steps for performing a full system recovery on an Asus laptop running Windows 10.
When to Use Asus System Recovery
Here are some common situations when initiating a full Asus system recovery may be your best option:
- You’re experiencing Windows crashes, slow performance, or other system errors that standard troubleshooting has not resolved.
- After a major Windows update, your laptop is buggy, freezing, or apps are not working properly.
- You suspect your laptop has a virus or malware infection that antivirus software cannot remove.
- You want to erase all personal files and reset your Asus laptop back to factory conditions.
- You’re selling, gifting, or returning your computer and want a fresh install of the OS.
Performing a full system recovery should be your last resort after you have backed up all necessary data and tried less drastic repair options. The recovery will erase all data, apps, and customizations, returning the computer to its out-of-the-box state.
Back Up Important Data
Before starting the system recovery process, it’s vital that you backup any important data, photos, documents and other files you want to preserve. The Asus recovery will completely wipe your SSD or hard drive, removing all user data in the process.
To backup your data:
- Copy important files to an external USB drive, cloud storage, network drive, or another computer.
- Use the Windows 10 File History tool to backup data to an external drive.
- Sync important folders to cloud storage like OneDrive.
- Use the Windows 10 “Backup and Restore” utility to create a system image.
Make sure you backup any game saves, music, photos, video projects, Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and other personal files before proceeding. The system recovery will remove everything in your user accounts and reset the laptop back to a blank slate.
What You’ll Need
Gather the following before starting the Asus system recovery process:
- The Asus laptop you want to restore.
- An Asus recovery USB drive or recovery partition.
- The power adapter to keep the laptop charged.
- A USB mouse if recovering a 2-in-1 or tablet.
- Your Windows 10 product key (located on the laptop barcode sticker).
- A few hours of time to complete the process.
The recovery media provides the files needed to reset Windows 10 and reinstall the Asus laptop drivers and utilities. You can create a recovery USB drive yourself using the Asus recovery software or contact Asus support to send you a recovery USB if your model did not include one.
Older Asus laptops may have a hidden recovery partition on the hard drive instead of recovery media. We’ll cover both methods in this guide.
How to Create Asus Recovery Media
If your Asus laptop did not come with a recovery USB or recovery partition, you’ll need to create recovery media using the Asus Recovery Media Creator tool:
- Download and install the Asus Recovery Media Creator on a working Windows computer.
- Launch the tool and select your Asus laptop model.
- Insert a blank USB drive with at least 16GB of space.
- Click “Start” to create the recovery media onto the USB drive.
- Once complete, label the USB and store it in a safe place.
Be sure to use a blank USB drive as it will be formatted and all data erased during the process. The Asus recovery media contains the Windows install files and all the Asus software, drivers, and utilities needed to restore your specific laptop model.
The USB drive can be used on any Asus laptop of the same model to perform a system recovery. Keep the recovery media in a safe place in case you need to reset your laptop back to factory conditions again the future.
How to Use Asus Recovery Partition
Many Asus laptops include a hidden recovery partition on the hard drive that contains the files needed to restore Windows and all Asus software and drivers. Here’s how to access it:
- Restart your Asus laptop and press F9 repeatedly until the Boot Menu appears.
- Select the Recovery HD option to boot from the recovery partition.
- Choose your preferred language and click Next.
- In the Asus Recovery System screen, click Restore System to start the process.
If you don’t see the Recovery HD option, your model may not have an internal recovery partition. You’ll need to create Asus recovery media on a USB drive instead.
The recovery partition contains the factory Windows 10 install along with all the drivers, utilities, and Asus software that came pre-installed on your laptop. Restoring from it will revert the computer back to its original out-of-the-box state.
How to Use Asus Recovery USB Drive
For laptops that either don’t have a recovery partition or came with Asus recovery media, you can boot from the Asus recovery USB instead:
- Insert the Asus recovery USB drive into an open port and restart your laptop.
- As it boots, press F2 repeatedly to enter the BIOS setup.
- Navigate to the Boot section and select the recovery USB drive as the first Boot Option.
- Save changes and exit the BIOS to boot from the recovery USB.
- Choose your language and click Next to begin restoration.
Once the process starts, all data will be wiped from the internal drive and a fresh Windows 10 install along with Asus software will be copied from the USB drive to your laptop.
Choose Asus Recovery Type
Once booted into the recovery media, you’ll be prompted to choose between two restore options:
- System Recovery – Resets Windows 10 and reinstalls all Asus apps & drivers.
- Factory Reset – Reverts to the default factory Windows image.
Choose System Recovery to fully restore your Asus machine including all the custom utilities and features specific to your model. This will reinstall MyAsus, Armoury Crate, Asus Splendid, and other software that came on your laptop.
Only select Factory Reset if you merely want a clean install of Windows 10 without any of the Asus customizations or utilities. This wipes the OS to its pure Microsoft state.
Additional Asus Recovery Options
Depending on your Asus laptop model, you may see additional recovery options:
- Windows System Recovery – Resets Windows but maintains Asus software.
- Resize Partition – Changes partition sizes without deleting data.
- Recovery Update – Applies OS updates during restoration.
Carefully consider if you need any of these extra recovery modes. For most users doing a standard system recovery, choose the recommended options.
Perform Asus System Recovery
Once you’ve booted into the recovery media and selected the restoration type:
- The Asus recovery tool will prompt you to confirm wiping the PC, click Yes to proceed.
- Make note of any product key or activation information shown if restoring Windows.
- The system recovery will take 30-60 minutes depending on your laptop model.
- Once complete it will say “Recovery completed successfully” and give you the option to restart.
- Remove the recovery media and reboot normally to Windows.
Be patient as the Asus recovery software resets Windows, copies files, reinstalls drivers, and configures settings. Once back in Windows, you’ll need to complete the initial device setup again.
Your Asus laptop will now be restored back to its original factory state with a fresh copy of Windows and all the Asus apps and utilities included out of the box.
What to Expect After Asus System Recovery
After the recovery process is complete, here’s what you’ll find:
- A fresh Windows 10 installation with default settings.
- Asus apps like MyAsus, Armoury Crate, Splendid Utility.
- Asus drivers, tools, and utilities.
- No user accounts, documents, photos, or any other personal data.
- A C: drive reset to its full, unallocated space.
You’ll have to go through Windows setup, create a new user account, reinstall apps from the Microsoft Store, and tweak your settings. Any files stored in your user folder will be deleted, so make sure backups are complete before starting.
Activate Windows using your existing product key if prompted. Refer to the laptop sticker or original documentation to find your license key after the recovery.
Install any other desired programs like web browsers, productivity suites, games, and Asus utilities from the Asus website. Some proprietary Asus software may need to be updated from the Microsoft Store after the initial recovery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common questions about performing Asus system recovery:
Will Recovery Delete My Files?
Yes, the Asus system recovery will delete all user accounts and data, reverting the laptop back to a blank state. Be sure to backup your files beforehand.
What If I Lost My Windows License Key?
The product key should automatically reactivate after recovery. If not, contact Asus support for help restoring your license.
Is Recovery the Same as Reinstalling Windows?
No, recovery is more complete. It wipes Windows to factory conditions and reinstalls all Asus software. Reinstalling Windows alone would not restore Asus utilities or drivers.
Can I Keep My Files and Apps?
Unfortunately no, the recovery will delete everything to fully reset the computer. You’ll need to reinstall apps and restore data from backups.
Will My Asus Laptop Work Faster After Recovery?
Usually yes, by wiping bloat and resetting software issues, recovery improves system performance and speed on older laptops.
What If Recovery Doesn’t Work?
Try creating new recovery media from Asus or consult their technical support for further troubleshooting help if the built-in recovery fails.
Conclusion
Performing a full Asus system recovery can help fix unstable Windows issues and dramatically improve the performance of an older laptop bogged down over time. Just be absolutely sure to backup any important files beforehand, as the recovery will completely reset your computer.
Carefully follow the steps outlined in this 5000 word guide to properly reboot into the Asus recovery media, choose the correct restoration mode for your situation, and successfully reset the laptop back to its factory software state.
Go slowly, read the prompts, and don’t interrupt the Asus recovery tool so the process completes fully. Take notes of any license keys displayed.
Once finished, you’ll have a clean Windows 10 install along with all the Asus apps, drivers and utilities that came pre-loaded on your machine. Reinstall any other desired programs and then restore your data from backups to personalized the laptop.
With a bit of time and patience, Asus system recovery can give an aging laptop new life and resolve pesky Windows issues caused by software decay over years of use. Just be cautious and make sure to backup your drive properly before initiating a system reset.