Summary: A computer stuck at the factory reset screen indicates a bad Windows OS image or Windows system files. A frozen screen will prevent you from accessing your data or files. In this guide, learn various methods to fix this issue and get your PC running. However, if you want to retrieve your data immediately from the PC in such a scenario, try using a professional data recovery software.
Resetting a computer is a big step that users typically avoid. But, you need to reset a PC before discarding it or trying to resolve a serious error. Factory resetting a computer helps with this purpose by removing all data and applications from it. It also helps securely wipe data from native storage drives and lets you clean install Windows. You also have the option to keep your files intact before going through a complete factory reset of your PC.
However, the ‘reset this PC’ process gets stuck due to various underlying issues. A PC freezing during a reset process could be problematic as it can make your critical files unavailable.
What Causes Factory Reset to Get Stuck?
The PC Factory Reset process can get stuck due to different reasons, such as –
- Windows OS image corruption
- Windows file corruption
- Hardware failure (disk issues)
When you install Windows on a PC, a healthy OS image is also stored on the disk. This allows the system to return to the old version in case of an error. If you had selected the local installation option while resetting the PC, and encountered an issue with the Windows image, the system will get stuck on this error.
Corrupted system files can cause serious problems like these with the computer. Such problems include crashes, BSoDs, error messages, and more.
Finally, if there is a problem with the disk drive, like bad sectors, etc., the factory reset process might fail.
Workarounds to Fix a PC Stuck at Reset Screen
Let’s see how to restore a PC stuck on the factory reset screen.
Method 1: Wait for Some Time
This is the best method to fix a computer stuck on the factory reset screen. A factory reset sometimes, takes a lot of time to finish depending upon the drive size and read/write speed. The process lasts from a couple of hours to even days depending on the above factors.
Caution – If you see that your PC is stuck on the factory reset screen, DO NOT FORCE REBOOT IT. Doing so can mess up the system files and cause severe damage to the system. It can even affect the storage drive, causing critical data loss.
If your system is stuck on the factory reset screen for too long and there is no sign of the process ending, you won’t be able to access your data. In that case, use Stellar Data Recovery Professional – a professional Windows file recovery software to recover your files from the inaccessible computer.
Follow the steps shown in the GIF below to safely retrieve data from your PC.
Method 2: Clean Install Windows
Using another working PC, you can create a fresh Windows installation media to fix the system stuck at the factory reset screen issue. Once you have created the Windows installation media, force reboot your PC and use this bootable drive reinstall Windows 10 / Windows 11 on your PC.
As performing a clean boot can lead to data loss, it is advised to backup your data or recover it from an unbootable system using the recovery software.
Conclusion
Resetting a computer is a critical process that should not be interrupted. However, there are times when the PC screen gets stuck at factory reset for various reasons. This situation can put your data at risk and make the system unbootable. Hence, always maintain a regular backup of your important files. Doing so will help you clean install Windows while your data is securely backed up.
