ThinkPad E550 - Windows 8.1 Recovery Overview; Refreshing Your Computer; Resetting to Factory Defaults

Note:Therestoftherecoveryprocessisfullyautomatedandnoactionfromyouisrequired.The
computerwillrestartintotheMicrosoftWindowsdesktopseveraltimesandyoumightexperience
periodswhennoactivityisapparentonthescreenforseveralminutesatatime.Thisisnormal.
9.Whentherecoveryprocesscompletes,theWelcometoMicrosoftWindowsscreenisdisplayed.Follow
theinstructionsonthescreentocompletetheWindowssetup.
10.AfteryouhavecompletedtheWindowssetup,youmightwanttorestoretheoriginalstartupsequence.
StarttheThinkPadSetupprogramandthenpressF9torestorethedefaultsettings.PressF10tosave
changesandexittheThinkPadSetupprogram.
Note:Afterrestoringadrivetothefactorydefaultsettings,youmightneedtoreinstallsomedevicedrivers.
RecoveryoverviewfortheWindows8.1operatingsystem
ThissectionprovidesinformationabouttherecoverysolutionsfortheWindows8.1operatingsystem.
AWindowsrecoveryimageispreinstalledintherecoverypartitiononyourcomputer.TheWindowsrecovery
imageenablesyoutorefreshyourcomputer,orresetyourcomputertothefactorydefaultsettings.
YoucancreaterecoverymediaasbackupsorreplacementfortheWindowsrecoveryimage.Withthe
recoverymedia,youcantroubleshootandfixtheproblemsonyourcomputerevenifyoucannotstartthe
Windows8.1operatingsystem.Itisrecommendedthatyoucreaterecoverymediaasearlyaspossible.For
moreinformation,see“Creatingandusingrecoverymedia”onpage39
.
Refreshingyourcomputer
Ifyourcomputerdoesnotperformwellandtheproblemmightbecausedbyarecentlyinstalledprogram,
youcanrefreshyourcomputerwithoutlosingyourpersonalfilesorchangingyoursettings.
Attention:Ifyourefreshyourcomputer,theprogramsthatcamewithyourcomputerandtheprogramsthat
youinstalledfromWindowsStorewillbereinstalled,butallotherprogramswillberemoved.
Torefreshyourcomputer,dothefollowing:
1.Moveyourpointertothetop-rightorbottom-rightcornerofthescreentodisplaythecharms.Click
Settings➙ChangePCsettings➙Updateandrecovery➙Recovery.
2.IntheRefreshyourPCwithoutaffectingyourfilessection,clickGetstarted.
3.Followtheinstructionsonthescreentorefreshyourcomputer.
Resettingyourcomputertothefactorydefaultsettings
Ifyouwanttorecycleyourcomputerorjuststartover,youcanresetyourcomputertothefactorydefault
settings.Resettingthecomputerwillreinstalltheoperatingsystem,reinstallalltheprogramsthatcamewith
yourcomputer,andresetallthesettingstothefactorydefaultsettings.
Attention:Ifyouresetthecomputertothefactorydefaultsettings,allyourpersonalfilesandsettingswillbe
deleted.Toavoiddataloss,makeabackupcopyofallthedatathatyouwanttokeep.
Toresetyourcomputertothefactorydefaultsettings,dothefollowing:
1.Moveyourpointertothetop-rightorbottom-rightcornerofthescreentodisplaythecharms.Click
Settings➙ChangePCsettings➙General.
2.IntheRemoveeverythingandreinstallWindowssection,clickGetstarted.ThenclickNextto
confirmtheoperation.
3.Dependingonyourneeds,dooneofthefollowing:
38HardwareMaintenanceManual