How to Restore a Toshiba Satellite to the Factory Settings
By Kate Moody
Updated September 28, 2017
Toshiba Satellite laptops can be restored to factory conditions in a couple of ways. The easiest is to purchase recovery discs from Toshiba, if they did not come with your computer. From about mid-2007 and on, Toshiba stopped including a recovery disc with new laptops. A hidden partition on the hard drive containing the same files that can be found on a recovery disc serves the same purpose.
Using the Recovery Partition
Ensure the power adapter is plugged in. Do not switch off or restart your computer during the restore process.
Hold down the power button for 10 seconds to switch off your Toshiba Satellite laptop.
Press and hold the "0" (zero) key on your keyboard at the same time you click on the power button to boot up. When the laptop starts beeping; release the "0" key.
Select "Yes" to continue the system recovery when prompted by the warning screen. Select "Recovery of Factory Default Software;" and click "Next."
Select "Recover to Out-of-Box State" and click "Next." Click "Next" again to start recovery.
Using Recovery Discs
Change the boot sequence of your peripheral hardware -- floppy drive, CD, hard drive, network, USB -- from your BIOS start-up screen. To boot up your laptop from recovery discs, you have to change the boot sequence, which normally powers up the hard drive first.
Boot up your machine. Depending on the model of your Satellite laptop, access your BIOS screen by immediately and repeatedly tapping the "F8," "F5" or "Delete" key on your keyboard.
Use the arrow keys or the "+" and "-" keys on your keyboard to navigate the screen until you highlight the right setting, such as "Boot Devices." Change the order of the devices, putting the CD drive first if you want to boot from CD recovery discs.
Turn off your laptop once your have set the boot process to start with the CD drive.
Boot your computer and follow the prompts from the CD restore discs to return your Satellite laptop to factory conditions.
Tips
You can create a recovery disk to re-install your data by using the process outlined in the Control Panel's "Back up and Recovery" section.
Warnings
All data will be erased from your hard drive if you restore your computer to factory conditions, and all added software will have to be re-installed.
References
Writer Bio
Kate Moody began writing in 2002. She has written for the "Oregonian" and the "Statesman Journal" among other publications. Moody's feature story on hospice care won a 2009 award from the Society of Professional Journalists. She holds an Associate of Applied Science degree in chemistry from Ferris State University and has worked in research and development for a pharmaceutical company.