Resetting PC without factory reset option.

[#1]

I've came back to Windows for work compatibility reasons after being a linux user for the last 15 years, what a learning curve that's been and dual booting might be an option 😂

However, in the meantime, I've decided to blow the dust off an old Asus T100HA Tablet/laptop combi which I've had since circa 2016 to see how that went, with only 2gig ram and pretty low specs it's not W11 compatible and a bit of searching shows running any linux distro on it isn't really an option especially none of the touchscreen stuff which I mainly use it as a tablet.

That leaves re-setting to factory which I have done numerous times previously and keeping W10. To be fair I had a mess about with it last night and if I switch the majority of bells and whistles off it's acceptable as an os.

Problem I have is when I try and reset it I get "Could not find the recovery environment" and going in through bios the option also isn't there for restoring back to factory. Makes me wonder if maybe I deleted the recovery partition somewhere along the lines.

Just wondering if there's anything else I could try or if I could maybe download W10 again from MS and make up a usb startup although I guess I would probably need to have a key for that?

[#2]

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@AWB70 wrote:

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Just wondering if there's anything else I could try or if I could maybe download W10 again from MS and make up a usb startup although I guess I would probably need to have a key for that?

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If you're referring to the Windows product key - if the device shipped with Windows 10 then the OEM product key should be stored in the device firmware:

# strings /sys/firmware/acpi/tables/MSDM | tail -1
96NRK-X7FWF-RTHRC-W2JH3-JTYK4

Reinstall Windows 10 and I guess it should read it the product key from firmware.

[#3]

@AWB70 

From memory, if your existing Win installation is activated then if you simply download and reinstall Win it should automatically pick up the license as soon as you go on line.

Run a program such as Belarc advisor before you start and this should give you keys to all the progs on the PC. Another is Magical Jelly Bean Finder.

[#4]

Thanks for the input, I ran "wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey" in cmd and that indeed came up with a product key.

@Baldrick1 thanks for that, wasn't sure if that was an option with it being preinstalled.

Here's where you'll have to bare with me, it's been a while 😂 So the issue I had with this device was that it only shipped with 32gig SSD with a micro card slot to expand the memory. What annoyed the pants off me was w10 had only recently came out and they were dropping some huge updates, so huge that I didn't have the space to install them, there was some messing about using a usb stick to get this done.

So firstly, I guess I need to assess if the image for reinstalling that shipped with it is still here on the HD otherwise that's going to be taking up some very valuable real estate! It might be a case if I was to install again I might need to format the ssd again before trying?

Also, from memory, the usb slot for this is on the keyboard not the detachable tablet so when rebooting etc I don't think the usb slot works I'm guessing until the drivers kick in. There is however a micro usb connector on the tablet and I do have a micro connectable usb stick, I'm pretty sure that's how I got round the huge update issue in the first place, using the micro stick as an extended hard drive to install the updates.

What yous think? 

[#5]

@AWB70 

I assume that you’ve read the manual? https://www.asus.com/uk/supportonly/t100ha/helpdesk_manual/ re resetting it?

To be honest I wouldn’t touch a device like this so I’m reluctant to comment further as I would be stabbing around in the dark.

[#6]

Yes, I've read the manual mate. The two ways of going about resetting it don't seem to work anymore. i have previously used these methods so thought it was going to be a walk in the park but as all things tech I seem to try nothing is ever straight forward 😂

The reset options in both ways don't appear to exist, some similar posts say, " .Press the Shift Key and click Restart
Your PC will boot into the Windows Recovery Environment
Go to Troubleshoot - Advanced Options

Does 'Reset this PC' appear in the resulting screen?

If not the Recovery partition is either missing or corrupt on that system, your best option would be to backup the data and clean install Windows 10, which will also repair the Recovery Partition . . ."

Could be worth a try. just not sure If I have enough remaining disk space to carry out a new install and if not I could end up with a bricked system if it fails mid installation 😨

[#7]

@AWB70 

As a major part of your quandary appears to be a tiny (by todays standards) SSD, why not get a larger one and clone the contents of the original to it?  At least that way your efforts won't be held back by available space.

Oops, not possible according to the following posts.  

[#8]

@RobPN Aren't these eMC machines non-expandable? Might be wrong, but I seem to remember they are a bit like chromebooks.

[#9]

@jab1 they are I think mate, I think it just has a ssd chip. Also came across some other things that might have a bearing.

Perhaps I'm now stuck with what I've got with no way of turning back if there's issues. Don't know if one of the updates destroyed the recovery partition.

[#10]

Another reason I stopped at W7 and moved to Linux - 4GB for the whole thing, if you don't go for the education/enterprise versions, and even then I don't think they get anywhere near 10GB.

[#11]

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@jab1 wrote:

@RobPN Aren't these eMC machines non-expandable? Might be wrong, but I seem to remember they are a bit like chromebooks.

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I've no idea @jab1 , and you're probably right, but if so I can see why @Baldrick1 inferred (in not so many words) he wouldn't touch one with a barge pole (and I'd agree with that view)!

Edit:  added quote

[#12]

Just to add, the main reason I was trying to reset was I'm down to my last 7gig of space, which is adequate to be fair as I also have a 64gig card inserted for data as drive D. 

2Gigs of the C drive though appeared to be tied up in windows updates, I've tried many times to delete to no avail so I'm wondering if this space is maybe reserved for future updates now negating my previous comments on having to install updates from a usb stick through lack of space.

Just thought resetting to original would perhaps get me back down to the 16gig used space I had when I first bought it.

[#13]

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@RobPN wrote:

I've no idea @jab1 , and you're probably right, but if so I can see why @Baldrick1 inferred (in not so many words) he wouldn't touch one with a barge pole (and I'd agree with that view)!

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Seemed like a good idea at the time 😂 It was just mainly a tablet for lying in bed or the sofa with which I could shove a keyboard on for longer typing when need.

But that was some time ago!

[#14]

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@jab1 wrote:

Another reason I stopped at W7 and moved to Linux - 4GB for the whole thing, if you don't go for the education/enterprise versions, and even then I don't think they get anywhere near 10GB.

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If I thought linux would play nice on it I would have a go but I'm guessing none of the touchscreen features would be working.

[#15]

@AWB70 You are probably correct, I think Linux expects a 'normal' machine. You could ask on the Linux forum, though.