What To Do When Your Acer Laptop Gets Stuck During A Factory Reset

Performing a factory reset can be a great way to wipe your Acer laptop and restore it to its original settings when you are experiencing problems or getting ready to sell or give away the device. However, sometimes the reset process can get stuck or freeze up before it completes fully. This can be frustrating if you were counting on being able to completely reset the laptop. Here are some tips on what to do if your Acer laptop gets stuck while trying to factory reset in Windows 11, Windows 10, or other operating systems.

Common Causes of an Acer Laptop Getting Stuck During Factory Reset

There are a few common reasons why an Acer laptop might get stuck or freeze during a factory reset attempt:

Corrupted Windows System Files

If critical Windows system files have become corrupted, this can interfere with the reset process. A partial reset may occur, but then it hangs before fully completing.

Hardware Issues

Faulty or failing hardware components like a hard drive issue can also cause the reset to freeze or get stuck. For example, if the hard drive is failing, it may have issues wiping and reimaging itself properly.

Power Issues During Reset

Some Acer laptop factory reset processes require the machine to reboot several times. If the power is disrupted during one of these reboots, such as the battery dying or the laptop being accidentally unplugged, it can cause the reset to stall out before finishing.

Presence of Malware or Viruses

Viruses and other malware that have infected the operating system can sometimes interfere with a full factory reset. They inject themselves at a deep system level that prevents the reset from fully cleansing the laptop back to factory condition.

Incomplete Driver Updates

Recent incomplete device driver updates that did not fully finish installing could also be a factor in the laptop getting stuck mid-reset. Incompatible or corrupt drivers can cause conflicts.

Tips to Fix an Acer Laptop Stuck Resetting in Windows 11

If your Acer laptop is stuck trying to reset itself from within Windows 11, here are some troubleshooting tips to get it unstuck:

Restart From the Beginning

If the reset stalls at a certain percentage point, like 22% or 64%, try rebooting the laptop and starting the factory reset over from the beginning. Sometimes this will realign things to allow it to fully complete on a second pass.

Boot Into Safe Mode

Boot into Windows 11 Safe Mode, then attempt the factory reset again from there. Safe Mode loads a minimal version of Windows with only essential drivers, so this can bypass conflicts that are stalling the reset.

Remove External Hardware

Unplug all external devices like USB drives, printers, and remove SD cards. Try the reset again with the laptop hardware only to rule out a peripheral causing a conflict.

Check Hard Drive Health

Access the hard drive SMART data using a tool like CrystalDiskInfo to see if the disk is damaged or failing. This could prevent a full wipe and re-image during reset. Replace the drive if it is indeed failing.

Update or Re-install Drivers

Try updating all device drivers to the latest available versions from Acer or the component makers. Or, re-install drivers that may be corrupted. Updated, clean drivers may help the system reset itself properly.

Factory Reset from Windows Recovery

Boot into the Windows Recovery Environment by holding Shift while selecting Restart. Then navigate to Troubleshoot > Reset this PC and select the full factory reset option. This runs the recovery system outside Windows.

Use System File Checker

Run the System File Checker tool to scan Windows system files for corruption and replace any damaged files it finds. This can repair the OS enough to finish the reset successfully.

Perform CMOS Reset

Resetting the CMOS on the motherboard will reset BIOS settings that could be causing conflicts. Check your laptop manual for the proper motherboard jumpers or procedures to reset CMOS.

If none of these steps succeed in getting a Windows 11 Acer laptop unstuck from reset, you will likely need to move on to some of the advanced solutions covered in the Windows 10 section coming up.

Fixing a Stuck Acer Laptop Reset in Windows 10

For Acer laptops stuck resetting when running Windows 10, these tricks may help get the reset back on track:

Use Acer Recovery Management

Boot into Acer Recovery Management, usually by pressing Alt + F10 during startup. Then choose the full Factory Reset or System Recovery option to wipe the laptop. This uses Acer’s recovery image to reset.

Boot Into WinRE Via Shift-Restart

Getting into the Windows Recovery Environment using the Shift + Restart option can sometimes lead to a successful reset when done from within WinRE instead of standard Windows.

Reset Using Command Prompt

From within WinRE, open a Command Prompt window and enter the command:

This will manually delete all Windows system files, essentially resetting the OS. Then reboot and let Windows reinstall fresh copies.

Erase Hard Drive Using DiskPart

If wiping the drive is the issue, open Command Prompt in WinRE and use DiskPart commands to clean and reformat the hard drive, erasing all data. Then reboot and let Windows repartition and reinstall itself afresh.

Refresh PC Without Affecting Files

Choose the “Keep my files” reset option when resetting in Windows 10. This may complete when a full reset stalls, allowing you to keep personal data while refreshing the OS. You can then do a full reset after.

Use Dedicated Reset Tool

Tool kits like the Acer Recovery Management Reset Tool can be downloaded to force a factory reset from outside Windows by rebooting into the tool. This may succeed if Windows is preventing a normal reset.

Remove Antivirus Before Resetting

Some third-party antivirus products can block a full factory reset in Windows. Uninstall or disable the antivirus completely prior to trying the reset again. Be sure to reinstall protection after resetting.

Reset BIOS to Factory Settings

Resetting the laptop’s BIOS firmware to factory condition can clear any settings that may be blocking the operating system from resetting properly. Check your particular Acer’s manual for the key command to reset BIOS during bootup.

Using one or a combination of these troubleshooting tips will typically get your stuck Acer laptop to successfully factory reset in Windows 10. Be patient and persistent, and don’t hesitate to call Acer support if you exhaust all other options.

Resetting an Acer Laptop Without Turning It On

If your Acer laptop is having power issues that prevent it from booting up normally, you can still usually force a factory reset by:

• Using the Acer Recovery button or port – Consult your model’s manual for the location. Press while powered off.
• Removing the CMOS battery – This resets BIOS to default to allow reset on next bootup.
• Booting into WinRE or Recovery Media – If you can get it to boot 1 time from USB or DVD.
• Using the Reset Hole or Pinhole button – Some Acer laptops have this tiny reset button, usually near power button.
• Pressing Fn + Esc or other key command – This boots into recovery mode on some models.
• Enlisting Acer support to walk through options – They can help troubleshoot even with no display.

With persistence, you can almost always find a way to factory reset an Acer machine without needing to boot into Windows or even power it on conventionally. Just be methodical in trying all available options.

Resolving a Stuck HP Laptop Reset

For HP brand laptops rather than Acer, similar troubleshooting steps as outlined above may help get the device unstuck when trying to reset it. However, here are some HP-specific tips as well:

Reset Using HP Recovery Media

Create HP Recovery media on a DVD or USB drive. Boot from it and perform a factory reset using the HP recovery tools. This may succeed when Windows is having issues.

Boot Into F11 Recovery Mode

HP laptops allow you to force a system recovery by pressing F11 while booting. This boots into the HP recovery environment outside of Windows.

Use HP Recovery Partition

If your HP still has the recovery partition intact, reboot while tapping F11 continuously. Choose the System Recovery option to reset using the recovery partition.

Verify No Removable Media is Inserted

Eject any SD cards, discs, or USB drives before factory resetting. Media being present can sometimes interfere with HP laptop resets in certain models.

Contact HP Support to Initiate Remote Recovery

If you are able to get online access with the stuck laptop, initiating a remote recovery session can allow HP support staff take control and force a factory reset successfully.

Using the steps outlined specifically for HP laptop models can help resolve a system that is stuck trying to reset itself. Being brand-specific with troubleshooting tips often leads to quicker resolution of the problem.

How to Fix a Laptop Stuck Resetting at 64%

Many Windows users face the infamous 64% stuck reset problem on Dell, Lenovo, HP, Acer and other brand laptops. The reset gets to 64% progress then just hangs indefinitely. Here are some ways to get it unstuck:

• Press the Reset button or hole on the laptop if it has one.
• Restart and boot into Safe Mode to check for driver conflicts.
• Try the reset using a bootable Windows 10 installer USB drive.
• Use Command Prompt in Recovery Mode to delete the Windows folder, forcing reinstallation.
• Access Recovery Console in Safe Mode and choose Repair > System Files Restore.
• In Safe Mode, run SFC and DISM scans to repair corrupted files.
• Take out the CMOS battery to reset BIOS settings, then reset again.
• Try resetting from within an HP, Dell, or Lenovo hardware diagnostics partition instead of Windows.
• For Lenovo laptops, access OneKey Recovery via Novo button to factory reset.

Persistence is key, as one or a combination of these tricks will typically force a laptop to factory reset successfully after getting stuck at 64%, 23%, or any percentage during the reset process.

Conclusion

When your Acer laptop gets stuck in the middle of a factory reset, it can certainly be frustrating. Thankfully, there are a number of troubleshooting techniques you can use to get the reset process back on track. The key is to be persistent and systematic in working through the various options covered here.

Attempt the reset multiple times, and be sure to try the steps in different combinations. For example, booting into Safe Mode and accessing Recovery Options from there; using OEM recovery tools like Acer eRecovery outside of Windows; pressing the reset pinhole button during power up; etc. Combining certain methods together in a strategic manner can often result in success when singular approaches fail.

Don’t become discouraged if the laptop reset gets stuck at some percentage point like 64% or 22% repeatedly. This is a common occurrence that just requires some guided trial-and-error to resolve. Refer to the tips outlined specifically for your Acer model and Windows version to develop a logical troubleshooting plan. And if all else fails, contacting Acer support can provide further assistance in finally getting that stubborn laptop reset back on track.