How do I get back to Windows 10 after a factory reset?
QI upgraded my Acer 5552 laptop from Windows 7 to 10 soon after the free upgrade became available. However, the sluggishness that the laptop suffered under Windows 7 soon reappeared with Windows 10, until eventually it died and would not boot. Without thinking of the consequences I did a factory reset and went back to Windows 7. Having obtained Windows 10 quite legally and become used to it, I wonder whether there is any way of recovering it without having to buy a new copy? I do have the 20-digit product key. Trevor Dowling
AYes, you can do this using Microsoft’s media-creation tool, which is a free download from www.snipca.com/23924. Click the ‘Download tool now’ button, then double-click the downloaded file.
Click Accept on the licence screen, then choose the ‘Create installation media for another PC’ option and click Next. Check that the Language, Edition and Architecture settings are correct for your PC (see screenshot 1). If not, choose the right options and then click Next.
Next, you’ll need to decide how to install Windows 10 back to your laptop (see screenshot 2). It’s often simplest to use a USB stick. However, your laptop model does have a DVD drive, so you can choose the ISO option instead, as this will download a Windows 10 installation file that you can burn to DVD. If you need a Dvd-burning program, Cdburnerxp (from www. snipca.com/23925) is a reliable free option.
Finally, insert the USB stick or DVD disc, restart your laptop and then follow the prompts to install Windows 10. If you’re prompted for the product key, your Windows 7 one will do the job.