Solved Reformat and reinstall Surface

[ziaaleem]

Hi, I have lost the microsoft account pin for my surface laptop, and the retrieval phone number has already been cancelled. Microsoft is unable to verify my identity. So I am thinking to format the laptop and load a new windows 10. How can I do that? Please help

 

[sharpuser]

Try this:

How to factory reset Windows 10 or Windows 11

If your PC is being sold or has serious errors, then your best option is to factory reset Windows. We'll walk you through the entire process, step by step.

www.digitaltrends.com

 

[ziaaleem]

Dear Sharpuser, I currently have no access to my laptop. It asks for my pin, which I am unable to give. Actually I bought this PC in Toronto two years ago. It had a face ID, so I never used the PIN, and have forgotten it. For some reason the face ID stopped working, and now I am required to give a PIN which I do not have. Microsoft is unable to verify my identity from the information I have given. So now the only option I have is to make it a reformatted reinstalled laptop with a new windows 10. I do not know how to do it.

 

[sharpuser]

A fresh install of Windows 10 can come from a USB drive you create yourself from a working PC.

1. Obtain a USB drive (thumb drive).
2. Insert it into any PC running Windows 10.
3. On that PC, search for "recover drive" and choose Create a Recovery Drive
4. Follow instructions to create a Windows 10 recovery image onto that USB drive.
5. Remove the USB drive from the good PC and insert it onto your bad Surface laptop.
6. Power up the Surface laptop. If it does not boot from the USB drive, do this:

1. Hold down the volume down button, press the power button and release the volume down button after the Surface logo appears.

Let us know if this helps.

 

[ziaaleem]

It worked. Thanks a lot. Really appreciate your help. Only thing, my surface did not have a volume button. So I had to go into the recovery mode by pressing shift key and restart, and then go into the option of using external device.