Reset Lenovo Laptops with OneKey Recovery Without Data Loss

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System recovery on Lenovo laptops is always completed via OneKey Recovery. Even if OneKey Recovery is not available on your Lenovo computer, there is another way for you to restore the system. Read on to see how to perform a system recovery on Lenovo laptops without losing data.

What Is Lenovo OneKey Recovery

OneKey Recovery is the preinstalled software on some Lenovo laptops used to back up and restore the computer. The Lenovo laptops that are integrated with OneKey Recovery contain a hidden partition on their disks from the factory. The hidden partition stores the system image file and the OneKey Recovery system program files. That's why you can use the OneKey Recovery system to reset and restore the system on a Lenovo computer.

Will Lenovo OneKey Recovery Delete Your Files

The answer is both "Yes" and "No". When you restore the system using OneKey Recovery, it will restore the system partition to its initial status (by recovering your system via the system image file stored in the hidden partition from the factory) or from a backup you created previously using OneKey Recovery. Thus, OneKey Recovery will delete all the current data on the system drive. However, OneKey Recovery only affects your system partition. That means it won't delete any files from other drives on your computer.

How to Reset System on a Lenovo Laptop Without Losing Data Using OneKey Recovery

If there are files you create on the system partition after you make the system backup, you will lose all of them after performing the system recovery. Thus, you should first back up the files from the system partition to avoid data loss. To get things done in a quick and effective way, the file backup software - EaseUS Todo Backup. 

Whether you want to back up all the partitions or some of the files, EaseUS Todo Backup will help. Even when you can't boot your Lenovo PC, you can also apply the program to create a bootable media, boot your computer from the device, and then back up the files.

To back up files:

Step 1. To begin the backup process, click the Select backup contents button.

Step 2. Four data backup categories are listed: File, Disk, OS, and Mail.

Step 3. Lists of both local and network files are shown on the left-hand side of the screen. Expanding the directory so that you can choose the files to back up.

Step 4. Follow the guidance on the screen and choose the place where you want to store the back up.

Make sure that the backup is encrypted and set the backup schedule by clicking Options in Backup Options. You can also choose to start the backup at a certain time in Backup Scheme by clicking Options. There are many other customizable options that you can look into.

Step 5. You can store the backup file either on your computer, in EaseUS's cloud service, or on a network-attached storage device (NAS).

Step 6. EaseUS Todo Backup enables customers store backup copies of their files on a third-party cloud drive or on the company's own cloud storage.

If you want to back up your data on a third-party cloud drive, select Local Drive and scroll down to add Cloud Device. Then fill in your account information.

Click EaseUS Cloud, then sign up and log in with your EaseUS account if you wish to store backup files to EaseUS' own cloud storage service.

Step 7. Click on Backup Now to start a backup.  When the backup process is done, it will display as a card on the left-hand side of the screen. A right-click will let you see more about how to handle the backup job in more depth.

After backing up your precious files, now you can reset the system on a Lenovo laptop without losing data using OneKey Recovery.

To restore the system:

Step 1. Double-click "OneKey Recovery" to start the Lenovo OneKey Recovery system. You can also press the "NOVO" button to start OneKey Recovery. That is especially helpful when the laptop won't boot.

Step 2. From the interface, choose "System Recovery".

Step 3. Choose "Restore from initial backup" or "Restore from user's backup". If you select the latter option, you will need to select the exact image to use. Afterward, click "Next".

Step 4. Click "Start" > "Yes" to initiate the system recovery process.

If you get your data lost accidentally, you can use the hard drive recovery software - EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard to recover data lost due to the system restore.

How to Recover System Without OneKey Recovery

Not all Lenovo laptops are equipped with OneKey Recovery. But there is another way available for you to reset the system on a Lenovo laptop, even without the help of the utility. With the "Reset this PC" feature in Windows, you can reset a computer from any brand to the factory settings. Compared with OneKey Recovery, "Reset this PC" provides an option for you to choose whether to keep your personal files. Therefore, this method is recommended if you want to perform a system recovery on a Lenovo laptop without data loss.

To recover the system on Lenovo in Windows 10:

Step 1. Click the "Start" button and choose "Settings".

Step 2. Choose "Update & Security" > "Recovery".

Step 3. Under "Reset this PC", click "Get started".

Step 4. Choose one of the two options, "Keep my files" or "Delete everything", according to your needs. 

• "Keep my files": Reinstall Windows 10, remove apps and drivers you installed, change settings to defaults, but KEEP your personal files. And you can choose whether to remove the pre-installed apps as well.
• "Delete everything": Reinstall Windows 10, remove apps and drivers you installed, change settings to defaults, and REMOVE your personal files. And you can choose whether to clean the drive or not after deleting the files, which makes it harder for others to recover them.

Related Questions

In addition to what is OneKey Recovery, and how to reset a Lenovo laptop with it, there are other questions users are interested in:

"Can I remove Lenovo OneKey Recovery?"

Although OneKey Recovery is preinstalled on Lenovo laptops, it doesn't mean you can't remove it from the computer. You can uninstall OneKey Recovery from Control Panel like you uninstall any other program on the computer.

Go to "Control Panel" > "Programs and Features", find and click "OneKey Recovery", then click "Uninstall". 

"Where is the OneKey Recovery button on Lenovo?"

As mentioned, the OneKey Recovery button is called the NOVO button. It is either a small button or pinhole with a backward arrow icon, as shown below, next to or on it.

The Bottom Line

Both OneKey Recovery and the "Reset this PC" feature in Windows will help you reset and restore the system on your Lenovo computer. OneKey Recovery allows to you restore your PC via a previously created backup but will delete all data on the system drive. Thus, you need to back up the files you need in advance. If you want to reset your Lenovo laptop without losing data, using "Reset this pc" is a better option.