How to Boot into a Recovery Partition
The recovery partition on a computer is a hidden partition on the hard drive that contains software tools for restoring an OS to factory defaults or troubleshooting problems. It is accessed by pressing a specific key combination during boot up that differs from computer to computer. If you have a Windows PC, it’s usually [F11] . For Macs, it may be [Option+Command+R] . Consult your computer’s documentation for the correct keystroke to enter the recovery mode.
Once you’ve pressed the correct key combination, a screen will appear that shows several options. You’ll need to use your arrow keys to navigate and select an option from this menu. If an option doesn’t work, try another one until you get into the recovery partition. Once you’re in, you’ll be able to perform certain tasks on your computer without damaging the main OS.
To boot into the recovery partition, please follow the steps below:
1. Restart your computer; then, as soon as you see an icon (usually a white Apple on blue background) and/or hear the startup chime, immediately press and hold one of the following keys:
– [option] for Macs or [F11] for PCs that use a BIOS
– [option+command] for Macs or [F11] for PCs that use UEFI.
2. Continue holding the specified key until a boot menu appears with several options, one of which should be your OS’s recovery partition . If no such menu appears, try restarting your computer again and then immediately press and hold the same key combination.
If you’re unable to boot into the recovery partition or if it doesn’t work for any other reason, reset your computer’s BIOS/UEFI settings back to their factory defaults and restart your computer again while holding down the [delete] key on a PC or [command+option+R] on a Mac. This will reset your computer’s BIOS/UEFI configuration to its factory defaults and then restart.
How do I access the recovery partition in Windows 10?
You can access the recovery partition in Windows 10 by booting up your computer and holding down the [F8] key. This should bring you to a menu where you can choose between launching an OS recovery tool or accessing advanced options, which include booting into another OS or launching a Command Prompt window.
How do I access the recovery partition in Windows 8?
This is the same as in Windows 10. Just boot up your computer and press [F8] while it’s loading to access the recovery partition.
How do I access the recovery partition in Windows 7?
To perform a system restore or refresh your PC in Windows 7, you’ll need to enter the Start menu, type in “recdisc” without the quotes, and run the resulting app. This will launch the recovery tool for your computer. However, there’s also another way to access it using [F8] which is more universal across operating systems.
– Restart your computer; then, while it’s loading you should press [F8] .
– Select the option to boot into Windows 7′ advanced boot options.
– Use your keyboard’s arrow keys to select the “Repair Your Computer” option and press [Enter] .
– On the next screen, choose “Troubleshoot”, “Advanced Options”, and finally “Recovery”. This will bring up a menu with several options, one of which is “System Image Recovery”.
– If you don’t see the option to start this tool or if it doesn’t work for any other reason, reset your computer’s BIOS/UEFI settings back to their factory defaults and restart your computer again while holding down [F8] . This will boot your computer into advanced options, where you can select the “Repair Your Computer” option.
Accessing Recovery Partition on Different Laptops
How do I boot from recovery partition on HP laptop?
– Turn on your HP laptop and hold down the [F11] key.
– Once you’re in, use the arrow keys to select a mode from the list that appears and press [Enter].
How do I boot into recovery partition on Acer laptop?
– Restart your PC; as soon as you see the Acer logo, press the [Alt] + [F10] keys together.
– Use your keyboard’s arrow keys to select one of the modes available and press [Enter].
How do I boot into rescue mode on Lenovo laptop?
– Restart your computer; as soon as you hear the startup sound, hold down the [Shift] key.
This will bring up the boot menu.
– Use your keyboard’s arrow keys to select “Troubleshoot” and press [Enter].
– On the next screen, choose “Advanced options”. This will bring up a new window where you can use your keyboard’s arrow keys to select one of the modes available and press [Enter].
How do I boot into recovery mode on Dell laptop?
– Restart your computer; as soon as you hear the startup sound, press [F8] repeatedly. This will call up a boot menu with several options.
– Use your keyboard’s arrow keys to select one of the modes available and press [Enter].
– Once booted into your system’s recovery environment, use the arrow keys to select “Boot Manager” and press [Enter].
– Now choose the operating system you want to boot into and press [Enter].
Recovery Partition on Different Operating Systems
How do I access the recovery partition in Windows Vista?
To enable or disable hibernation in Windows Vista, open your computer’s Control Panel and go to Power Options > Hibernate. Alternatively, open an elevated Command Prompt window (type cmd into the search box of the Start menu > right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator) and type “powercfg -h on” or “powercfg -h off”. This will enable or disable hibernation, respectively.
How do I access the recovery partition in Windows XP?
The recovery partition can be accessed using [F8] while your computer is starting up. This will bring you to a menu with several options, one of which should be “Recovery Console”. If you can’t access the recovery partition using [F8] , try resetting your BIOS/UEFI settings back to their factory defaults and restart your computer while holding down [F8] .
How do I access the recovery partition in Mac OS X?
To quickly boot into your Mac’s built-in recovery system, reboot your computer while holding down [command+R] . Alternatively, just launch the Disk Utility app from your Utilities folder or by dragging it out of Applications. Once you have the Disk Utility open, choose “First Aid” from the left sidebar. Select your Mac’s main drive from the list of volumes on the right and then click “Run” in the top toolbar. This will start a process called Verifying Disk that checks for problems or errors with your drive and fixes them if possible.
How do I access my MacBook Pro’s built-in recovery partition?
To quickly boot into your Mac’s built-in recovery system, reboot your computer while holding down [command+R] . Alternatively, just launch the Disk Utility app from your Utilities folder or by dragging it out of Applications. Once you have the Disk Utility open, choose “First Aid” from the left sidebar. Select your Mac’s main drive from the list of volumes on the right and then click “Run” in the top toolbar. This will start a process called Verifying Disk that checks for problems or errors with your drive and fixes them if possible.
