How to Enter HP Laptop Recovery Mode: Two Ways

What Does HP Laptop Recovery Mode Do?

HP laptop recovery mode is a feature designed to help users troubleshoot and resolve issues with HP laptops. The functionalities and options within the recovery mode can differ based on the specific laptop model and the installed operating system. Here are some common features and purposes of recovery mode on HP laptop:

• System Restore: This allows users to revert their HP laptop's operating system and settings to a previous state, typically before a problem occurs.
• Factory Reset: This resets the laptop to its original factory settings, removing all installed applications, user data, and personal settings.
• Diagnostic Tools: These tools can help identify and fix hardware or software issues, and perform tests on components like the hard drive, memory, and other hardware elements.
• Minimized Image Recovery: Available on many of HP's notebook computers, this option can help reinstall the original OS and hardware drivers, and reinstall essential HP software such as HP Support Assistant and HP Recovery Manager.

To access HP computer recovery mode, the process can vary, but it often involves pressing a specific key or key combination during the laptop's startup process. Below, we will present two solutions to access recovery mode, whether your computer can boot normally or not.

How to Enter HP Laptop Recovery Mode

Entering recovery mode can be quite helpful to perform HP system recovery on Windows 11/10 and other operating systems, especially if you choose options like system recovery or factory reset. Now, you can choose one of the following methods to boot into HP notebook recovery mode according to your situation.

Way 1. Boot HP Laptop in Recovery Mode from Windows Settings

If you can start your Windows normally, you can enter recovery environment on HP laptop from Windows settings. Here we take booting into HP laptop recovery mode on Windows 10 as an example to show you detailed guides:

Step 1. Open Windows settings on your HP laptop, and select Update and Security.

Step 2. On the left panel, select Recovery and tap on the Restart Now button under Advanced startup.

Step 3. Then, follow the on-screen guide to restart your computer.

Way 2. Start HP Laptop in Recovery Mode with Recovery Key

If you cannot boot your Windows normally, you can access HP laptop recovery mode with the steps below.

Step 1. Restart your computer, and immediately press the HP laptop recovery key F11 repeatedly. (On some HP laptops or certain old models, the recovery key may be ESC or F10 key.)

Step 2. On the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot.

Step 3. Then, choose Advanced options to get access to recovery options.

Why Can’t Boot into Recovery Mode on HP Laptop?

If you're having trouble booting into recovery mode on your HP laptop, several reasons could be causing the issue. Here are some common reasons and troubleshooting steps:

• Incorrect recovery key or key combination: ensure that you are pressing the correct key or key combination to access recovery mode.
• Fast Startup enabled: If you are using Windows 10, the Fast Startup feature might interfere with the ability to access recovery mode. Disable Fast Startup by heading to Control Panel -> Power Options -> Choose what the power buttons do -> Change settings that are currently unavailableand uncheck Turn on fast startup.
• Corrupted recovery partition: If your HP laptop recovery partition is removed or damaged, it may prevent the laptop from booting into recovery mode. In such instances, alternative recovery methods may be necessary.

Easier Way to Enable HP Laptop Recovery Environment

There are chances that HP laptop recovery mode not working or HP laptop stuck in recovery mode due to various reasons.

At such scenarios, you may consider using a self-booting recovery environment provided by a trustworthy and reliable backup and restore software, such as AOMEI Backupper Professional. This allows you to access recovery environment on HP laptop and restore Windows system image in the event of a system crash. It should be noted that it requires at least one available system image backup created by AOMEI Backupper.

You can follow the guide below to create recovery environment on HP laptop with this tool:

Step 1. Download and install this software on your computer. Click Tools from the left tab, and select the Recovery Environment tool.

Step 2. Then, it will enter into the Recovery Environment Settings page. Check the option Enable the boot option of AOMEI Backupper recovery environment.

Step 3. Adjust the standing time on the boot menu; the default is 8 seconds, but you can customize it to your preference. Then, click Next.

Step 4. After configuring the recovery environment settings, a confirmation window will appear. Click OK to proceed.

Step 5. It will initiate the process of creating the recovery environment. To stop the process, you can also click Cancel in the lower right corner.

Upon successful creation, the configured settings will be saved. The AOMEI Backupper system boot option will become active during the next system startup.

To disable the recovery environment boot option using AOMEI Backupper, navigate to Recovery Environment, uncheck the checkbox next to Enable the boot option of AOMEI Backupper recovery environment, and tap on OK.

❤❤Notes:

It’s advisable to create system image backup when the system is functioning properly. This allows you to utilize the recovery environment for restoring the system image. You can use its Schedule Backup to create auto-system backups, ensuring you can monitor changes made over time.

The recovery environment created by AOMEI Backupper is stored in the directory C:\Aomei Recovery. If the C drive undergoes wiping or damage, the recovery environment may become nonfunctional. Please create HP recovery media on USB/CD instead and then restore image from boot.

If your HP laptop operates on Windows Server 2022/2019/2016/2012, etc., you may use AOMEI Backupper Server to create recovery environment.

🔥Bonus: How to fix the blue screen caused by CrowdStrike issue

Microsoft has identified an issue impacting Windows endpoints that are running the CrowdStrike Falcon agent. These endpoints might encounter error messages 0x50 or 0x7E on a blue screen and experience a continual restarting state. If you encounter this error on your HP laptop, follow the instructions below to fix it.

1. Hold the power button for 10 seconds to turn off your device and then press the power button again to turn on your device.

2. On the Windows sign-in screen, press and hold the Shift key while you select Power  > Restart.

3. After your device restarts to the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot.

4. On the Troubleshoot screen, select Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.​​​​

Note: You may be asked to enter your BitLocker recovery key.

5. When the device restarts, continue pressing F4 and then it will log you in to safe mode.

Note: For some devices, you need to press F11 to log in through safe mode.

6. Once in safe mode, right-click Start, click Run, type cmd in the Open box, and then click OK.

7. If your system drive is different than C:\, type C: and then press Enter. This will switch you to the C:\ drive.

8. Type in the following commands and then press Enter after each to locate the file matching “C-00000291*.sys” and permanently delete the file(s) found:

• CD C:\Windows\System32\drivers\CrowdStrike
• dir C-00000291*.sys
• del C-00000291*.sys

9. Manually search for any files that match “C-00000291*.sys” and delete them.

10. Restart your device. 

Conclusion

Now you have learned two ways to enter HP laptop recovery mode. Also, an easier way to create HP recovery environment, using AOMEI Backupper, is offered for you to perform system backup restore or other backup restore operations. Besides, you can also use this tool to replace HP laptop hard drive with larger SSD or HDD with simple clicks. Get this tool and explore more useful functions now!