Need help resetting computer

Question

my sister gave me her Windows 10 surface computer a few years ago. I’ve used it since then and I stopped using it for a while because I got an iPad and when I went on my computer one day, it said the password was wrong. I could’ve sworn it was the password, but I guess it isn’t so now I need to reset the computer. I’ve tried shift + restart, trouble shooting, restart this pc, remove all files, and i’ve chosen both the local and cloud option. everytime it just brings me either back to the original menu or goes to recovery key. i’ve logged in and looked at my devices and it says there were no keys found for this device. my sister doesn’t know the recovery key either and can’t access the email she used because it was a school email and she no longer attends.

so after trying that a few times, i went and got a brand new 16GB usb drive from walmart to just reset the password. when i do that, it says “this disk is not a password reset disk”. but when i look up what kind of usb i need, it just says 16GB or more.

in conclusion: i need to know how to reset my windows 10 computer without the password or recovery key. i literally just wanna play sims lol.

Answer 1

Hi kyra,

Thanks for your post. Generally speaking, if you can't sign into your Microsoft account, most issues can be identified by our sign-in helper tool.

The tool will ask you to enter the email address or mobile phone number you're trying to sign in with and check the details you provide. If we detect a problem with your account, we'll tell you what you need to do to solve the problem. If we don't detect any problem, we'll guide you through how you can help yourself.

Click the button to begin: Sign-in Helper

Reference: I can't sign in to my Microsoft account - Microsoft Support

Best Regards,

Ian Xue

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Answer 2

Download Windows 10 Media Creation Tool.

Use the tool to create your 16GB bootable USB drive.

Insert the USB into your Surface and turn it off.

Press and hold the Volume Down button, then press the Power button to turn it on. Release the Volume Down button once the Surface logo appears, and it should boot from the USB.

Choose your language

Click "Repair your computer" (not "Install")

Go to Troubleshoot > Reset this PC > Remove everything

This will erase everything but will let you set up the computer fresh without needing the old password or recovery key.