How to remove the previous owner info/account?


  1. Posts : 83
    Win10
       #1

    How to remove the previous owner info/account?


    My friend just gave me his old Lenovo Ideapad 710s after he bought a new machine. I did a Windows reset and told it to remove everything. I logged to it using my MS account. However, his info is still there as the system administrator. I saw something about "closing an account", but I didn't know if that was a synced account or a local account, In other words, if I closed his account, would I be closing HIS Microsoft account for all his devices, or just on this machine. It would suck to suddenly have all you accounts closed and not know how.

    I thought a reset was setting the machine to what it was when purchased. I guess there's more to that in Win 10. How do I get the machine to transfer over form his account to mine? Would creating a windows install usb and reinstalling windows do it, or do I need to have him do something in his MS account.
      My Computers


  2. Posts : 2,539
    Windows 10 Pro 64bit
       #2

    I would suggest that you clean install Windows using the Media creation tool, run this & choose to create media (on USB or DVD. Then boot from this & choose to delete all partitions then install Windows.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #3

    You can delete his account. It only affects that computer, not the actual Microsoft account. Make sure your own account is set up as an administrator account first!

    Does the Lenovo have a one-touch push button reset? Some Lenovo computers do.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 83
    Win10
    Thread Starter
       #4

    NavyLCDR said:
    You can delete his account. It only affects that computer, not the actual Microsoft account. Make sure your own account is set up as an administrator account first! Does the Lenovo have a one-touch push button reset? Some Lenovo computers do.
    I didn't see any thing like that on this machine. It's really small, 13" and very limited with I/O and buttons. I think I'll do the install with the Media Creation tool mentioned above. Thanks for the answers.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Bastet said:
    I would suggest that you clean install Windows using the Media creation tool, run this & choose to create media (on USB or DVD. Then boot from this & choose to delete all partitions then install Windows.
    Every time I used Media Creation Tool before, it was to reinstall on my own computers of which I was the original licensee.

    Doesn't the Media creation tool verify for Win 10 license? And will that license not belong to my buddy, and transfer over to the new install?
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 2,539
    Windows 10 Pro 64bit
       #5

    The license may be tied to his account yes if it is a retail license. The license should be held in the BIOS & would activate even when creating a new user.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 15,441
    Windows10
       #6

    People do not understand the link to MS account. It is not a permanent link, and if you reinstall Windows 10, and use your MS account, the digital licence will get tied to your account instead.

    The link is only there to help you if pc fails to activate e.g. you changed the mobo because old one failed. For most users, the link is irrelevant.

    If pc has been activated once, you can reinstall without a key and do not even need to use MS account.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 83
    Win10
    Thread Starter
       #7

    cereberus said:
    People do not understand the link to MS account. It is not a permanent link, and if you reinstall Windows 10, and use your MS account, the digital licence will get tied to your account instead.

    The link is only there to help you if pc fails to activate e.g. you changed the mobo because old one failed. For most users, the link is irrelevant.

    If pc has been activated once, you can reinstall without a key and do not even need to use MS account.
    Yep. This worked. Thanks all for the responses.
      My Computers


 

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