How to perform a factory reset on a computer with the Dell OEM Ubuntu 14.04 and 16.04 Linux Developer Edition installed

This article provides the steps to take to reset the Dell OEM Ubuntu 14.04 and 16.04 Linux Developer Edition to the factory state.

Reset Dell OEM Ubuntu Linux 14.04 and 16.04 Developer Edition to factory state

Dell’s custom OEM Ubuntu systems ship with a Restore Ubuntu to factory state option. This will erase all data, wipe programs, and reset the system to the original factory state which it was received in when first taken out of the box.

Follow the steps below to perform the factory reset:

This procedure will remove all user data on the system. It is recommended that all important data files are backed up before proceeding.

1. Power on the system.
2. Wait for the onscreen message booting in insecure mode to appear, then press the Esc key on the keyboard once.
   Note: The message booting in insecure mode will display in small, white lettering in the top left of the screen and may be difficult to read on high-resolution displays.
3. After pressing the Esc key, the GNU GRUB boot loader screen should appear.
4. Use the down arrow key on the keyboard to highlight the last option, Restore Ubuntu Version Number to factory state (Figure 1), then press the Enter key.

   
   Figure 1: Restore Ubuntu to factory state menu

5. The computer will boot to a Dell Recovery environment.
6. Select Restore Linux OS partitions when prompted and click Continue (Figure 2).

   
   Figure 2: Restore Linux OS partitions

The computer should then start the restore process. The computer will reboot several times during this process. When finished, the computer will boot to the Dell Out-of-box-experience. You will then be able to select a Wi-fi network (if available), setup your user account, and configure your region settings before logging in for the first time.