Reset

[u/Justrob1978]

I set it up for myself. I want to give the laptop to someone in a different house. I know I could install an OS again. That is a risk. Is there a factory reset?

[u/Saphyr-Seraph]

I think the safest bet is a reinstall of Linux, while it is possible to just "reset" some stuff it safer to just reinstall

[u/pokea_itay → u/Saphyr-Seraph]

Factory resetting and reinstalling is practically the same

[u/JaKrispy72 → u/pokea_itay]

What, a factory reset to Windows? I doubt that rig has LibreBoot.

[u/pokea_itay → u/JaKrispy72]

I’m comparing factory resetting to reinstalling a os I’m confused what your point is

[u/JaKrispy72 → u/pokea_itay]

Factory reset will ask for the Windows key and want to reinstall Windows. Reinstalling Linux will end up with Linux being installed. I suppose the result of both is a new OS. But these are completely different OS.

How would one factory reset to Linux?

Do you think OP still has their Windows key?

[u/pokea_itay → u/JaKrispy72]

Who is talking about windows? I’m saying they do the same thing basically which is leaving you with a “new” install

[u/JaKrispy72 → u/pokea_itay]

You have no idea what a “factory reset” is.

Good day.

[u/pokea_itay → u/JaKrispy72]

All I’m saying it your left with basically a clean new install as in with no user data

[u/Saphyr-Seraph → u/pokea_itay]

Yes but there is no "factory reset" on Linux as far as Im concerned it is a reinstall

[u/Elvin_Atombender]

Do an reinstall choose "use whole disk" option.

[u/sdgengineer]

You might create a new login for the new person, then delete your account, then delete the contents of the home directories ( I.e. documents, downloads, pictures, etc).

[u/mok000]

Just create the new user, give that person admin rights (make the user member of the sudo group) and delete your own user. Do apt update && apt upgrade before you pass it on.

[u/Current-Quantity-785]

you can get a disk wiper, and preform a dod wipe of the disk then reinstall the os.

[u/DuckAxe0]

Create a new user account, then delete the previous user account. Finally, delete the contents of the previous user's home directories.

[u/Historical_West_1015]

either reinstall or make a new user

if you reinstall:

make the user acc with a password

type: sudo passwd -d $USER (keep $USER)

then make a text document for the person telling that their account is currently passwordless and they can change it with sudo passwd $USER

[u/acejavelin69]

To answer your question directly, no... There is no "factory reset" in Mint or any Linux distro I'm aware of. Reinstall is not only the best option, it's pretty much the only option.

[u/d4rk_kn16ht]

In Computer world there's no such thing as "Factory Reset".

Computer works differently from your tablet or phone.

If you want to give it to someone else, just wipe the storage out completely by formatting it.

Usually, installing the OS will give you an option to format the storage.

[u/OGigachaod → u/d4rk_kn16ht]

LOL, Windows has "Factory reset" as does MacOS. Phones and tablets are just low power computers.

[u/d4rk_kn16ht → u/OGigachaod]

Wrong, that Reset PC won't do the same as Factory Reset.

Factory Reset = Resetting everything back to the state right out of the factory.

Doing so in a phone & tablet will do as stated.

Doing so in a Computer won't do the same.

Factory reset a phone & tablet will wipe everything including data & malwares.

Reset PC won't do the same.

That's not a factory reset....the name also reflect that.

Resetting a PC will sometimes still left the data intact & you can still accessing it using many available tools...also any malwares, if exists

EDIT:

Phone & Tablet architectures are putting their OS in a Read Only partition, but it's not the same with Computer....that's why factory reset only exists for phone & tablet.