How To Backup Data Without Booting Into Windows 10

Troubleshooting a computer that won't starting time is frustrating, but the panic of losing your data is far worse. If you tin can't become your computer to boot and yous don't have a backup, don't freak out but notwithstanding; you have a few options.

There'south always a possibility your difficult bulldoze is corrupted or dead, in which case data recovery is going to be costly or impossible. But in many cases, your computer may not boot for other reasons: a declining ability supply, a corrupted boot sector, or whatever other number of quirks that leave your photos, documents, and other files intact.

If that data is still salvageable, at that place are ii primary means I recommend retrieving that information. One requires a piffling software know-how, while the other requires a footling hardware finesse. Both methods volition require an external drive to copy the data on to, which you can employ to store your files while you repair or replace your computer. Don't fret if you aren't super experienced; you can handle this equally long every bit y'all follow the instructions closely.

Our Elevation-Rated External Hard Drives

Boot From a USB Drive

It's possible your computer'southward hardware is even so in good working order, but can't kicking into Windows. Maybe the bootloader is corrupted, or maybe commuter issues are giving you a black screen rather than the familiar Windows desktop. If the computer notwithstanding works, though, y'all can use it to boot into a different environment that tin can (hopefully) access your data.

If you're using a Windows PC, you tin can create a bootable USB drive with Windows on it to scan your hard bulldoze. Catch another PC and a USB drive with at to the lowest degree 16GB of space. Go to Microsoft's Media Creation Tool and download the installation media. Windows 10 users should go here(Opens in a new window), while Windows eleven users tin can go here(Opens in a new window). Run the downloaded .exe file and select Create installation media, and then cull ISO file when prompted and save the file onto the drive.

Now, download Rufus(Opens in a new window) and start information technology upwards. Select your USB drive nether Device, your Windows ISO under Kicking Selection, and Windows To Become under Image Pick. Click Start, and look for the process to stop. Yous tin can see more details in the "Create Drive With Rufus" section of this guide. If you're using a Mac, hither'south how to brand a recovery drive for information technology.

When it's washed, reboot your calculator. At the startup screen, press a key on your keyboard to enter the boot menu—usually it'll tell you which key on-screen. For case, on my computer, I have to press F11 at the startup screen to access the boot carte, from which I can cull my USB drive to boot into its Windows environment.

If that doesn't work, you lot tin can likewise enter the BIOS setup—usually by pressing Delete or F2. Wait for the "Boot Order" section, where y'all tin move your USB drive to the top of the list. If all goes well, your estimator volition kick you into a fresh Windows environment from that USB drive.

Open File Explorer and your hard drive should appear at that place, with all your data intact (provided your drive isn't corrupted). Notation that if your hard drive is encrypted with BitLocker(Opens in a new window), you'll need the recovery key in order to access your information—without information technology, your files are likely gone forever.

Once you see your data, just plug in a different external drive and drag all your important files to it. From at that place, you can safely reset Windows or troubleshoot kicking problems without worrying near your precious data.

Remove the Hard Drive and Endeavor It In Another PC

hard drive connected to a laptop via a SATA to USB cable

StarTech.com SATA to USB Cablevision

If your computer won't turn on at all, you won't be able to boot from a USB drive as described higher up. Yous tin, yet, remove the hard drive from the figurer and plug information technology into another working machine to access your data. To do this, you'll need a SATA-to-USB cable(Opens in a new window), docking station(Opens in a new window), or external hard drive enclosure(Opens in a new window)—plus a screwdriver and whatever other tools are necessary to open your PC.

For laptops that employ an One thousand.ii drive instead of a standard ii.5-inch bulldoze, yous'll need a SATA M.2-to--USB adapter(Opens in a new window), or an NVMe M.2-to-USB adapter(Opens in a new window). You lot may demand to look upwards the specs of your laptop to see what drive it uses. (The pictures on Amazon will oftentimes testify which types of drives information technology's uniform with, and you can wait upward a disassembly video for your computer to see if the hard drive matches the shape of the enclosure y'all're buying.)

Finding the correct adapter is, honestly, the near hard role of this process. Opening your PC seems scary, but information technology's actually much easier. Nosotros tin can't guide yous through the procedure on every motorcar, simply you can usually search your laptop'south model number to observe disassembly instructions. It almost e'er involves unscrewing a few screws on the lesser of the laptop and removing the bottom case, which should give you directly access to the hard bulldoze or SSD.

Recommended by Our Editors

In some laptops, the storage is soldered onto the motherboard, in which case you're out of luck and will have to try the kick-from-USB method to a higher place or send it in for repairs. If you're opening a desktop, it's fifty-fifty easier, since yous can just slide off the side panel and remove the drive from its cage—yous may not even demand a screwdriver.

With the drive removed, plug it into your USB adapter and plug that into the USB port of a working figurer. (Ideally, you lot'd use a estimator of the same platform—so if the drive is coming from a Mac, you'll want to plug it into another Mac.) With any luck, your drive should popular upwards in File Explorer or Finder.

You can then select the files you need (or all the files, just to be safety) and drag them onto an external drive. One time they're safely backed up, you tin can go most repairing or replacing your computer, and elevate those files dorsum when it's up and running again.

Hopefully, this experience has demonstrated the importance of backups. You've heard it time and time over again, and I know it's easy to put off, but don't. Yous tin can clone your hard drive, create an epitome file, prepare up a recovery drive, or create a backup using Time Machine.

Don't forget to check up on your difficult drive'due south health. Set up upward a backup program today and forget nearly it—the peace of heed is priceless, and you lot'll never have to feel that moment of panic e'er again.

Like What You lot're Reading?

This newsletter may comprise advertisement, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Utilise and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any fourth dimension.

Source: https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/how-to-save-data-from-a-pc-that-wont-boot

Posted by: fallstrud1947.blogspot.com