How to Recover Data When Windows 11/10 PC Won’t Boot

Data recovery and crashed hard drive recovery, among many other data recovery options, remain a primary subject among computer users today. This is because every business uses data today, and there are many loads of data for employees to deal with. From customer contacts, sales records, supplier details, and many other forms of data, data management can be a menace, and employees must understand how to handle every data set effectively. 

On the other hand, data security is also vital. This is important to ensure the integrity of all the data accessible to the employees. You should adequately secure information such as customer contacts to ensure they are not accessible to unintended personnel. 

You may probably have been a victim of data loss in the past. Some likely situations that lead to data loss include accidental deletion, computer crashes, data corruption, etc. The worst-case scenario is when you cannot boot your storage device to gain access to your files. 

See the link if you are currently searching for how to restore permanently deleted files on Windows 10. Otherwise, if your Windows 11/10 won’t boot, you might be a victim of possible data loss and looking for solutions. You could also be a professional technician looking for additional solutions to help a client. Either way, this article is designed to answer these questions and will satisfactorily provide answers. Read on to find out more. 

Is It Possible To Recover Files If Windows PC Won’t Boot?

It is common for people to doubt some of the very technical situations. But yes, it is possible to recover deleted files in such a scenario as long as the hard drive is still working. 

Some conditions that may stop your PC from booting include corrupted system files, missing MBR, or other things preventing BIOS from booting into the OS. 

You can use up to three methods to recover unbootable hard drive, including data recovery software. Let’s look at some ways to recover data when Windows 11/10 won’t boot. 

Connect The Hard Drive To Another Computer To Recover Data

This is the most effective and easiest method to recover files from a hard drive when the computer cannot boot. 

Begin by disconnecting the Windows 10 or 11 computer from the mains and ensuring it is off. Unscrew the back panel to remove the hard drive. Be sure to handle the drive gently and avoid dropping it before transferring it to the next computer. 

Fix the drive into a different working computer and boot it. Once booted, check if your files are still intact. 

If you are new to computers, we recommend getting help from a skilled computer operator to help you transfer the drive. 

Advanced Recovery With a Bootable Windows USB Drive

Data recovery is, to a more significant percentage, a trial adventure. If you are not in a position to recover data from a crashed hard drive or retrieve your files with method 1, then you can use the advanced recovery method with a USB drive. This method involves three significant steps listed below:

1. Create a bootable Windows USB Drive
2. Boot into the Recovery Environment 
3. Use Command Prompt to recover data 

Note that you will need an external storage or USB drive to copy the data. Let’s describe the steps below. 

Step 1: Create a Bootable Windows USB Drive

This method uses Windows Creation Media to ensure you are adequately supported to recover files. Follow the steps below to execute this method. 

• Obtain a USB drive with minimum storage capacity of 8GB. 
• Download Windows Media Creation Tool. 

When running the installation, there are two options – create an ISO or bootable media. Choose the option to create bootable media and ensure the USB does not contain essential files. 

Step 2: Boot Into the Recovery Environment

Boot the computer into BIOS or UEFI, and locate the option which permits you to change the order of the boot device. Be sure to set the USB Drive as the first boot device. 

Now, plug in the USB drive, save and exit the BIOS/UEFI. 

Once your PC detects the bootable USB, you will see a Windows Installation screen. Select “Repair your computer” at the bottom left of the Windows setup screen. 

This command opens up “Advanced Recovery. “Once you are there, click on “Troubleshoot” followed by the “Advanced options” Command Prompt. 

Step 3: Recover Data With Command Prompt

Wait for the Prompt to appear on the screen and type “notepad.exe,” then press Enter. Although Advanced recovery does not offer any UI, Notepad does. In fact, if you click “File,” followed by “Open,” the command reveals a compact view of the Windows Explorer. 

Although this will not give you a full view of Windows Explorer, the compact view is just enough to recover the files. Use it to locate the files and right-click on it to copy and send them to the storage device. 

Alternatively, use CTRL + C/CTRL + V to copy and paste the files. The first method is, however, much faster. If the files are hidden, unhide them first with the command prompt before copying them. Also, note that there will be no progress bar, and the computer may, in the process, appear frozen. 

Final Thought

The two methods should help you restore data on Windows 10 when Windows 11/10 won’t boot. However, if all the methods fail, you can still use Disk Drill by CleverFiles.