While I was playing a game, my PC froze, the speakers started buzzing, my controller disconnected, and the computer rebooted. Since then, Windows has been cycling through "Preparing Automatic Repair," "Diagnosing your PC," and "Connecting to signal" before restarting again. I created a Windows 11 USB installer, but choosing "Repair your PC" just returns to the same loop. The installer warns that a fresh installation will erase my files, apps, and settings, and the Command Prompt option does not open. The computer is about five years old, while the SSD is only two or three years old. I have important school files on the drive and cannot afford to lose them. What is the safest way to recover my data and repair or reinstall Windows?
4 Answers
Since you do not have another computer available, the safest option may be to borrow one or use a USB-to-SSD adapter with a friend’s machine. Testing the SSD elsewhere can help distinguish a dead drive from a damaged Windows installation. If the SSD is detected and readable, back up your school files immediately before attempting repairs.
The symptoms could also be a driver crash that happened while Windows was writing system data, leaving the installation corrupted. If your PC has a second drive slot, install Windows on another SSD and connect the original drive afterward so you can copy the files. Do not install Windows onto the problem drive until you have attempted data recovery.
Once your files are safe, reinstall Windows cleanly if repair tools still fail. For the future, keep important documents in at least two locations and consider making a system image after setting everything up. A separate backup drive or cloud copy is much cheaper than trying to recover irreplaceable schoolwork.
The SSD may be failing, or the crash may have corrupted Windows. Avoid reinstalling or formatting for now, because writing new data could overwrite files you need. Ideally, remove the SSD and connect it to another computer with an appropriate USB adapter or enclosure, then copy your important files to an external drive. If BitLocker or other encryption is enabled, you will need the recovery key. After the data is secured, you can try a clean Windows installation or replace the drive if diagnostics show it is failing.
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