While I was playing a game, my computer froze, the speakers started buzzing, my controller disconnected, and the PC rebooted. Since then, it repeatedly cycles through "Preparing Automatic Repair," "Diagnosing your PC," and "Connecting to signal" before restarting again.
I created a Windows 11 USB installer to try repairing the system. It offers either installing Windows 11 or repairing the PC. A fresh installation warns that it will remove all files, apps, and settings, which I cannot risk because I have important schoolwork on the drive. Choosing repair simply returns to the same reboot loop. I can reach an earlier setup screen with installation and command-prompt options, but the command prompt will not open.
The computer is about five years old, though the SSD is only two or three years old. I need the computer for school, and local repair shops would take several days and require an expensive deposit. What is the safest way to recover my files and repair or reinstall Windows without wiping the drive?
3 Answers
The SSD may be failing, or the Windows installation may have become corrupted when the system crashed. Avoid reinstalling or repeatedly booting from that drive until you have copied the important files, because further writes could make recovery harder. The safest approach is to connect the SSD to another working computer with an appropriate USB adapter or install it as a secondary drive, then copy your school files to external storage. After the data is safe, you can try repairing Windows or perform a clean installation. If the drive shows errors or cannot be read reliably, it may need professional data recovery or replacement.
If you can temporarily use another SSD, install Windows on that drive instead of the damaged or possibly corrupted one. Leave the original SSD disconnected during installation, then connect it afterward as a secondary drive and copy your files. This avoids overwriting the original data. If BitLocker or another form of encryption is enabled, you will need the recovery key before the files can be accessed.
Do not choose the option that says it will remove your files unless you have already recovered the data. Windows recovery tools sometimes fail when the system drive is deteriorating, so the USB installer alone may not be enough. Once your files are backed up, replace the drive if necessary, perform a clean installation, reinstall your applications, and set up a regular backup or system-image routine afterward.
The computer is around five years old, but the SSD is only two or three years old. I do not currently have another computer available for testing, although I understand the drive could still have failed.