I'm a complete beginner with a Lenovo Legion Pro 7i running Windows 11, a 13th-generation Intel Core i9-13900HX, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU, and Intel UHD graphics. I've been getting frequent HYPERVISOR_ERROR blue screens and was told that reinstalling Windows might help. I recently bought a Samsung T7 external SSD and have never backed up my files before. How do I copy everything important to the external drive, verify that the backup actually works, and reinstall Windows 11 without accidentally losing my files?
4 Answers
Use a separate USB flash drive to create the Windows 11 installation media rather than using the backup SSD. After backing up your files, boot from the installer and choose a custom installation only if you’re comfortable identifying the correct internal drive and deleting its partitions. If you use the built-in reset option, read every screen carefully; the option to keep personal files is not a substitute for a real backup, and installed programs and settings will still be removed.
Before reinstalling anything, copy your personal folders—Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Pictures, Videos, and anything else you created—to the external SSD. Also check for browser bookmarks, saved game files, application data, and any files stored outside those folders. Open several copied files directly from the SSD to confirm the backup works. A reinstall can wipe the internal system drive, so do not assume your files will be preserved.
Do not erase the original files until you have confirmed the backup. Ideally, keep a second copy of anything irreplaceable because one external drive can also fail. You can reinstall Windows afterward, then copy your files back manually and reinstall your applications from their official sources.
A HYPERVISOR_ERROR does not automatically mean the CPU is faulty, and reinstalling Windows may not solve a hardware problem. Bad drivers, unstable memory, BIOS issues, virtualization software, or corrupted system files can also cause it. Before doing a clean install, check the crash dumps, update Windows and Lenovo drivers, and run a memory test—ideally letting it run for several passes or overnight. If the crashes continue in a fresh installation, hardware support or warranty service may be appropriate.
I’m not familiar with Hyper-V or virtualization software. How can I tell whether I’m using any of that?