My laptop will not boot: did I lose my files?
Stay calm first: even if Windows is dead, the hard drive is usually still readable. No panic moves.
Try this first
- 1Try power-on-power-off a few times. On Windows 10/11 three cycles trigger Recovery mode. "Startup repair" there often works.
- 2Does OneDrive or another cloud sync run on this laptop? Most data is probably already online. Open OneDrive on another PC or phone.
- 3No cloud backup and still no boot? Stop experimenting. Each extra boot attempt can worsen data loss if the disk is hardware-flaky.
- 4Set the laptop aside. Do not open it, do not reset it. A specialist pulls the drive and reads it externally.
When to bring us in
For data recovery from a dead laptop: bring it in or ship it. We handle soft cases ourselves and have a fixed partner for hard disk damage. No guarantees but often doable.
See also
- We have backups but we do not know if they workA backup that cannot be restored is not a backup. Testing matters as much as taking the backup.
- Suspected ransomware: what to do RIGHT NOWThe first 30 minutes are critical. One wrong move spreads the damage. Read before acting.
- Someone accidentally deleted an important folderUsually fine to recover. The trick: do not save anything new on that drive until you know how.
None of the above fits?
Describe your situation below. We pass your input plus the steps you already saw to our AI and return tailored next-step advice. If it's too risky to DIY, we'll say so.
Or skip the DIY entirely
Our Managed IT clients do not look these things up. One point of contact, a fixed monthly price, resolved within working hours.