Fixed: Windows 10 Freezing While Copying Files with No Data Loss

Applies to: Solving the 'Windows 10 freezing/stuck while copying files' error without losing data.

Please provide the English content you would like translated, and I'll promptly translate it into Chinese for you.

• If you've lost files or data due to Windows 10 freezing while copying, a professional data recovery tool like Data Recovery Wizard can help restore all your lost files. • If you're trying to fix the issue of Windows 10 getting stuck while copying files, read on, and you'll find reliable solutions for this problem.

Issue: System hangs and freezes when copying files in Windows 11 or Windows 10

According to Microsoft Community forums and Google search results, Windows 10, 8, and 7 are prone to getting stuck or freezing while copying files to another hard drive or external storage device, as shown below:

Scenario 1: Windows 10 Freezes When Copying Files from D: Drive to E: Drive

"While copying files from D: to E: drive, Windows 10 often freezes and all programs stop responding. I was trying to move the files saved on D: drive to E:. There are about 6 GB of files saved on the D: drive. Now, Windows 10 has completely frozen. Is there any way to fix this issue without losing any data?"

Scenario 2: Windows 10 gets stuck when copying files from PC to external device:

"My Windows 10 computer freezes when copying files from PC to an external hard drive. Are there any solutions for this issue?"

If you encounter this issue, please follow the steps below to resolve it without losing any files.

Fix for Windows 11/Windows 10 System Freeze or File Copy Error

Here, you will find two quick fixes and three manual methods to get rid of this error and ensure a smooth file transfer experience on Windows 10:

Two Quick Fixes

1. Stop the file copy process, and then try again.

If Windows 10 gets stuck right after it starts copying files, you can stop the process and try again:

Step 1: Click on the "Cancel" button on the progress bar or the close button in the upper-right corner.

Step 2: Click Yes to confirm that you want to stop the copy process.

Step 3: Select the files you wish to copy and save them to your target hard drive or external storage device.

Wait for the file copy process to finish in Windows 10.

# 2. Stop Programs and Services That Freeze Windows 10 While Copying Files

Step 1: Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete, and then choose Task Manager.

Step 2: Choose the running programs and services that are using high CPU or disk usage.

Step 3: Click "End Task" to finish the process.

This will stop any programs and services that might be consuming too much CPU or disk resources, causing the Windows freeze issue. After that, try copying the file to another drive again.

If the transfer gets stuck when copying files to an external storage device, make sure that the power source and USB cable are properly connected.

Three Manual Methods

Method 1: Checking for Bad Sectors on Your Hard Drive or External Storage Device

When a hard drive or external storage device has too many bad sectors, it can become extremely slow or even freeze when performing certain operations on a Windows PC.

With the help of a free partition manager with surface test feature – AOMEI Partition Assistant Free Edition, you can check for bad sectors on your hard drive or other storage device.

Step 1: Launch MiniTool Partition Wizard. Right-click on the hard drive you wish to check and select “Surface Test”.

Step 2: The operation will start immediately, and all bad sectors will be marked in red.

After that, you can check for bad sectors and then decide how to deal with bad sectors on your hard drive:

- If the first sector of the drive is marked as bad, the entire disk is damaged. You will not be able to perform any operations on the disk. - If the number of existing bad sectors exceeds 10% of the existing data on the device, it might hang while running programs or performing operations on the disk. - To resolve this issue, it's recommended that you upgrade to a new disk from the old one.

Method 2: Disable Remote Differential Compression and Turn Off Thumbnails

# 1. Disable remote differential compression:

Step 1: Type “Turn Windows features on or off” in the search box, and open it.

Step 2: Deselect “Enable compression on the remote computer,” and then click OK. Finally, restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

# 2. Speed up file copying in Windows by disabling thumbnail previews:

Step 1: Open File Explorer and click on "View."

Step 2: Click on “Options,” which opens a new dialog box called “Folder Options.”

Step 3: Click on “View,” check the box next to “Always show icons, never thumbnails,” and then click “Apply” and “OK” to disable the thumbnail feature.

Method 3: Check and Remove the Desktop.ini File

In most cases, the Desktop.ini file is small and invisible. However, if the Desktop.ini file is unusually large – over 100 MB – it can slow down your device.

You can also try to check and remove the Desktop.ini file:

Step 1: Open File Explorer, go to the “View” tab, and click on “Options.”

Step Two: Click the "View" tab in Folder Options.

Check the “Show hidden files, folders, or drives” box and uncheck “Hide protected operating system files.” Click “OK” to confirm.

Step 3: Next, locate and examine the Desktop.ini file. If it's larger than 100 MB, delete it, then restart your computer.

After you complete this process, try copying the files to another storage device again on your Windows 10 PC.

Additional Tip: How to Recover Lost Files If Copying Fails in Windows 10/11

If you lost your files after "Windows freezing while copying files" or "Windows 10 fails to copy files," don't worry. A professional data recovery software from tool software can effectively help you resolve the issue with simple steps:

Step 1: Choose a location and start scanning.

Launch the Data Recovery Wizard, select the partition where you lost your data, and click “Scan”.

Step 2: Filter and preview files

Please use the file type filter on the left or in the top-right corner to locate the file you need. Then, you can click on the "Preview" button or double-click the file to review its content.

Step 3: Recover Lost Data or Files

Check the box next to the lost file, then click “Recover” to restore the data to a secure location.

In summary, on this page, you found out about two quick fixes and three manual methods to solve the issue of Windows 10 getting stuck or hung while copying files.

When you lose files on your Windows computer due to failed file copy, accidental deletion, formatting, or other reasons, the Data Recovery Wizard tool is always there to help you get your files back.