How to Recover Data from a Dead Laptop Hard Drive in Windows 10/8/7

• Difficulty Level: Easy.
• Reading Time: 2-4 minutes.
• BEST FOR: All levels of Windows users, particularly beginners.
• Applies To: Recovering files from a non-functional laptop, retrieving data from a damaged laptop, accessing files from a laptop that won't turn on, and broken computer hard drive data recovery.

If your computer or laptop suddenly becomes unable to boot, crashes, or stops working, don't worry about losing your data. There are two solutions available for immediately retrieving data from a dead laptop hard drive in Windows 10/8/7/XP, etc.:

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For Mac users, please refer to: How to Recover Files from a Dead Mac Computer for assistance.

Can I Recover Files from a Dead Laptop

"How do I retrieve files from a dead laptop hard drive? My one-year-old Toshiba laptop has stopped working. Initially, I assumed it was a faulty power cord, but it seems to be an internal issue. Before the battery drained completely, I couldn't manage to save all my old files. Is there a way to recover those files? Can I connect the old hard drive to my new laptop? The old laptop doesn't turn on at all. Any advice would be appreciated."

There are many unwelcome scenarios that may prevent users from booting up their laptops properly or accessing hard drive data normally. So, how do you recover data from a dead laptop? First, you need to determine if your laptop is actually dead.

Is your laptop truly dead or not?

Before attempting to fix a broken laptop or recover data from a dead laptop hard drive, it's crucial to determine whether your laptop or computer is truly "DEAD."

"Dead" typically refers to a range from completely non-functional to no display. Here's a checklist of symptoms for a dead laptop or computer to help you diagnose the issue:

• The computer screen turns black but is still running, or displays a blue screen.
• A laptop's hard drive fails to boot up entirely.
• The computer is physically damaged or broken.

Can you retrieve files like photos from a non-functional laptop? How to extract files from a dead laptop In the following section, we will guide you on fixing the laptop hard drive failure issue and efficiently retrieve data from the deceased computer.

Part 1: How to Recover Data from a Dead Laptop Hard Drive

Applies to: Recover data from a dead laptop hard drive, retrieve data from a computer that won't boot or displays a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) error.

When your computer is dead or unable to boot up, it's crucial to retrieve the data from the hard drive initially. You have two options for doing this:

1. #1. Recover Data from Dead Laptop Hard Drive with Hard Drive Recovery Software - Easy
2. #2. Transfer Data from a Dead Laptop Hard Drive to a New PC - Medium

IMPORTANT: For an easy and efficient hard drive recovery solution, opt for Method 1. If you don't wish to use hard drive recovery software, you can attempt Method 2 to retrieve data from the dead laptop hard drive.

Method 1: Recover Files from a Non-Bootable Dead Laptop

Applies to: Recover files from a laptop that won't turn on in Windows 10/8/7, XP, and even Vista.

Best for: An unbootable laptop or a computer that won't start, but is still repairable.

Data Recovery Wizard Tools can effortlessly retrieve data from a damaged laptop or computer hard drive. This software enables you to boot the non-functional laptop from a WinPE environment bootable disk, run the bootable data recovery software, and scan and recover files from the dead laptop with just a few clicks.

Pros: The bootable disk can work to recover data from a dead laptop in Windows 10/8/7, XP, Vista.

Preparations: 1. An empty USB flash drive; 2. Download and install the software on another functioning computer.

< strong > Process : 1. Create a bootable disk on the USB. 2. Boot the non-functional PC from the bootable USB. 3. Recover data from the dead laptop's hard drive.

接下来，看看如何创建可引导磁盘以及如何从损坏的笔记本电脑硬盘中获取文件：

Step 1. Create a bootable disk

Launch the tool Data Recovery Wizard, choose "Crashed PC Recovery", and click "Go to Recover".

Choose an empty USB to create the bootable drive and click "Create".

Warning: When creating a bootable disk, the Data Recovery Wizard will erase all data stored on the USB drive. Back up important data beforehand.

Step 2. Boot your computer from the bootable USB drive

Connect the bootable disk to the PC that won't start up, and then alter the computer's boot sequence in BIOS. For most users, this typically involves restarting their computer and pressing F2 simultaneously to enter BIOS.

Set the PC to boot from "Removable Devices" (bootable USB drive) before the hard drive. Press "F10" to save and exit.

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Step 3. Recover data from a crashed system/PC

After booting from the Tools Data Recovery Wizard bootable disk, select the drive you wish to scan to locate all your lost files. Preview and recover the files you need to a secure location.

By following these steps, you'll be able to recover your lost data from a dead or failed laptop hard drive, and most importantly, without needing any technical expertise!

Method 2: Transfer Data from a Dead Laptop Hard Drive to a New PC

Applies to: Connect and transfer data from a dead laptop hard drive to another laptop/computer, self-diagnosis and troubleshooting.

Best for: A completely dead computer that was physically damaged or broken and irreparable.

There's also a group of people who enjoy DIY troubleshooting, so here it is. Note that you'll need a second computer running a healthy operating system to do this. This method works on both Windows and Mac computers.

Pros: Free.

Preparations: 1. A screwdriver; 2. A new computer; 3. A hard drive connection cable (USB 3.0 or SATA cable).

Process: Remove the failed hard drive from the laptop > Install or connect the hard drive to a new computer > Retrieve or transfer data from the hard drive.

Option 1: Transfer Files from Dead Laptop Hard Drive to New PC Manually:

Here's how to extract data from a damaged computer or dead laptop hard drive on a new PC:

Step 1. Remove the hard drive from the dead laptop.

Use a screwdriver to unlock your dead laptop's case, unplug the hard drive cable, and remove the drive.

Step 2. Install or connect the hard drive to your new computer.

If your new computer supports adding a second hard drive, open the case and install it as a new drive using a SATA cable and a power cable.

If the new computer doesn't have a second drive bay, you can connect the drive externally to your new PC using a USB 3.0 cable.

Step 3. Restart your PC and enable the hard drive in the new computer if it's installed as a secondary disk.

(Jump to Step 4 if your old laptop's hard drive is connected externally to your new computer.)

Replace the computer case and restart the computer. Press F2/F11/Del to enter BIOS, then navigate to "Advanced" > "IDE Configuration" > Select "Configure SATA" and press Enter.

In the SATA Option menu, select "AHCI" and save the changes.

Step 4. Now restart your new computer, and you can open the hard drive in File Explorer to view its files.

If there are any errors on the disk, immediately copy and transfer the files to your desktop computer or another secure drive.

Note that if you've followed all the steps above, but the hard drive is still inaccessible, you can seek assistance from the tool "Data Recovery Wizard."

If you find this method helpful, share it on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms!

Option 2: How to Retrieve Data from a Dead Laptop's Hard Drive on a New Computer

When you can't visit or access saved data on the dead laptop hard drive at all in the new computer's File Explorer, you might first use reliable tools like Data Recovery Wizard to retrieve files from the drive.

You can simply use the software to scan and locate all data from the inaccessible drive.

Step 1. Select the drive where you lost your data and click "Scan".

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Step 2. After the scan is complete, use "Filter" or "Search" to locate the lost files.

Step 3. Select all the files you wish to recover and click "Recover". Then, navigate to a different secure location to save them.

After this, remember to save the recovered data to another secure location and then format the hard drive back to NTFS (usable) format. If the disk still has other issues, you can try the following solutions:

• Repair Corrupted Hard Drive
• Fix Hard Drive Not Spinning
• Hard Drive Won't Power Up
• Fix Hard Drive Not Showing Up/Detected

You can also watch this video tutorial to learn how to recover data from the hard drive.

Method 3: Utilize Laptop Hard Disk Data Recovery Services

If neither Method 1 nor Method 2 works, you haven't been able to retrieve any files from your problematic hard drive. In this case, you might need to seek assistance from a reliable laptop data recovery service.

Here, you can try using a data recovery service like Tool Data Recovery, or contact a local disk repair center for data retrieval.

Tools Data Recovery Services

Click here to contact our experts for a free evaluation

Consult with Tools Data Recovery Experts for personalized manual recovery assistance. After a FREE diagnosis, we can provide the following services:

• Repair corrupted RAID configurations, unbootable Windows operating system, and damaged virtual disk files (.vmdk, .vhd, .vhdx, etc.)
• Recover or repair lost partitions and reformatted drives
• Undeformat hard drives and fix raw drives (including BitLocker encrypted drives)
• Resolve disks that have become GPT protected partitions

Part 2. Fix Laptop After Restoring Data from Dead Hard Drive

Applies to: Fix dead laptop issue, repair "dead" hard drive from BSOD error, etc.

After retrieving data from the deceased laptop hard drive, you can attempt the following remedies to get your computer functioning normally again.

If your computer is experiencing the following issues, you can attempt the solutions below to revive your "dead" laptop or computer and make it bootable again:

• ⭐The laptop starts up, but displays a black screen or a Blue Screen of Death error.
• ⭐The computer fails to boot due to a system error.
• ⭐The computer is malfunctioning.

Here, you'll find respective solutions to fix your problematic dead laptop on your own, addressing various issues:

1. #1. Repair BSOD Error on a Non-Working Laptop
2. #2. Reinstall Windows on a Dead Laptop
3. #3. Remove the Hard Drive and Purchase a New Computer

#1. Repair a Dead Laptop with a BSOD (Black or Blue Screen) Error

修复出现蓝屏死机错误的笔记本电脑，这个视频教程提供了三个有效的解决方案。

It covers how to fix system file errors, boot issues using a Windows installation disc, repair BCD errors, and uninstall software or drivers in Safe Mode. Watch and follow this video to restore your non-functional laptop to its normal state:

#2. Reinstall Windows to Repair a Dead or Unbootable Laptop

If the laptop stopped working due to an OS crash or system error, you can attempt to reinstall the Windows operating system as a solution to this problem.

For a step-by-step guide, please follow:

• How to Install Windows 10 from USB
• How to Install Windows 10 on GPT Partition

#3. Remove the Hard Drive and Purchase a New Computer

When your computer is malfunctioning or physically damaged, here's the optimal solution for you:

< strong > Step 1. < /strong> Remove the hard drive from your dead laptop or broken computer.

Step 2. Install the disk into a new computer and recover data from the hard drive (as shown in Part 1, Method 2).

Step 3. If necessary, purchase a new computer to replace the old one.

底线

This page lists some symptoms to help you determine whether your laptop is dead or simply unbootable temporarily. Regardless of the cause, your first step should be to retrieve data from the deceased laptop's hard drive.

To accomplish this, you have two options: 1. Use bootable data recovery software tools for assistance; 2. Physically connect the drive to a new computer and transfer the saved data manually.

If you're a beginner or prefer an easier solution, the Tools Data Recovery Wizard with Bootable Media can help.

除了数据恢复解决方案和手动修复之外，将电脑上所有重要文件备份到另一个安全设备也非常重要。这可以在任何时候防止数据丢失问题。

How to Recover Data from a Dead Laptop - Frequently Asked Questions

Here are 4 additional questions regarding data recovery from a non-functional laptop. Find the answers here.

< strong >1. Can you retrieve files from a dead laptop?

You can retrieve data from a non-functional laptop using several approaches. One method is to place the laptop's hard drive into an external enclosure, enabling you to access and recover your data. Alternatively, you can use specialized data recovery software, such as the Data Recovery Wizard tool.

**2. How do I recover data from a dead computer?**

Remove the hard disk from the affected computer and connect it to a functioning PC. To use it as an external hard drive, plug it into a hard drive adapter, like a SATA to USB converter, or insert it into an external hard drive casing. If your PC supports the PATA/IDE 3.0 interface, connect the hard disk using the appropriate cable. Then, launch Disk Management.

3. How do I retrieve data from an unbootable laptop?

1. Disconnect all cables, and then reconnect them.
2. Restart the system after removing the RAM.
3. Install a new BIOS chip.
4. Use the BIOS recovery options.
5. Repair boot files using the Windows installation CD.
6. Connect the hard disk to a different, new laptop or computer.

4. How do I retrieve data from a non-functional computer?

1. Remove the hard drive from the old computer. Turn off the power supply.
2. Connect the new computer's hard drive.
3. There are several methods to transfer applications, files, and accounts from the old disk, such as recovery or migration. Launch the Todo PCTrans tool after downloading it.