System crash or computer crash is a common issue that can cause data loss. If you do not have a backup, the situation leaves you annoyed, and you keep searching the web to find answers to why your computer crashed and how to recover files on it, and what the reasons are.
And that’s when you start implementing solutions that can help you recover your lost files on the computer. If you are looking to recover lost or accidentally deleted files on your computer, this article is for you.
How Does Data Loss Happen on a Computer?
Data loss can occur anytime, to anyone, on any device. It is important to understand how it happens so that you can recover your lost files efficiently. Understanding the type of data loss and the potential reason behind it can help in quick recovery.
The data loss can be physical or logical. Though it is difficult to detect the actual cause of hard drive failure unless it is clearly visible, there are a few things that can help you check what can be causing it.
Typically, data loss incidents happen due to physical reasons. When your hard drive falls accidentally on a hard surface or fails all of a sudden due to a hardware component, it indicates physical failure. This can cause data loss.
Having a backup of your computer or iPhone on external storage media or the Cloud is the only sure-shot way to keep data secure. You can restore the corrupted or accidentally deleted files on the computer or iPhone from a backup. Reading online articles can help you learn more about how to backup iPhotos to external hard drive or Cloud storage drives.
Another reason for data loss can be a logical failure that may have happened after you formatted the drive. Accidental deletion can be the most common reason behind data loss. In logical data loss events, the hard drive loses reference to the actual address of the files.
Even though these files are stored on the hard drive itself, they turn inaccessible. The biggest mistake that people usually make after experiencing data loss is that they empty the recycle bin. When data loss happens due to a computer crash, multiple reasons include:
- Power fluctuations
- Damage to internal components
- Overheating problems
- Mishandling of hard drive
- Hard drive errors
- Malware or virus attacks
So if you are worried that your computer crashed how to recover files to retrieve access to data, let’s explore ways to gain access and restore lost data on the computer.
Recover From Boot Menu
When you suddenly get to know about the data loss instance, you try to implement the most basic to highly advanced workaround options. Consider the Last Known Good Configuration option from the Boot Menu.
Changing drive settings can cause your computer to work abnormally; try running this option to fix the persisting issue. It is safe and does not change or delete anything from the computer.
To run this option:
- Start your computer and press F8 repeatedly until the Window logo appears.
- In the Advanced Boot Options window, select the Last Known Good Configuration option and press Enter.
- Wait for the computer to start and try to access the files.
Recover Files Using Safe Mode
Safe mode is often considered diagnostics mode, which aims to detect the root cause of the problem and help fix it. Also known as the software mode, the safe mode is different from the normal mode as it also uploads system-required settings only to fix the issue.
While the safe mode does not allow for recovering the lost files, it can fix any issue that might be making a file inaccessible. For example, if an incompatible app is preventing the file from displaying its content properly or even showing up completely, safe mode can help.
You may also use the safe mode to remove unfunctional security software from the computer. To run into safe mode, enter the Advanced Boot Options, and select Safe Mode. Shut down and restart the computer and check if the files are accessible.
Recover Files Using Disk Management Utility
In case the hard drive is logically damaged, you can use your computer’s built-in tools to recover data. If the hard drive is corrupted or crashed, the data becomes inaccessible. Disk Management Utility is available on Macs and Windows.
Use the Disk Utility to fix corruption errors on your computer. Having a backup can help you restore important files. Using Disk Utility to recover logically damaged hard disks can result in permanent loss of data.
On your Windows computer, press Windows + X keys and tap the Disk Management option. Locate your hard drive in the Disk Management panel. If you are able to locate the hard drive, format it to fix any logical errors.
On your Mac computer, open Spotlight search by pressing down Command + Space keys and open Disk Utility. Now select your hard drive and click First Aid. Once the process completes, your hard drive is repaired, and you can access the files.