How do I do data recovery on my PC?

If the drive is not encrypted you can just plug the drive into another computer, boot from other media or just reload Windows

how do I do it?

As already suggested by Shaun, you could just install Windows on the PC again, telling it to install a fresh copy without formatting your hard drive. Then, once Windows is loaded again, use any tools you like to recover your Documents and Photos etc. That would be the least technical way.

It's obviously faster if you connect the Hard Drive into another computer, providing you're comfortable with digging around with the hardware inside your desktop.

Alternatively, if you're comfortable with using Command Line options, you could just boot into the Win PE environment with a Windows 10 DVD as the boot device, and use DOS commands to copy your documents etc. to an external drive.

There's also bootable Linux type CD's you could download to boot with and then have a GUI similar to File Explorer in Windows to copy files from the hard disk to an external drive without needing to open your desktop.

Many different ways to skin this cat. What is your level of Technical expertise?

> telling it to install a fresh copy without formatting your hard drive. Then, once Windows is loaded again, use any tools you like to recover your Documents and Photos etc. That would be the least technical way.

sorry, that’s a wrong procedure. if you first renisntall OS then the data to be recovered (corrupt or deleted files) will be highly likely ruined at all though you choose to keep existing documents and photos.

the most safe way is to remove the drive and use it as a secondary drive another working PC. or, at least boot the PC from a Windows PE on USB. then run undelete utility to find out the missing or corrupt files.

regarding the Windows 10 having critical problems after recent update, you may choose to restore the system status back to a time point before the recent update.

The OS is "corrupt" not the files

sorry, that’s a wrong procedure.

Funny that you say that, as I've done it myself several times over the years. Just because Windows is corrupt due to a failed update install doesn't mean user files were affected at all. Installing a second copy of Windows to available HD space is a trivial task. Why do you say it's a wrong procedure?

regarding the Windows 10 having critical problems after recent update, you may choose to restore the system status back to a time point before the recent update.

Wouldn't that need a functioning copy of Windows to boot into first?

> recover the data (documents and photos)

if the author does mean “recover”, that means to repair corrupt docuement and photos or undelete  missing data files. if this is the case, reinstalling Windows may cause significant changes (file rewrite) on the disk having corrupt files.

as the author also mentions that Windows 10 is corrupt, i guess the author might actually mean “back up the data” instead of “recover the data”?

please clarify. thanks.

The data is currently not available.  I tried to do a transfer of a couple of the folders of data and it was as slow as molasses in January...35 minutes for 48 MB of files.  This is not normal.  Also, on a regular basis there is an error message that keeps popping up...explorer error message.  You can click cancel but it keeps coming back.  I just want to be sure that I have the files...important photos and documents.  I think it best to err on the side of caution.  Remove the drive from the PC, connect it to a working PC and then transfer the files to a USB memory stick and then reinstall Windows 10.  The Files can then be transferred back to the fresh copy of Windows 10.   What do you think?
Capreol

Remove the drive from the PC, connect it to a working PC and then transfer the files to a USB memory stick and then reinstall Windows 10.  The Files can then be transferred back to the fresh copy of Windows 10.   What do you think?

Sounds like the way to go to me as well Capreol. I'd also suggest making an image of the drive asap using something like Macrium Reflect Free just to be on the safe side as well. Then if things go belly up with the drive itself, at least you'll have something to fallback on.
Regards, Andrew

>>   I tried to do a transfer of a couple of the folders of data  <<  <hat method did you use??
please tell us, other wise we don't know what to sugggest

I tried with Windows Explorer...right click on the file and click send to.  It started but looked like it was going to take 40 minutes for 45 MB.
Basically, the progress bar did not move.  Also 10 or more clicks of the mouse to get those context menus to open up.   Windows is corrupted!

Windows is corrupted!

as mentioned above, the most safe way is to remove the internal drive and use it as a secondary drive on another working PC. or, at least boot the PC from a Windows PE on USB. then run undelete utility to find out the missing or corrupt files.

Basically, the progress bar did not move.  Also 10 or more clicks of the mouse to get those context menus to open up.   Windows is corrupted!

Removal of the drive and accessing it on another computer to copy the files from will likely solve that problem. Give it a shot, it's the quickest way if you're comfortable with installing HDDs.

Alternatively, try booting the machine with something like a Knoppix Live System CD, DVD or USB Thumb Drive and use that to copy your files from the affected disk.

ah it looks like either your explorer is not working, or your disk is kaput
you have to test from a live cd, like Knoppix, or hook your drive to a working pc, as said

Thanks to all the experts who participated.  
capreol

Thank you and I was happy to help

Hi Capreol,

Not sure if you still have the issue, but there are a couple of things you can try -

1. If you have a spare computer, you can extract this Hard Disk and use an enclosure like this and attach it to another computer/Laptop. And take your backup, format HDD, and reinstall OS when HDD is back in the desktop box;

2. If you are comfortable with creating Bootable USBs and Booting up with them, you can create a USB using - http://sergeistrelec.ru/ (Russian site, translate using the Translate site option). Use this USB to boot from, and attach another portable HDD on USB and copy data TO that DISK FROM the Main HDD.

Refer to the site HERE to integrate this with All In One Boot Manager.

3. If you have data on this HDD which is NOT in the documents location, you can easily go and (re)install the OS and your data should be available where you left it.

Also, it is a good idea to have a backup strategy and be secure and prepared for events like these, start planning this today!

Let me know if you need any further guidance on the same, or if anything does not make sense.

CK