How To Repair Windows 10 Without Losing Data (2024)

Is your Windows 10 system giving you a headache with unexpected errors, crashes, or performance issues?

When your PC is damaged like this, losing important data is a big fear. It can have financial ramifications if you lose work and a personal impact if cherished photos and videos go missing.

However, by following these top tips, you can easily rescue your Windows 10 installation while keeping files, programs, and other data intact.

1. Identify the problem to repair

It’s easy to recognize when Windows 10 is corrupted. You get system crashes or freezes, applications that fail to launch or crash during use, slow and sluggish performance, and the appearance of error messages during system operations or startup.

You may also encounter difficulties accessing files or folders, frequent Blue Screen of Death (BSoD) errors, and other unusual system behavior.

However, identifying the cause can be trickier.

• Is it hardware? – Perform hardware diagnostics to check the health of your computer’s components, such as Windows Memory Diagnostic or the CHKDSK (check disk) command. Many manufacturers provide their own diagnostic tools, or you can use third-party software. E.g., Fortect will give a hardware summary including core temps, in case something is overheating.
• Is it software? – Conflicting software or incompatible drivers can lead to system corruption. Uninstall recently installed programs or drivers that might be causing conflicts. You can do this through Add/Remove Programs and the Device Manager.
• Check the error messages – Take note of any error messages or codes that appear on your screen. These messages can provide valuable information about the specific issue or error. E.g., which DLL is missing or why the BSoD is occurring.
• Check event logs – Windows Event Viewer logs system events and errors. Check the Event Viewer to identify any recurring error messages or warnings that may shed light on the cause of the corruption. Look for events that coincide with the time of system issues.
• Perform an antivirus scan – Many Windows 10 problems can be traced back to undetected malware and viruses. Perform a full system scan with Windows’ built-in defender and a reputable third-party antivirus program. However, removing malware doesn’t necessarily fix the damage.

2. Backup your data before repairing

Before doing any deep repairs, it is always wise to back up your files and data. That way, if something does go wrong, you can still restore things at a later date. You should do a backup immediately if your hard drive is showing signs of failing.

2.1 Use the built-in backup feature

1. Connect an external hard drive or use a network location to store your backup.
2. Go to Settings, select Update & Security, and then click on Backup in the left sidebar.
3. Click on Add a drive and choose the external drive you want to use for backup.
4. Toggle the Automatically back up my files switch to On. You can also click on More options to customize backup settings like backup frequency and which folders to include.

2.2 Create a system image backup

1. Connect an external hard drive with sufficient storage capacity.
2. Go to Control Panel by searching for it in the Start menu.
3. In Control Panel, select Backup and Restore (Windows 7). This still works for Windows 10.
4. In the left sidebar, click on Create a system image and select the destination drive where you want to save the backup.
5. Choose the drives you want to include in the system image backup and start the backup process. This creates a snapshot of your entire system, including the operating system, programs, and files.

2.3 Use third-party backup software

Many third-party backup software options are available, offering more advanced features and flexibility.

Typically, you’ll need to select the files or folders you want to back up and specify the destination drive or cloud storage for the backup.

Customize any additional settings such as backup schedule, encryption, and compression options.

3. Run the System File Checker while keeping data

If there isn’t a physical hardware issue and malware has been removed, it’s time to repair Windows. The first step is to try the in-built SFC tool. This scans for missing or damaged system files and replaces them without losing personal files or settings.

1. Type cmd into the Windows Search bar and select the Command Prompt app. Choose Run as administrator if you are on a secondary user account.
2. Simply type the following command and wait for the process to complete: sfc /scannow

4. Use a Windows repair tool without losing data

Good Windows repair software like Fortect can apply complex fixes without wiping any data, Fortect quickly scans for corrupted or missing system files and replaces them from a constantly updated repository of fresh Windows files.

1. Download and Install Fortect on your computer.
2. Open Fortect and accept the scan, which quickly detects all Windows problems.
3. Click Start Repair to repair everything, including corrupted system files and broken registry entries.
4. Wait for the process to complete and restart your PC if prompted.

One of Fortect’s key benefits over native Windows utilities is it can repair the registry automatically, so you never have to risk editing it yourself and causing more damage.

5. Use a Restore Point and keep personal files

System Restore will not affect your personal data files such as documents, photos, music, and videos. However, it can change system settings and other changes you have made to the operating system after the restore point.

1. To choose a restore point on Windows 10, type restore into the start menu search bar and open the Create a restore point
2. Click the System Restore button in the properties window and follow the prompts to choose a restore point.

6. Reinstall Windows but keep the files

A clean install will erase all of the system data on your computer and install a fresh copy of Windows. This is the most drastic solution, but it is also the most effective way to fix a corrupted Windows system.

To reset Windows but keep your files, follow these steps:

1. Go to Settings, select Update & Security, then chooseRecovery.
2. Under Reset this PC click Get started.
3. Under Choose what to keep select Keep my files.
4. Click Reset and wait for the process to complete.

Windows will then reinstall and keep your personal files intact. However, all of your installed applications will be removed.

When Windows 10 Won’t Boot: Advanced Boot Options

Sometimes your system can be so damaged that it won’t boot to the desktop. You can fix this by holding F8 before the Windows logo appears to enter Advanced Boot Options. From here you can choose a restore point, run the Command Prompt to use the SFC tool, or boot in Safe Mode where you can use Fortect.

You can also try Startup Repair, which will attempt to automatically fix start-up problems, allowing you to get back to the desktop and run other repair tools.

As a last resort, you can reinstall Windows using boot media choosing the Upgrade option. This will keep your files, settings, and applications intact.

When Windows 10 starts to fail, you may be tempted to start from scratch, wipe your drive, and install a brand-new copy of Windows. However, with a bit of troubleshooting, you can recover from most errors without losing any data at all.

Tools like Fortect repair corrupted system files, registry entries, missing DLLs, and other problems automatically, so you never lose data again.