4 Top Ways | Recover Data from Hard Disk Without OS

You may feel hopeless when encountering an unbootable or crashing Windows OS. Is there a way to quickly read/access hard drive data without Windows OS? How to recover data from hard disk without OS?

If your operating system is crashed or unbootale, you will not be able to access hard drive data without OS unless you connect it to another computer or access it from a bootable media.

Don’t worry, in this article, we provide you with 4 top methods and guide you step by step on how to recover data from hard drive without OS. In addition, the way to backup data from hard disk without OS is included.

Way 1. Recover Hard Disk Data on Another Computer

If the Windows operating system is damaged, the hard drive won’t boot. In this case, you can simply remove the hard drive from the dead computer and connect it to another computer. Be careful when removing the drive from the system; otherwise, you may damage your drive and its data.

👉 Use a SATA USB cable to connect the hard disk to another computer through a USB port. If you can access hard drive data normally, continue backing up the hard drive data.

Way 2. Recover Data from Hard Disk Without OS (Faster)🔥

Another effective way to access hard drive and recover data without Windows OS is to create a bootable disk to boot the hard drive from a bootable USB drive. Here, it is highly recommended to use powerful and reliable hard disk data recovery MyRecover. It enables you to recover data from hard disk without OS by loading the Windows PE.

MyRecover

Crashed Computer Data Recovery Software

• Support many data loss situations. Such as accidental deletion, formatted disks, virus attacks, system/computer crash recovery, etc.
• Recover lost Word document, Excel, PPT, PDF, PPTX, ODP, CSV, WPS files, and other 200+ file formats with 3 simple steps.
• With its advanced scanning methods, you can find as many files as possible and recover them completely without losing content and quality.
• Search, filter and preview the files you need and recover them while scanning, saving your time.
• Work with NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, and ReFS in Windows 11/10/8/7/Server. 
• Recover 500MB of files for free

Download Software
Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7& Windows Server

100% Secure

Part 1. Create a Bootable Media

To access and recover data from hard disk without OS, please follow the steps below.

1. Run MyRecover on the working computer, and click "Crashed PC Recovery".

2. Select a blank USB or CD/DVD bootable disk to create a boot drive and click "Execute".

3. When you create a bootable USB drive, it will erase all data saved in the USB drive. Please back up important data beforehand. Then click Yes.

4. The creation operation will run and you can check it. The process will take a several minutes.

5. You will see a success message and be notified of the steps to boot from a bootable disk. Then, start recover data from hard disk bootable USB media.

Boot your computer from the bootable USB

1. Connect the bootable media to the PC. Restart the computer. If the computer is off, power it on.

2. As the computer starts up, press one of the following keys: F12, F2, F10, F11, Del, or Esc to access the boot menu.

3. In the boot menu, you will see a list of devices you can boot from. Use the arrow keys to navigate and change the boot sequence. Select the bootable USB drive from the list and press Enter to confirm.

4. Save the changes by pressing F10 and exit the boot menu.  Your computer will now boot from the USB drive.

Part 2. Recover Data from a Crashed Compter/System

1. After booting from USB, hover the mouse over the drive, and click Scan.

2. It will initiate a scan of your chosen hard drive. Use the Search or the Filter feature for a swift identification of the desired data.

• Type: Select the file type (Documents, Images, Videos, Audio, Mails, Webpages, Compressed files, etc.)
• Date modified: Set the date (today, yesterday, last 7/30 days, etc.)
• Size: Filter the file size (<128KB, 128KB~1MB, 1MB~ 512MB, 512MB above, etc.)

3. Upon identifying the required data, select them and click "Recover x files" to restore hard drive data. Then, opt for a new location to store the recovered files.

Way 3. Use Command Prompt to Copy Hard Drive

Try to boot Windows from the bootable USB drive or disc that is create by Window Media Creation Tool. You can copy all files and folders on the hard drive using the Windows Command Prompt.

Step 1. Connect the Windows installation media like bootable USB drive to your PC. When the PC is not on, hold down the F9/F12 key, and then press the power button to enter Windows RE. Click Next.

Step 2. On the install Windows screen, click Repair your computer.

Step 3. Choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.

Step 4. In the Command Prompt window, type command: robocopy C:\tools D:\backup\tools /e. Then, restart the system.

Way 4. Freeze the Hard Drive

If your system is heating up and you can feel the computer surface being hot, try cooling the hard drive. Overheating of the hard drive can also cause the computer to fail to start. You could do:

Step 1. Carefully remove the hard drive. Wrap it in a waterproof and moisture-proof case or package and place it in a cold environment.

Step 2. Cool to near zero temperature and remove the hard drive.

Step 3. Connect to a working computer and check if you can access it.

How to Backup Data Without Booting into Windows 10

To prevent data loss, backup is always the safest and easiest way to recover your data in case of data loss. Therefore, it is necessary to backup data from hard disk without OS.

We recommend an easy-to-use backup software - AOMEI Backupper Standard that allows you to copy important files from hard drives and partitions, or back up entire files. 

To backup data from hard drive without OS, first you need to download and install this software on another working PC.

Insert the USB drive into your computer and launch AOMEI Backupper, go to Tools > Create Bootable Media, and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the rest of the steps. A bootable USB is capable of booting any version of OS. 

Next, unplug the bootable USB you just created and insert it into the computer you want to back up data from. Boot your computer from the USB drive and it will display the main interface of AOMEI Backupper. After that, follow the steps below to back up data from your hard drive.

Step 1. Click Backup on the left > click Disk Backup to backup all data on the hard drive. Or, choose File Backup to backup certain files or folders.

Step 2. Click Add disk and choose the hard disk you want to back up > specify the backup location.

Step 3. Click Add.

Tips for Using the Operating System

1️⃣ Handle your hard drive with care: Avoid excessive and extreme temperature use of the hard drive to ensure a longer service life.

2️⃣ Monitor hard drive health: Use monitoring software to keep an eye on the health of your hard drive.

3️⃣ Keep your system updated: Update your operating system regularly and clean unnecessary files for a smooth experience.

4️⃣ Use safe software: Only install software from trusted sources to prevent problems with your system.

5️⃣ Solve system problems promptly: Repair Windows quickly when disk boot failure problems occur to prevent further damage.

Summary

Although it can be troublesome to face a PC that won't boot. There are still 4 practical ways to quickly access hard drive data and recover data from hard drive without OS. Always remember that MyRecover is your reliable friend who can recover data from dead hard drives as well as recover the data from corrupted os. Download it for free and enjoy its convenience!

Moreover, in this article, you also learn how to backup data without booting into Windows 10. When you meet such a system crash problem, it is important to make files/folders/disk/system backup automatically using free backup software like AOMEI Backupper Standard.

FAQs