How To Repair Windows Without Losing Data or Programs

When your computer slows down, programs start to crash, or the Blue Screen of Death appears, it’s time to repair Windows.

However, with so many in-built tools and third-party repair software, it’s hard to know what to choose. And, what if you want to keep all of your personal files, data, software, and settings?

Fortunately, as long as you aren’t experiencing advanced hard drive failure, it’s certainly possible to repair Windows and not lose anything or limit what is lost.

How do I repair Windows without losing data?

Windows has several built-in repair tools that you can use to fix common issues.

1. Use System File Checker (SFC) – A tool to repair missing or corrupted system files

1. Type cmd in the Windows Search bar, then select Run as administrator from the results.
2. In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter: sfc /scannow
3. If SFC finds any corrupt or missing files, it will attempt to repair them automatically.

2. Perform a Startup Repair – A tool to fix booting problems

1. Restart your computer and hold F8 before Windows starts.
2. When you see Advanced Boot Options, select Startup Repair.
3. When the process is complete, your system will reboot again.

Both of these are less invasive than reinstalling Windows and you do not need an installation disc or bootable media.

However, they are also restricted in their ability to fix all Windows problems.

3. Use System Restore

Using a restore point is a quick and effective way to reverse new errors on Windows while limiting what is lost.

When you create a restore point, it takes a snapshot of system files, Windows settings, the registry, and installed programs at that specific time. When you restore your system, it simply goes back to that state.

You get to keep:

• All personal files, such as documents, images, videos, and third-party installers.

However, you will lose:

• Recently installed software, programs, user settings, and device drivers.

It works on the premise that something new to the system caused the problem, so going back to a previous state will fix it.

The catch is that if you didn’t foresee the problem, you probably didn’t create a schedule for restore points in the first place.

System Restore can be accessed by using F8 when booting or by going to Control Panel and selecting Recovery.

4. Reinstall Windows and keep the files

1. Press the Windows key + I to open Settings.
2. Click on Update & Security.
3. Click on Recovery from the left pane.
4. Under Reset this PC, click on Get started.
5. Choose the option to Keep my files.
6. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the reset process.

If a restore point doesn’t repair Windows, the next step is to reinstall Windows with the ‘keep my files’ option.

This process will remove all the installed programs and apps that don’t come with Windows, so you will need to reinstall them after the reset. But you get to keep all personal files.

4. Use a dedicated Windows repair tool

A Windows repair tool like Fortect is the best of both worlds. It can be as good as reinstalling Windows, but you get to keep all your data, files, and programs intact.

You don’t need a Windows installation disc, because it uses a repository of working Windows configurations and files. In total, it has millions of system components on hand to automatically replace any damaged or missing areas of your system.

Fortect can run as normal or in Safe Mode, depending on how broken your computer is.

Here’s all you need to do:

1. Download and install Fortect on your computer.
2. Accept a scan when you first launch the program.
3. Wait just a few minutes to see all problems with Windows.
4. Click through and explore each section or click Start Repair to fully repair Windows.

Conclusion

When your computer is plagued by errors, it may seem impossible to repair it while keeping your data, programs, and files. However, Windows itself has different options to protect some data or even everything on your system.

A tool like Fortect can make the whole process easier and repair your computer so it’s back to optimum performance.