PC won't boot? Learn how to create a USB bootable recovery drive and restore lost or deleted files on Windows 10 – step by step.
When Windows 10 fails to start, conventional data recovery software installed on the affected computer may not be accessible. A bootable recovery environment provides another way to reach the files stored on the computer.
Here are some common situations where Windows 10 bootable data recovery software can be useful.
🎯 Access Files When Windows Won't Boot
If Windows gets stuck during startup, crashes repeatedly, or displays a BSOD, you may not be able to reach the desktop or open File Explorer. Booting from a recovery USB allows you to start a separate environment and access the internal storage without relying on the damaged Windows installation.
🎯 Recover Files from a Crashed Computer
A system crash does not necessarily mean that your personal files have disappeared. If the storage drive is still readable, a bootable recovery environment may be able to scan it for documents, pictures, videos, audio files, and other data.
This makes a bootable USB particularly useful when you need to recover files from an unbootable Windows 10 PC before troubleshooting the operating system.
🎯 Recover Data Without Starting Windows
One of the main advantages of a bootable USB is that the installed operating system does not need to load first. The recovery environment runs from the USB drive, allowing compatible data recovery software to work with the computer's internal storage.
This can be helpful when you're trying to recover files from an unbootable Windows 10 installation.
If your PC won't boot, one practical approach is to create a bootable USB on another working computer and then use it to start the affected PC.
AOMEI FastRecovery is a data recovery tool that can create bootable recovery media and scan storage devices for recoverable files. It supports recovery from various storage devices and provides options for searching, filtering, and previewing files before recovery.
Before starting, you'll need access to another working Windows computer with an internet connection. You should also prepare an empty USB flash drive with at least 8 GB of available space.
🔔 Important: Creating the bootable media may format the USB drive, so backup important files from it before proceeding.
Step 1. Connect the USB flash drive to the working computer and launch AOMEI FastRecovery. From the main interface, select PC Crashed Recovery to begin creating bootable recovery media.
Step 2. Choose the connected USB flash drive as the destination for the bootable disk, then click Create. Make sure you select the correct USB drive because the creation process may erase existing data on the selected device.
💡 Notes:
Step 3. A warning will appear indicating that the selected USB drive needs to be formatted. Review the warning and click Yes to continue if you've already backed up any important files stored on the USB drive.
Step 4. AOMEI FastRecovery will begin preparing the bootable USB drive. The process may take some time depending on the computer and internet connection.
Once the process finishes, safely eject the USB drive from the working computer. You can now use it to start the Windows 10 computer that cannot boot normally.
After creating the recovery USB, connect it to the computer where you need to recover files. The exact boot-menu key varies by manufacturer, so the key may be F12, F2, F10, F11, Del, Esc, or another key.
Step 1. Insert the bootable USB into the unbootable Windows 10 computer and restart it. As the computer starts, repeatedly press the appropriate boot-menu or BIOS/UEFI key. Select the USB flash drive from the available boot devices and press Enter.
💡 Note: If the USB drive doesn't appear, check the BIOS/UEFI boot settings and make sure USB booting is enabled.
Step 2. After the computer loads the recovery environment, AOMEI FastRecovery is launched automatically. Choose Deleted Files Recovery to look for deleted files on a specific partition.
💡 Note: If you need to scan the entire disk for recoverable data, select Disk Data Recovery instead.
Step 3. Locate the drive where your missing files were previously stored. Move the pointer over it and click Scan. AOMEI FastRecovery will perform Quick Scan by default.
Step 4. Once the scan finishes, use the available Search and Filter options to narrow down the results. You can filter files based on:
Step 5. Select the files you want to restore and click Recover.
💡 Notes:
Step 6. When prompted for a destination, choose another storage location, such as an external hard drive or another USB drive, and click Select Folder. Saving recovered files to a different location helps avoid overwriting other potentially recoverable data.
Sometimes a newly created recovery USB may fail to boot the target computer. If that happens, check the following:
1. Can I recover files from Windows 10 that won't boot?
Yes. If Windows 10 cannot start normally, you can use a bootable USB to access a recovery environment or file recovery software. This allows you to scan the affected drive and recover important files without loading the installed Windows system.
2. Can a bootable USB recover files from a formatted hard drive?
It may be possible if the formatted data has not been overwritten. However, you should avoid writing new files to the formatted drive because new data can overwrite recoverable files and reduce the chances of successful recovery.
3. Will creating a bootable USB erase my files?
Creating a bootable USB normally does not erase files on the computer's internal drive. However, the USB drive itself is commonly formatted during the bootable-media creation process, so back up any important files stored on the USB first.
When Windows 10 refuses to start, your files may still be accessible even though you cannot reach the normal desktop. USB bootable data recovery on Windows 10 provides a way to start the computer from external media and scan its internal storage independently of the installed operating system.
AOMEI FastRecovery lets you create a bootable USB on a working PC, boot the unbootable computer from it, then scan for deleted or inaccessible files and recover them. It can also help you recover data from a USB drive. Don’t hesitate to try it out!