Check for software updates and restart your device. If issues persist, consider factory reset or contact support.
Check for software updates and restart your device. If issues persist, consider factory reset or contact support.
Hello! I'm facing a problem with my old Acer V5-572g running Windows 7. It has valuable documentation, so I'm very cautious and thought I'd ask for some help. When it starts up, it shows a black screen after the lock screen. After restarting a few times, updates begin, but it gets stuck at 100% and then at 35%. I want to recover all the data, but I'm not sure how to access the OS to do that. I'm considering installing Windows 10, but I'd like to get into the system to retrieve the information myself. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
You don't have to start the operating system to get the information. Placing that storage device on another machine will make it completely accessible, unless it's protected by encryption—then it should still be readable with the right password. This is what I suggest because repeated failed attempts and updates only increase the chance of damaging the partition without gaining any advantage. P.S., when I say "another system," I mean the same hardware running a different operating system, like Linux on a USB drive.
You have several options: connect the HDD to another computer, use a dedicated enclosure for USB attachment, or run a Linux live image to transfer the data elsewhere. (If the information is valuable, what makes a backup unnecessary?)
Keep the information available, but avoid placing it on the storage device. Unplug the drive and set up Ubuntu on another one.
Ubuntu offers a live CD that lets you start without installing anything. You can boot from it, access the storage, and copy files elsewhere—like another USB drive or online. They might not grasp the technical side of backups, but they likely care about protecting important data. If you’ve already recovered your files and switched to Windows 10, make sure automated backups are turned on and consider using an external drive for extra safety. This approach is straightforward enough to explain to anyone, even your parents.