Yes, a power outage can affect Windows by causing crashes or data loss if not backed up properly.
Yes, a power outage can affect Windows by causing crashes or data loss if not backed up properly.
Today was my first encounter with a power cut while my computer was active. I had a UPS installed specifically for this situation, but unfortunately it didn’t work as planned. I expected the power to return quickly—within a few minutes—but it took nearly 15 minutes. At that time I was playing Destiny 2 Crucible, so I kept the PC running on the UPS battery. After about five minutes my UPS forced the computer to restart and caused it to enter a Windows bootloop. I had to manually shut it down by holding the power button. What’s unusual is that after forcing shutdown and turning it back on, the bootloop stopped, but now I’m concerned about possible Windows corruption because my PC restarted itself right after the outage and then I shut it down mid-boot. As a beginner with PCs, I really need someone to guide me through this.
If it starts loading Windows without issues, that means your system isn't damaged.
Point of UPS is meant to allow you time to safely shut down the system, not to play around while power is lost. You'll need a unit with a large battery to maintain operation. Yes, Windows might get corrupted during abrupt shutdowns, but this usually occurs during updates. In short, it's similar to other files that can become damaged under these conditions.