Background story:
I bought a new motherboard and processor. I put the motherboard and processor into my computer and turned it on twice. For the first time, it booted up for enough time to allow me to see that it was running very hot where it then turned off and for the second time, it only stayed on for a matter of 5 Seconds before turning off. So I went out and got a better CPU fan. After installing the fan, it stayed on and was a little bit cooler. However, I either forgot or did not realize that by having a new motherboard I would have to either reinstall Windows 7 Ultimate that I have on my hard drive or upgrade to Windows 10. I currently didn't have my Windows 7 Ultimate CD and key so I went out and bought a USB to put the Windows 10 installer on with the intent of booting up from the USB and install Windows 10 on the hard drive. However, there was a few attempts of simply getting to the windows 10 installer, but I would freeze at what I would consider the motherboards first screen were it announces the name of the manufacturer (for example MSI). Eventually I got into the Windows 10 installer, but the option that allows you to install Windows 10 and not lose your files was not available only the one that would wipe out the hard drive. So I began to think of ways to save my files without being able to get into my actual computer to then use my external hard drive and back up the files. However, it would not stay on very long without freezing so I decided to go and purchase an SSD and install Windows 10 on that instead. I gave it one attempt to boot up still with the USB and have both hard drives hooked up but it froze again. Fearful of what could happen to my hard drive that has the windows 7 ultimate on it, I unplugged that hard drive and left the new blank SSD hooked up. I managed to get closer and closer to the Windows 10 setup but every time I got close enough to even start the installation process, I would freeze. The highest amount of insolation that I was able to see was 94%. Then as I walked away and came back I noticed it restarted. Now I began to have many different Windows 10 errors and finally at this point decided to give up get rid of the motherboard and processor and replace them with a different motherboard and processor. I later found out that it is very possible that although my motherboard and processor that I bought was compatible the processor was way too hot for my motherboard and required a lot more power from my PSU than what I had to offer.
As you can probably tell I'm not super intelligent and knowledgeable on IT lingo and probably don't fully understand how each little component works. My fear is that my handful of attempts to get my computer on and the once or twice attempts or more for trying to boot up from the USB to install Windows 10 have likely ruined any and every file I have on the original hard drive. And to give a little extra information about the hard drive, from what I can remember, the files are saved on the desktop and my documents folder so basically all on the C drive and in those two locations mainly. No partitions, no splitting, or anything like that. Just the one drive.
So my question is kind of a two-parter question 1. Is there still hope for my files on my original hard drive? 2. how can I go about getting the files from that hard drive onto an external hard drive that I have so that I can successfully back it up?
Here are the ideas and suggestions I have received from others.
1. To bring my hard drive to an individual who has Windows 7 and try to hook it up to their computer as a backup or a secondary hard drive and once their system is booted up, I would backup the files.
2. Put a Linux system on a USB and boot up from that system and on my USB as well put a Linux file backup software that should be able to help link between my old hard drive where all my files are at and my external hard drive and safely move them from one to the other.
3. Two have a hard drive of which I install Windows 10 on and use that hard drive to boot up, this likely being my blank SSD, and once I'm in, I would access that second hard drive, my original, and back up the files.
Something I will note in case it matters I am currently deciding hopefully soon to buy a new motherboard processor graphics card and new Ram. So as far as when to back up(using whatever idea I'm given) just wanting to know if I should backup my files now before I get the new motherboard or wait till new motherboard is here and installed. I don't want to keep the ssd I bought but I'm fine if it saves my files.
Also I should be able to put the old motherboard and processor in if that also would help.
Thank you for any help that you can give and I know that with computers there is no guarantee for sure 100% remedy and that since you weren't here when all of this happened it's also hard to judge exactly what happened to the machine but at this rate I'm out of ideas that I feel confident in at least and desperate.
I bought a new motherboard and processor. I put the motherboard and processor into my computer and turned it on twice. For the first time, it booted up for enough time to allow me to see that it was running very hot where it then turned off and for the second time, it only stayed on for a matter of 5 Seconds before turning off. So I went out and got a better CPU fan. After installing the fan, it stayed on and was a little bit cooler. However, I either forgot or did not realize that by having a new motherboard I would have to either reinstall Windows 7 Ultimate that I have on my hard drive or upgrade to Windows 10. I currently didn't have my Windows 7 Ultimate CD and key so I went out and bought a USB to put the Windows 10 installer on with the intent of booting up from the USB and install Windows 10 on the hard drive. However, there was a few attempts of simply getting to the windows 10 installer, but I would freeze at what I would consider the motherboards first screen were it announces the name of the manufacturer (for example MSI). Eventually I got into the Windows 10 installer, but the option that allows you to install Windows 10 and not lose your files was not available only the one that would wipe out the hard drive. So I began to think of ways to save my files without being able to get into my actual computer to then use my external hard drive and back up the files. However, it would not stay on very long without freezing so I decided to go and purchase an SSD and install Windows 10 on that instead. I gave it one attempt to boot up still with the USB and have both hard drives hooked up but it froze again. Fearful of what could happen to my hard drive that has the windows 7 ultimate on it, I unplugged that hard drive and left the new blank SSD hooked up. I managed to get closer and closer to the Windows 10 setup but every time I got close enough to even start the installation process, I would freeze. The highest amount of insolation that I was able to see was 94%. Then as I walked away and came back I noticed it restarted. Now I began to have many different Windows 10 errors and finally at this point decided to give up get rid of the motherboard and processor and replace them with a different motherboard and processor. I later found out that it is very possible that although my motherboard and processor that I bought was compatible the processor was way too hot for my motherboard and required a lot more power from my PSU than what I had to offer.
As you can probably tell I'm not super intelligent and knowledgeable on IT lingo and probably don't fully understand how each little component works. My fear is that my handful of attempts to get my computer on and the once or twice attempts or more for trying to boot up from the USB to install Windows 10 have likely ruined any and every file I have on the original hard drive. And to give a little extra information about the hard drive, from what I can remember, the files are saved on the desktop and my documents folder so basically all on the C drive and in those two locations mainly. No partitions, no splitting, or anything like that. Just the one drive.
So my question is kind of a two-parter question 1. Is there still hope for my files on my original hard drive? 2. how can I go about getting the files from that hard drive onto an external hard drive that I have so that I can successfully back it up?
Here are the ideas and suggestions I have received from others.
1. To bring my hard drive to an individual who has Windows 7 and try to hook it up to their computer as a backup or a secondary hard drive and once their system is booted up, I would backup the files.
2. Put a Linux system on a USB and boot up from that system and on my USB as well put a Linux file backup software that should be able to help link between my old hard drive where all my files are at and my external hard drive and safely move them from one to the other.
3. Two have a hard drive of which I install Windows 10 on and use that hard drive to boot up, this likely being my blank SSD, and once I'm in, I would access that second hard drive, my original, and back up the files.
Something I will note in case it matters I am currently deciding hopefully soon to buy a new motherboard processor graphics card and new Ram. So as far as when to back up(using whatever idea I'm given) just wanting to know if I should backup my files now before I get the new motherboard or wait till new motherboard is here and installed. I don't want to keep the ssd I bought but I'm fine if it saves my files.
Also I should be able to put the old motherboard and processor in if that also would help.
Thank you for any help that you can give and I know that with computers there is no guarantee for sure 100% remedy and that since you weren't here when all of this happened it's also hard to judge exactly what happened to the machine but at this rate I'm out of ideas that I feel confident in at least and desperate.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram