- #HDD UNLOCK WIZARD FOR WINDOWS 7 HOW TO#
- #HDD UNLOCK WIZARD FOR WINDOWS 7 INSTALL#
- #HDD UNLOCK WIZARD FOR WINDOWS 7 DRIVERS#
- #HDD UNLOCK WIZARD FOR WINDOWS 7 SOFTWARE#
However, if you have physical damage to your drive - a common reason for the “blue screen of death” - it may work for a very brief time before crashing permanently.
#HDD UNLOCK WIZARD FOR WINDOWS 7 SOFTWARE#
Locked hard drives can occur due to simple software or formatting issues. Once you have managed to unlock your hard drive, act immediately to restore and back up your files.
#HDD UNLOCK WIZARD FOR WINDOWS 7 HOW TO#
Most computer professionals are trained on how to get your data off your PC, if necessary, but it’s recommended that you keep a backup either on a second storage device, such as an external hard drive or in cloud storage, for situations such as these. Unfortunately, a severely damaged hard drive cannot usually be fixed, and your data will need to be transferred to a new hard drive like a solid state drive. If all the above steps have failed, you may have a hardware problem.
#HDD UNLOCK WIZARD FOR WINDOWS 7 INSTALL#
And you may also be prompted to install Windows updates because these can sometimes disappear after a refresh.
#HDD UNLOCK WIZARD FOR WINDOWS 7 DRIVERS#
It’s up to you to track down the individual sites or stores to download or install these apps again.Īlso, some drivers (such as those for printers, accessories, or routers) may be removed. When the refresh is performed, Windows will create a list of the programs it removed for you to refer to. To continue using a computer after a system refresh, you may find that you need to reset your user settings and firewall preferences, as well as reinstall some third-party programs. If it worked properly, you’ll notice that some settings changed and programs have been removed. When it’s finished, you’ll be prompted to reboot your computer and see if the refresh worked. The wizard will walk you through the steps needed to complete the process. Refreshing your computer should not harm or erase files. This process may be your last opportunity before moving on to outside help. If not, you will want to move on to step five.
If the hard drive locked very recently (within the past few weeks), a system restore may solve your problems. If you are still having issues, move on to step four. After this runs, type “exit” and enter to leave the screen.
Type “chkdsk D: /f /x /r” and hit “enter”.An MS-DOS screen (black box) should pop-up.
In most cases, you’ll see a message flash across the bottom of the screen to press F12 or F8 to access the boot menu. Install the boot disk or USB drive, and power the computer on. If you don’t have a boot disk, visit the Windows website for your version of the OS to get help. You’ll need Windows installation files on a previously created DVD or USB stick to do the following steps. Several issues cause this, including malware corruption or hardware failure.Īll is not usually lost, however, if you act quickly. While it doesn’t happen often, it can be a serious headache.Īlso known as the “blue screen of death,” this can happen at any time during a Windows computer session, and you’ll be prompted to unlock the drive and try again when logging in. Will your data be OK? Is there an easy fix?īefore you panic, follow these quick tips for what to do next.īefore you get started, it helps to know what “hard drive locked” error messages mean. If you’ve experienced a blue screen with a message from Windows that your hard drive is locked, it can be a bit unnerving.