Forum Discussion
How do I transfer data from broken laptop to new one?
How to transfer data from a broken laptop to a new one? Checking what's going on with your old laptop. Can it turn on? Does it boot up at all? If the laptop can turn on but isn’t functioning properly, try booting in safe mode. Sometimes, this will allow you to access files and copy them over to an external drive or cloud storage. If it successfully boots in safe mode, I recommend using Microsoft OneDrive to sync your important files to the cloud. This way, they’re safe even if the laptop dies completely.
Once you’ve got that hard drive plugged into your new laptop, it should show up just like an external drive. Open it up and start exploring! This part is where you might find all those forgotten selfies, random downloads, and that one essay you thought you lost. Tip: Focus on important folders like Documents, Pictures, and Desktop first.
As you copy files over, take a moment to organize them. Your future self will be so grateful. After you’ve transferred everything, it’s a good idea to once again back it all up using OneDrive or File History in Windows, just in case. That way, if you’re ever in this situation again (hopefully not!), you’ll have everything on hand without a scramble.