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System Recovery

How to restore Windows to a working state. How to reset your Android smartphone, or your iPhone, to its factory settings. How to troubleshoot problems with your gadgets and computers.

tutorial How to boot Windows 10 in Safe Mode

How to boot Windows 10 in Safe Mode

One of the best ways to troubleshoot Windows 10 issues is to use Safe Mode, a minimal environment that allows you to run the operating system with only the essential drivers and services. However, the old methods of pressing F8 or SHIFT + F8 during boot are no longer effective because Windows 10 boots too fast, and Microsoft disabled them. Instead, you have to
tutorial How to restore a backup made with Windows Backup

How to restore a backup made with Windows Backup

The Windows Backup app for Windows 11 and Windows 10 is not your regular backup solution. It doesn’t allow you to restore your entire system or any specific files, settings, apps, or credentials. The folders you’ve backed up are available directly in your OneDrive cloud storage. And, the other things you’ve backed up - settings, apps, credentials - can be restored only during the
tutorial How to make a backup with the new Windows Backup app

How to make a backup with the new Windows Backup app

One of the most important tasks that every computer user should do regularly is to back up their data. Backing up your data means creating a copy of your files and settings in a separate location, such as an external hard drive, a cloud service, or a network drive. This way, if something happens to your computer, such as a malware infection, a hardware
tutorial How to restore files and folders from a Windows backup

How to restore files and folders from a Windows backup

Did you create a backup image of your Windows 11 or Windows 10 computer using the built-in Backup and Restore (Windows 7) tool? If your PC broke down, you may have difficulties accessing your files and folders because data loss or corruption occurred. So now, you may wonder how to recover files and folders from that backup image you made a while ago. In
tutorial How to recover Windows from a backup with System Image Recovery

How to recover Windows from a backup with System Image Recovery

If you’ve used the Backup and Restore feature to create a backup of your operating system’s files and settings on Windows 11 or Windows 10, you might wonder how to restore them in case of a system failure or data loss. In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to restore a Windows backup image with System Image Recovery. Hopefully, by the end of it,
tutorial How to use Backup and Restore in Windows 11 and Windows 10

How to use Backup and Restore in Windows 11 and Windows 10

Windows’ Backup and Restore is a feature that allows you to create backups of your personal files, such as documents, photos, music, and videos. Moreover, you can also use it to back up a system image of your computer, which includes the operating system, programs, drivers, and settings. And once you’ve created a backup, Windows’ Backup and Restore can help you restore your files,
tutorial How to reinstall all the Windows default apps with PowerShell

How to reinstall all the Windows default apps with PowerShell

Some people do not like the universal apps installed by default In Windows 10 or Windows 11 and want to get rid of them. They can manually uninstall most of them using the Settings app or PowerShell. Apps like Calendar, Mail, Camera, Photos, or Candy Crush Soda Saga can be gone from a Windows 10 or Windows 11 computer in no time. So how
tutorial Use Startup Repair to fix problems that keep Windows from loading

Use Startup Repair to fix problems that keep Windows from loading

Is your Windows 10 or Windows 11 computer or device unable to load the operating system successfully? Is Windows reporting missing or damaged system files? If that's the case, you should try to boot from a recovery drive and use the Startup Repair tool. It’s a very helpful tool that can repair your system and save you from having to reset or reinstall the
tutorial Repair the EFI Bootloader or the MBR (Master Boot Record) for Windows

Repair the EFI Bootloader or the MBR (Master Boot Record) for Windows

You can use system recovery tools to fix most of your computer problems. However, there are times when you'll need to address such issues manually, for example, when your Windows computer won't boot. In these cases, you can use a tool named Bootrec.exe. It can help you troubleshoot and repair things like the EFI Bootloader, master boot record (MBR), the boot sector, or the
article 6 ultimate boot CDs (system rescue) for troubleshooting Windows PCs

6 ultimate boot CDs (system rescue) for troubleshooting Windows PCs

Each and every Windows user should have a rescue disc nearby, stored in a glass box that says: “Break if your computer breaks!”. They are a very efficient way of troubleshooting the problems and issues your computer is having when it doesn’t want to start, when it starts but does so with lots of errors, or when it just stops with one of those
tutorial How to boot from a USB drive (4 ways)

How to boot from a USB drive (4 ways)

There are many situations in which you might want to boot your computer using a USB flash drive. Maybe because you need to install Windows on your PC or maybe because you want to try the latest version of your favorite Linux distribution. Whatever reasons you might have, here are three different ways to use a bootable USB flash drive to start your computer:
tutorial How to use SFC to repair missing or corrupt Windows files in CMD

How to use SFC to repair missing or corrupt Windows files in CMD

When you have problems with your computer, Windows system files may become corrupted or go missing. This might be caused by sudden power drops, hardware malfunctions, a hard disk or solid-state drive approaching its end of life, and so on. If Windows reports that it can’t start because some of its files are corrupted or missing, you should use the System File Checker (SFC)
article How long does it take to install Windows 11?

How long does it take to install Windows 11?

Windows 11 has been out in the wild for some time now, and many have already installed and tried it. But, like with any operating system, many others didn’t get it yet and have questions regarding the download and installation processes. One of the most popular ones on forums and social media is “How long does it take to install Windows 11?”. In this
tutorial How to find and lock your lost or stolen Windows device

How to find and lock your lost or stolen Windows device

Both Windows 10 and Windows 11 have a locating feature that makes it easier to find your computers and devices when they get lost. It is called Find My Device and, when it is turned on, it allows Windows to regularly check and store your location and then help you find your device if you lose it or if it gets stolen. Here's how
tutorial How to uninstall Windows from your PC

How to uninstall Windows from your PC

Some of our readers have asked us how to remove Windows from their computers. Some of them want to remove Windows 10 or Windows 11 and empty their drives. Some have dual-boot configurations and want to keep only one Windows version. Others have Windows and Linux running alongside and prefer to delete Windows. We want to help, so here are all the steps you
tutorial How to open Command Prompt when Windows doesn't boot (3 ways)

How to open Command Prompt when Windows doesn't boot (3 ways)

The Command Prompt is a powerful tool that you can use for various purposes, including troubleshooting and fixing problems with Windows. Starting it is easy if Windows is working correctly, but what do you do when Windows refuses to load? How do you "boot" to Command Prompt (cmd.exe) "from BIOS" to fix the issues that you’re having? Moreover, how do you open CMD in