When people get locked out of their computer, their first question is always, how can i get my data back?It easy to assume because you are locked out of your computer you have lost all your data, files, emails, programs and pictures etc.
But, just because it is locked, doesn’t mean all is lost.
Why is my computer locked
Your computer can be locked for many different reasons.
- Keyboard is faulty – If you keyboard is faulty it could be typing the wrong password. You probably can’t see it because the password field is all hashed out but it happens more times than people realise.
- Corrupt Operating System – Your operating system such as Windows or OSX is not perfect. It can play up like any other software package and that can include the login system becoming corrupt.
- You Have Been Hacked – Someone may have accessed your computer and changed your password.
- Virus – A virus like Ransomware which locks up your system and encrypts your files until you pay a ransom.
How Can I get My Data Back
Depending on what has happened we are usually able to recover your data, either by getting your computer back up and running or transferring your files to an external hard drive.
Sometimes your computer might need to be reset after the data has been recovered depending on how bad it is infected or how badly corrupt.
If your computer is reset, programs will need to be installed again. Unlike files such as pictures and video files which can be directly transferred; programs and applications need to go through an installation process using a setup file or installation media.
The best ways to recover your data would be to either use a remote operating system like Ubuntu Linux and boot from a USB drive drive, or you could take the drives out and mount them in another computer.
Another reason you might not be able to log in to your computer could be because the hard drive is failing and your computer is freezing, giving the appearance you are locked out, when in fact its simply not working.