| The hard drive is where all your permanent computer data is stored. A failing hard drive can cause your laptop to produce irregular noises and/or continuous crashes and error messages like “file not found” or “Windows detected a hard disk problem.” In some cases, your computer may not boot at all if it experiences hard drive failure. |
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| Before using this guide, make sure to review the [troubleshooting page] oftentimes, malware or corrupted files can be fixed without replacing the hard drive. |
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| Be sure to [link|https://lifehacker.com/how-to-back-up-your-computer-to-an-external-drive-5816453|back up] your hard drive before replacing it so you don’t lose any data while you’re doing the replacement. Make sure to power off your laptop completely and disconnect from any external power source prior to beginning the process. |