Dell laptop hard drive recovery: what to do when your Dell won't start
If your Dell laptop won't boot, your files are usually still safe. Here is how to tell what has failed and how to get your data back.
Published 25 September 2026
Is it the drive?
Common signs of a failed drive in a Dell laptop are a "No bootable device" message, clicking from the drive, or the laptop stopping at the Dell logo. Dell laptops have built-in diagnostics: switch on and press F12 at the Dell logo, then choose Diagnostics, to test the drive and other hardware.
Your files may be fine
Many Dell laptops that won't start have a problem elsewhere, such as a corrupted Windows update or a motherboard fault. In those cases the drive and your files are usually fine and can be copied off.
If the drive has failed
If diagnostics report a drive error, or the drive clicks, stop trying to start the laptop. We can recover the data from the old drive, fit a new SSD, and copy your files onto it, so you get your laptop back faster than before.
Prices
Deleted file and logical recovery starts from £99 + VAT, and physical recovery from £450 + VAT, after a free consultation. See Dell laptop repair for repair prices.