Laptop Help

[Gremlin68]

My wifes dell laptop wont load up. The closest it gets is it gets to the log on screen for a second than goes to black. I dont want to lose the data is there a way to get in and pull the data off before i format it?

 

[phil22]

The only way to get data of the drive (without removing it) is to get Windows working again.

Try starting Windows in safe mode and retrieve the data. Turn it off.
Turn it on and immediately keep pressing <F8>
Highlight "Safe Mode"
Press <Enter>
Cross your fingers.

I have to say that it's very unwise not to have important data backed up to another drive or to CD/DVD, because all hard drives fail eventually. When that happens you won't be able to get any data off it except by paying a small fortune to a data recovery company.