Retrieve data from a cracked laptop screen

[LadyJ5]

HP Notebook.

The display screen is cracked and damaged on the laptop. I cannot see anything on the screen except irregular patterns.

L want to hook up to a monitor to retrieve my files

[VH2000]

Usually Notebooks have a port to connect an external monitor. It looks like this:

[LadyJ5]

Thank you for your response. 

I am aware of where to put the HDMI plug. What do you do after this to obtain the data and files from the cracked screen computer?

Thank you

[WAWood]

@LadyJ5 

You boot into Windows on the laptop, insert a USB stick, and use File Manager to retrieve the files you need and copy them to the USB stick.  If you can't boot into Windows, then you need to tell us that.

[LadyJ5]

Spoiler

Hi WaWood,

Thanks for your response.

I cannot  boot into windows. The Screen is cracked. I cannot see the sign on screen at all.

[VH2000]

Don't worry about data and files. They are still there.
Now you have many options:
Save all your data to an external USB-harddrive.
Do you want to replace the screen or is it an old laptop where a new screen is not available.
Can you buy the same model on ebay? Then just replace the disk and you are ready.
A new laptop and transfer all data from the old drive to the new drive.

[LadyJ5]

Thank you!

[WAWood]

@LadyJ5 

That's not good news.  You said you wanted to retrieve the data, so I am going to concentrate on that instead of other, more costly, options.

If you have another working PC, using a USB Stick, you can create boot media that you can use on this one to open a file manager and retrieve your files from the internal drive.

If your PC can not boot into Windows, a way around that is to follow the instructions below to create boot media from Macrium Reflect (MR) that can be used to boot your PC even if the hard drive is not working:
1) Download and install Macrium Reflect (MR) from this link on a working PC: http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx
2) Use the option to create a boot USB stick or CD

That will create MR bootable media. Then, you can boot your PC into WinPE using that media.

Have patience, as that can take a while to start and bring up the screen.

Once the screen is there, read this thread about using PE Explorer -- a simple file explorer: https://forum.macrium.com/PrintTopic15803.aspx

If your disk still works, you might be then able to retrieve some files and folders from it.

Good Luck