Solved Messed up my whole system (URGENT)

I use isolated system on ssd for accessing online banking and i leave my other disks powered but disconnect just sata cable as i have 4 disks and i am tired of reconnecting them... But i got this time Blue Screen: Startup repair couldn't repair your PC, Log file: I\Recovery\WindowsRE\Winre.wim\System32\Logfiles\Srt\SrtTrail.txt. I was not able to get the file unfortunately as cd said error when i tried to mount this path. I tried first tutorials on google but command copy *.* .. didn't work! It said: "command not found"...

Then i tried chkdsk /r /f c: and it said it repaired filesystem, but it still didn't boot... However this is strange, i was forced to use backup, because i these tutorial from youtube didn't work and i wasn't able to fix it! But even restoring my system from system backup, it throw same error at boot. But my backup is unaffected 10 days old! I also have encrypted disk BTW!

I disconnect sata cables and leave disk powered and didn't have problem so far!

I would prefer restoring my system from backup then having to reinstall all...

I have no laptop and i don't have anything to do (chronic pain) whole day... So i reinstalled Windows so i can do something.

But if solution provided here won't work i will be again completely without PC and it can take hours for replies! It is tricky i could not get even log from this location!

Unless you are really 100% sure how to fix this i will probably not use backup and be forced stay on this install, because it could take days to fix and i cannot endure that have nothing to do without PC...

It is strange how error persisted even after restoring from backup, but reinstall works fine! That backup couldn't be broken because it is 11 days old and i used pc fine ever since, or could it?

Also wonder why on admin account there is much lower input lag than on standard user. When i created always new account on every windows install, on standard user there is much higher input lag! But i prefer use non admin account for increased security...

Well this is annoying...

I would prefer to fix error so i can restore my system from backup, but i have to be sure it will work which is hard ahead...

@empleat

I don't know the reason, but when I disconnect a SATA SSD, I found that I needed to power down the computer then, unhook the SATA "power" cable from the SSD first. Then I could unhook the data cable..

If I didn't unhook the SATA power cable first... it messed up the SSD.

After messing up the SSD once, I found that I had to use 3rd party format software, to erase the SSD.
Then, the restore from a backup would work properly.




I have two identical SATA SSDs. One has Win 10 and the other has Win 11.
I never have them both hooked up at the same time. It's always one or the other.

On a patch Tuesday, long ago, I was switching from the Win 11 SSD to the Win 10 SSD, and I only disconnected the data cables.

That was a BIG mistake.
After losing my mind for a few hours... I figured out, that in order to switch from one SSD to another (without data corruption), I has to "always" unhook the SATA power cable first.
Then... I could unhook the SATA data cable, without causing corruption.


ALSO... when reconnecting a SATA SSD, always plug the SATA power cable in first, then the SATA data cable.



I don't know why it works this way. I just know it does.

Ghot said:

@empleat

I don't know the reason, but when I disconnect a SATA SSD, I found that I needed to power down the computer then, unhook the "power" cable from the SSD first. Then I could unhook the data cable..

If I didn't unhook the SATA power cable first... it messed up the SSD.

After messing up the SSD once, I found that I had to use 3rd party format software, to erase the SSD.
Then, the restore from a backup would work properly.

Click to expand...

Funny thing is i am usually more careful, i think i asked chatgpt about this which is not 100% but simple query like this and gave it no thought because i don't want to mess things up. One time i try things to do more simply and i get burned...

Thing is what then is even damaged, as now it runs fine! After reinstall, why would restoring a backup not work?

I mean i didn't try to restart yet, i am going to restart right now and if don't answer then i cannot even boot again, will have to try to install windows on 2nd ssd in that case...

EDIT: thank my higher self i can restart ^^ also i have to chose from 2 windows 11 at boot, says some is on volume 10 but i have only 7 volumes and my system i booted in on volume 2, these problems killing m,eeeeeeeeee

@empleat

I don't know the answers to all those questions.

All I can do is tell you what I discovered, and how I solved it.




My "guess" is that the SSD was doing some maintenance or something (even though the computer was OFF), and when I unhooked the data cable first... it messed that up and caused the corruption.

I've never had the problem when I unhooked the SATA power cable first, then the data cable.
And when reconnecting, I hook up the power cable first, then the data cable.



When disconnecting or connecting... always do the power cable first, then the data cable.

Thanks will keep that in mind probably even switch off PSU power first just to be sure now! Before unplugging disks even it is probably unecessary but that's what i thought before... better safe than sorry i am tired of random issues like this. Talked to one IT guy and he also had same issue and he told me to not bother restoring from backup. I will use this install it is not that big deal except set up couple things and passwords and reinstall apps and can load up games from steam. I also need to learn letting go so i won't bother...

THansk for help

empleat said:

I use isolated system on ssd for accessing online banking and i leave my other disks powered but disconnect just sata cable as i have 4 disks and i am tired of reconnecting them

Click to expand...

Not sure if they are still made but I have a 6 button drive switch in one of my CD drive bays to conveniently shut the power off to any of 6 drives. It has cool blue leds too. But before I used the switch I always turned the drive off in device manager. Then I got the the point that I just turned the device off without using the switch.

They say sata is hotplugable but I never trusted that.