Drivers aren't loading properly after plugging in external hard drive

radl17 · 01 Jun 2019

Hello! So recently I bought a device that I can plug the hard drive of my old laptop to a usb converter so that I can get all my files from it. I then decided to shut off my new laptop with the hard drive still plugged in, and once I turned it on it booted up with my old hard drive rather than my new one. Essentially I kept doing this thing where I shut off my laptop to be able to access and bootup from my old hard drive as there were some apps that I was able to use there.

Then one day I shut off my laptop then unplugged the usb with my hard drive and when I turned my laptop back on, none of the drivers were properly loaded. The Intel display settings weren't working and now when I open up device manager my nvidia graphics card doesn't even show up. My headphone jack also doesn't work and the brightness doesn't even change. Please help me

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This also happens when I try to update my nvidia driver

dalchina · 01 Jun 2019

Hi, only a guess, but you could try an in-place upgrade repair install which keeps all progs and data and most settings.
Tutorial available.You need an iso file of the same build you have installed- freely downloadable, see tutorial and the many posts on this forum about downloading them.

Please note: this forum frequently advises the routine use of disk imaging (e.g. Macrium reflect - free).
If you have a (recent) disk image, you can often restore your PC to a previous good state and solve your problem, from user errors to failed disk.

radl17 · 02 Jun 2019

Hi dalchina, I tried doing that method and it just tells me that it failed. I even tried resetting my pc but still to no avail.

dalchina · 02 Jun 2019

it just tells me that it failed.

There should be an error message and there would have been log files too.

I imagine there would have been some message related to the reset too.

At this stage I would consider checking the disk (e.g. HD Tune - portable- Health and Error scan tabs). Normally Windows is pretty good at configuring drivers, and that it hasn't suggests something is wrong.

If the disk check passes, run
chkdsk C: /scan
from an admin command or Powershell prompt.

This is only a check and fixes nothing.

If both those pass, then it's likely, as you presumably have no disk images. you will need to clean install Windows.