Your Asus laptop will not start, and the files on it have never been backed up: college project, tax records, family photographs. You can take it to the brand's service route or ask for someone to look at it at home. The right first step is the one that protects the drive. Any person or case described here is a typical scenario, not a real customer or job. This guide shows what to ask each route, what Asus itself says about data, and how to decide where the laptop should go first.
The laptop will not boot and the files matter. What comes first?
When a laptop stops starting, the first worry is the repair cost. The bigger worry is often the files. A repair, a reset or a Windows reinstall can all change what is on the drive, so the order of steps matters more than the speed.
Short answer: before any repair or reset, ask whoever takes the laptop what they will do to the drive. If the drive is detected, copy the files first. Use the Asus route first if the laptop is under warranty, but still ask the data question in writing before handover.
What does Asus say about data?
Asus India's service FAQ states: please take a data backup before taking any services. The Asus global warranty terms add that you should ensure you have fully backed up all data on the product, that Asus may delete data, software or programs installed on it without restoring them, and that if the product is repaired, all user-generated data may be permanently deleted. Those terms are a global warranty card and not specific to India, so check Asus's current India page for your model.
In plain words, Asus puts the backup in the owner's hands, so ask your service route what it will do to the drive. Read the wording on Asus's India service FAQ, and see the Asus manufacturer repair centre versus independent repair page for a wider comparison.
What can an independent check do first?
Laptop Repair World can come to your door across Hyderabad, and accepts laptops by courier from anywhere in India. A technician can check whether the drive is detected, which tells you if the files are likely reachable, and state the plan in writing. When the laptop is collected, its condition, serial number and accessories are recorded.
A written quotation lists parts, labour, GST and the visit fee before any work. If testing finds another fault, a revised quotation is approved by you before any further paid work. The repair carries a 30-day warranty, subject to terms, and No Fix No Fee covers the repair charge. Whether files can be copied depends on the drive's condition, and we cannot promise it before testing. Our Asus data recovery page explains the process in more detail.
What should you ask each route before handover?
What should you avoid doing yourself?
- Do not run 'reset this PC' or a factory restore, even if the screen offers it. A reset can erase the files you want to keep.
- Do not reinstall Windows over the old copy.
- Do not keep powering on again and again if you hear clicking from a hard drive. A drive that clicks can be damaged further each time it spins.
- Do not remove the drive unless you know how, because rough handling can damage it.
Our guide on backing up before you send a laptop for repair lists what to save, and the Asus laptop not turning on guide covers checks that do not touch the drive.
Power cuts, heat and drive damage in India
Sudden power cuts while a laptop is running or updating can leave Windows unable to start, even though the drive itself is fine. Heat and dust in summer can also stress the drive in an older laptop. If your laptop stopped after a power cut or a stuck update, the files are often still on the drive. A technician can confirm this before anything else is done.
A typical case
A chartered accountant's Asus laptop shows a black screen after a power cut during an update. There is no backup of client files. A technician checks at the door whether the drive is detected and explains in writing the plan: copy the files first, then look at the cause. Only after the owner approves the quotation does any repair start. The owner then chooses whether the Windows problem is repaired or the laptop is reset.
When does each route make sense?
- Asus route first if the laptop is in warranty, but put the data question to them in writing.
- Drive check first if the files matter and there is no backup, whichever repairer you choose.
- Doorstep if you cannot travel with the laptop or want an opinion in writing at home.
- Carry-in or courier if the laptop is easy to move and you are outside Hyderabad.
When to get help
- The laptop will not start and there is no backup.
- You hear clicking or grinding from the drive.
- Windows offers a reset and you are unsure.
- You want the plan for your files in writing.
You can book a drive check through our Asus data recovery service. For a doorstep visit, there is a ₹149 doorstep visit fee, waived when you approve laptop repair with us. No Fix No Fee covers the repair charge, and the visit fee is waived only when you approve the repair. See also the Asus repair hub and our Asus service page for Secunderabad.
A note from the LRW Engineer Team
Switch the laptop off and leave it off until it is checked. Every restart on a struggling drive carries some risk. Write down your Windows sign-in details and any BitLocker recovery key you have saved, because a technician may need them. Then ask for the plan for your files in writing.