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On a clean Windows 11 install, the “Bad image” error when running the Dropbox installer usually points to a corrupted installer, missing or damaged system files, or interference from security software. Make sure the installer is downloaded directly from Dropbox and fully intact. Run sfc /scannow to check for and repair system files, and install any pending Windows updates. Temporarily disable antivirus or Windows Defender, as these can block installers. Use the Dropbox offline installer that matches your system’s architecture (32-bit or 64-bit) and try running it in Windows 10 compatibility mode. If the problem persists, repairing Windows with DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth can resolve deeper system issues.
Your PC is having serious issues that affect both Windows and booting from a USB installer, which points to a hardware problem rather than Windows itself. The problem could be a failing drive, faulty RAM, or motherboard issues. To troubleshoot, disconnect all unnecessary peripherals, leaving only the keyboard, mouse, and monitor. If there are multiple drives, disconnect all but one and see if the USB installer boots, or test the drive on another PC. Try booting with one RAM stick at a time to rule out memory issues. Check the BIOS/UEFI to make sure drives are detected and reset settings to default if needed. Using a different USB port, preferably USB 2.0, can help if the installer hangs. If these steps don’t work, the drive or motherboard is likely failing and may need to be replaced.
Backing up your laptop or PC is important to protect your data from hardware failures or accidental deletion. There are several free tools available for different needs, from simple file backups to full system images.
Free Backup Tools for Windows
1. EaseUS Todo Backup Free
Allows backup of files, partitions, or entire systems. Supports full, incremental, and differential backups. Also offers disk cloning and bootable media creation. Free version includes 250GB cloud storage and encryption.
2. AOMEI Backupper Standard
Offers system, disk, partition, and file backups. Supports scheduled, incremental, and differential backups. Simple interface suitable for beginners and advanced users.
3. FreeFileSync
Open-source tool for file synchronization and backup. Compares and syncs files and folders, supports real-time sync, batch processing, and large datasets.
4. MSP360 Free Backup
Supports cloud and local backups, works with Amazon S3, Backblaze B2, and Wasabi. Free version allows up to 5TB, with encryption and compression.
5. Hasleo Backup Suite Free
Supports system, disk, and partition backups, as well as disk cloning. Compatible with x86/x64 and ARM64 devices.
Got it — let’s break this down step by step. Could you clarify what kind of drive you’re working with: is it a USB flash drive, SD card, or something else? Also, are you trying to make a Windows recovery USB, or just make the drive writable again? This will help me give precise steps.
Are there any free tools that actually work for LTO tape data recovery?
What are the most common causes of LTO tape failure you’ve seen?
Do you think LTO tapes are cheaper than cloud storage in the long run?
What software do you use with your LTO drives—LTFS, Retrospect, Bareos, or something else? What’s worked well for you, and what problems have you run into?
Appreciate all the advice, everyone. I’ll take it to a data recovery center first thing tomorrow and will try that software if I get even a flicker of life out of it.
Just to add..if you’re planning to revive it just for data, get a new battery or take it to a pro repair shop that does board-level repair. Once it powers on, stop using it and connect immediately to a recovery tool before anything gets overwritten.
If you can get it to at least show something on the screen or get detected, you can try using an Android data recovery software on your PC. It can scan internal storage and recover photos, videos, contacts..all that. Works if the phone boots even partially.
I bid on an auction on a whim and ended up with an IBM Power9 S914 server with 4x16GB RAM and 12 open slots. Below it is a TS4300 tape library that can hold 40 LTO cartridges, which works out to about 720TB if using 18TB tapes. I honestly have no idea where to start with it.
The top unit is an IBM HMC (7063-CR1), which can manage multiple servers. The setup also came with rails, cables, spare network cards, and a slide-out KVM with a screen and keyboard.
At home, I already have a full rack with unused Dell R620s, a Unifi UNAS-Pro with 7x20TB WD Red Pros for media, and a small Dell micro cluster for my homelab. I originally wanted a server to host some SaaS sites, but now I’m considering selling the IBM gear and getting a Dell R740 or R750 instead.
So, what exactly do I have here, what’s it worth, and what’s the best way to sell it if I decide to? Or what would you do with it if it were yours?
Yeah, looks like it’s not even soft-bricked. The PC doesn’t pick it up at all. Are there any tools that could still help if I somehow get it to power on?
If Smart Switch or Odin can’t detect it, your best shot is with a PC data recovery tool. There are Android recovery programs that can scan phones that are still soft dead (detected by USB). If it doesn’t detect at all, you might be in hard-brick territory.
The SSD issues reported with Windows 11 version 24H2 appear to be limited and not widespread. Microsoft and SSD maker Phison tested affected drives and found no evidence that the update was causing failures. The few reports that did appear are likely due to defective hardware rather than the update itself. While there’s no official fix, it’s recommended to keep SSD firmware and drivers updated, monitor announcements from Microsoft or the SSD manufacturer, and take precautions like pausing updates on critical systems or avoiding large file transfers on nearly full drives. Overall, most users are not affected.