Lost/Damaged/Missing Partition

Psycho-Joe · Joined: Nov 04, 2003 Posts: 78

I've searched the forums, read a few post I thought were relavant, but was unable to find what I wanted.

The problem is I have a HD whose C:\ drive cannot be accessed and thusly can't boot. I know the drive works, because it has another partition on it and that partition works fine. I assumed it was a restore drive, but it just has drivers and factory program backups.

I've encountered this problem before, but unfortunately I am unable to remember how I fixed it that time.

I did try to re-create the MBR, but I believe that only worked in the past, on a drive that just wouldnt boot, but the C:\ drive could still be accessed. (Plus this was before I found out the partition was damaged/missing)

Sorry, but I forgot to mention that on this HD, it uses NTFS.

I do remember using FDISK on an old FAT32 drive, but I'm a bit apprehensive on trying it with NTFS. Or if that program is even included with WindowsXP/Vista, which I doubt, but havent checked (or a variation).

Getting this drive to boot in the computer is last on my list. I'd like to make it bootable again, but if I cannot, at the very least I would just like to make the drive readable again so I can copy the data off of it. From there re-installing the OS would be a breeze.

That's another question I would like to ask.... are there any free programs to fix partition problems. I did try partition master, but it didnt do much for me. The one thing I liked about partition master was that it would let me look onto the damaged partition, regardless of its state.... So on that note, I was wondering if there is a program out there that would do the same, AND would allow me to copy the files it finds onto another, working drive.

I can give you the computer's specs upon request, but as of this point I am just working on the Hard Drive, not the PC. Although it does have Windows Vista on it, and uses the NTFS file system.

Thank in advance!

(PS - I did boot off the Window's installation DVD and tried using the recovery tools, but seeing as the drive was in-accessable, it couldnt find a windows installation to repair)

goretsky · Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 6:06 pm Post subject:

Hello,

I am guessing this is a SATA interfaced drive, correct? Try setting the drive type to "IDE" or "Compatibility" in the BIOS, and then re-running the repair option from the Windows Vista boot DVD.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

rmckay3688 · Joined: Feb 01, 2007 Posts: 26

i found this info in a win 7 fourm

try typing in the run box diskmgmt.msc

works with xp,vista & win7

zzron357 · Joined: Oct 14, 2004 Posts: 65

Hi Joe, This sounds like a problem I ran into with Vista in a Dell notebook
recently. Looking at the HD with GParted (On Puppy Linux live cd)
we see sda1 (linux notation) is Dell utility, sda2 (2nd partition) is
Dell recovery, and sda3 (partition3) is Vista drive C:\.
Vista and Win7 have some new boot requirements and the install
disk has "repair boot" capability. If install disk is not available, google
for Vista boot repair disk. Download iso, burn image, and run repair,
if this is your problem. Someone got ok from M$ to make cd with just the
repair boot portion of the Vista cd. It will not install, just repair.
It is a true life saver. Let us know how you do. Best wishes, ZZron

Psycho-Joe · Joined: Nov 04, 2003 Posts: 78

My apologies Goretsky, this option is un-available in my BIOS. And yes it is a SATA drive.

To Goretsky and zzron357, I have already tried the repair utility on the Vista DVD. Seeing as the C:\ drive (partition?) is damaged, the repair utility will naturally NOT see a windows vista installation. It did try to attempt a repair of the drive, but was unsuccessful. I did see a post on another website that suggested I use the program DISKPART, which is included in windows. It did see the drive and its logical drives. I set the primary partition to active but alas it made no different. I still get the error from windoes that "The Disk structure is Corrupted and Unreadable". Previously it said "This drive is not formatted, would you like to format it now?" Which I dont want to do as there is data I'd like to try and recover first.

To rmckay3688: I ran this windows program and I looked in all the menus, but it did not have any options that would help me, other than to format the drive, which I don't want to do at this time.

Well it would seem that my only option would be to just go ahead and re-format this drive and re-install Vista. So my 2nd option comes into play... I would like to pull any data I can off this drive. As I mentioned in my initial post, I had tried a program that would allow me to see any files on this drive regardless of its state. Meaning I could look on a drive which is corrupted/damaged, and then copy them off. Unfortunately it did not work as intended and I do not wish to purchase the full version of this program to see if that would make a difference.

I still ask if there are programs out there (hopefully free or low cost), which will do the same.

In the meantime, while I wait for a response, I shall fiddle with this HD and see if I can make any progress with it....while keeping any diskwrites to the drive to a minimal (although I did try to re-create a new MBR).

Psycho-Joe · Joined: Nov 04, 2003 Posts: 78

One of the programs I was testing said that my Master File Table was corrupt.

So I googled this, naturally.

It says this rarely occurs as there is an MFT Mirror.

It also recommended using a program which I had already tried....

Active@ File Recovery

I would have to buy the full version in order to copy my files, as the demo version is read only.

Sooooo..... Back to searching for a file recovery program and/or a MFT repair program.

goretsky · Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 7:20 pm Post subject:

Hello,

This message thread from a couple of months ago has a list of data recovery programs in it. The Convar and CGSecurity offerings are free--the others offer demo versions.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

PeterInOZ · Joined: Mar 01, 2010 Posts: 1

If you can get the emergency boot disk #2 from partition software Systems Commander, that will allow you to boot into the other partition.
I can send it as a zip file but its probably too late.

Shannon_VanWagner · Joined: Mar 02, 2010 Posts: 2

What you need is GNU/Linux. No really, you need the bootable Linux-based LiveCD from GParted - the FOSS equivalent of partition magic.

Google GParted

You can then boot to the GParted LiveCD, then open the Terminal and use the "testdisk" utility to recover your partition. "testdisk" is FOSS by Christophe GRENIER. Read more about testdisk Google testdisk or cgsecurity.

Alternatively, you can use the Ubuntu GNU/Linux LiveCD available from the ubuntu site, just run sudo apt-get install testdisk (or search for it in the Software Center) and install it - Internet connection required.

I've successfully recovered partitions that were deleted with the testdisk utility - it works great!

There are a few videos(not verified by me) about using testdisk:
Google testdisk youtube

Cheers!

Shannon VanWagner
humans-enabled

Psycho-Joe · Joined: Nov 04, 2003 Posts: 78

Thank you all for all the information you provided.

Unfortunately some was not what I wanted, or was stuff I already knew.

The final outcome was....

I just went ahead and re-formatted the drive and re-installed Windows.

Everything is working fine and there are no read/write errors. Aside from losing the data, its as if nothing happend to it.

expertalan · Joined: May 13, 2009 Posts: 1

Two points want to add.

The first:About format error "This drive is not formatted, would you like to format it now?" Possible reasons:
1.Sometimes, you cannot format the drive to the FAT filesystem if it has been formatted to a file system which is not recognized by Windows. Such a drive should be reformatted to NTFS first, and then to the FAT filesystem.

2.It is possible to have complex combinations of incompatibilities in the drivers or BIOS which result in such an error. It makes sense to try to format the drive on another computer. In most cases, the incompatibility problem only concerns the format procedure; once the drive is formatted, it would work fine.

3.There is a bad sector in the area that is required for a file system, e.g. for a boot sector or the FAT table sector. Since such a drive is obviously not possible to use, Windows refuses to format it.

If you need data don't format the flash disk and try to recover data firstly. Freeware such as Recuva, TestDisk, PC Inspector File Recovery may help. More free programs find here,
h**p://www.brothersoft.com/pdf_files/data_recovery/

The Second:

As to recover lost partitions, here is a free program "Wondershare Disk Manager Free".
h**p://www.wondershare.com/pro/disk-manager-free.html

It can recover, resize partitions. It may be useful

Baby_Tux · Joined: Mar 06, 2007 Posts: 1242

I would have been willing to bet that a LINUX liveCD would have read it & that TESTDISK would have fixed it. But with TESTDISK, you have to do your "homework" as to how to use it as it is a very powerful tool that can actually make things worse if not used correctly. - TESTDISK can be gotten alone & can be run from a floppy, IIRC...

As for using LINUX it isn't hard at all, just a bit different in how it names stuff. There are NO drive letters in LINUX, they are designated as such - SDA1 (or HDA1 on some older stuff) it means the first HD & the first partition, whereas SDB1 would be the 2nd HD & the first partition & SDA2 would be the first HD & the second partition, etc.

As for using UBUNTU, IMO, it is the WORSE distro out there & just gives LINUX a bad name. You will be lucky if you even get it to work. Personally, I use FEDORA, but PUPPY & SLAX are good for this as they are pretty much get & go. (just a bit harder in the way they add apps to them, compared to FEDORA, though)