Cant access partition, slow system & file record segment unreadable.

GokAy · 18 Sep 2015

Jumanji, I guess no drive letters because it was taken from bootable PW?!

Green drives are best for backup as they have a tech called IntelliPower, which slows and powers down the drive to prolong life and save energy. If 1TB is enough for you, you can also consider a Blue (max 1 TB). Similar to a black in features but 2 year warranty, price should be more affordable.

Programs are best to be kept on the SSD, they don't take very much space. Unless you have a 10GB program

There are apps that can change the location of installed apps (Application Mover - Funduc Software). But I guess you would need to be able to access the problem partition in the first place.

jumanji · 18 Sep 2015

GokAy said:

Jumanji, I guess no drive letters because it was taken from bootable PW....

Yep, It struck me immediately after I posted the query. PW bootable runs on Linux. Long since I ran it from a bootable drive and my memory fails and shows up.

As regards the program files OP may consider uninstalling those programs and reinstalling again without shifting the install location. Atleast after facing this problem, he should consider that. But then it is upto him if there is a space constraint. ( I also during the initial days used to install the programs on a separate partition but the same drive. Later I felt it was a big botheration since every time I back up the OS partition, I also need to backup the programs partition to be in sync. I changed over to OS+programs all-in-one.)

HighFlyerPL185 · 18 Sep 2015

Got a brand new 1TB Caviar Black; let's hope it doesn't break this time! Took SSD out, left failing HDD in, and put the new one in.

I've started using ddrescue, but I get this message, is that ok? Are the drives selected ok? I'm really confused as to what to replace /sdb and /sdc with

GokAy · 18 Sep 2015

Now, I am not very knowledgeable with Linux but this is how Linux names the drives.

The first SATA(I believe SCSI too) disk is named sda (Sata Disk A - SDA)
The second one SDB and goes on.
Then the first partition on SDA is named SDA1, then SDA2. etc.

So your original HDD is sda (also as shown in your screenshot, this is because you removed SSD, or else (most likely) SSD would be sda and the failing drive would be sdb). You only need to try to recover sda3 (the problem partition). Just copy paste the first 2 partitions to another place (for example image with Macrium to your 2TB - then you can restore them back to the new drive later). Once you image the first 2 partitions, only try to recover sda3.

I would guess the command would then be (I hope) - you should wait for Jumanji (should be sleeping now, or partying hard!

) as he is the expert here:

Code:

ddrescue -d -f -r3 /dev/sda3 /dev/sdb recovery.log

HighFlyerPL185 · 18 Sep 2015

I was under the impression that this tool recovers all partitions? I think I have burned all of my CDs now with different software haha.

However, thanks for your explanation. I'll wait for jumanji's confirmation, just to be on the safe side!

GokAy · 18 Sep 2015

It can, but why waste time a slow recovery when you can already read the 2 good partitions.

The correct for what Jumanji told is:
/dev/sda /dev/sdb

HighFlyerPL185 · 18 Sep 2015

So to summarize:

ddrescue -d -f -r3 /dev/sda /dev/sdb recovery.log
...to rescue lost partition.

Then, copy over two remaining partitions using Macrium (is it available to boot via CD?), correct? Would hate myself if I got this wrong.

GokAy · 18 Sep 2015

Correction:
ddrescue -d -f -r3 /dev/sda /dev/sdb recovery.log
To rescue whole disk sda.

If you rescue whole disk as above, then there is no need to image the working partitions.

It was my thought that instead, image working partitions and only try to rescue the problematic one.

In any case wait for what Jumanji will tell. :)

jumanji · 18 Sep 2015

It is better to rescue the whole disk since you have clarified that you had run datalifeguard Diagnostic and it found bad sectors. It can be spread all over the three partitions.

sda is your source drive ( since it shows all three partitions) sdb is your destination drive.

So go ahead with the command
ddrescue -d -f -r3 /dev/sda /dev/sdb recovery.log

It is the same as rightly given by Gokay but you will be cloning the whole drive sda instead of cloning only sda3 the third partition.

It may take quite a long time for the second and third pass. So leave it alone and get going with your other work. Don't sit in front of the computer twiddling your finger. Just peep in once in a while to see the progress.

jumanji · 19 Sep 2015

Note: After close observation I find that you had given the wrong command
ddrescue -r3 -n -v /dev/sdb /dev/sda recovery.log

In this case ddrescue will clone your new drive to your old drive

My instructions:

. Next against the command prompt type:ddrescue -d -f -r3 /dev/sdb /dev/sdc recovery.log [ENTER]
( Note: ddrescue[space]-d[space]-f[space]-r3[space]/dev/sdb[space]/dev/sdc[space]recovery.log)

Note: Replace sdb and sdc with the correct device nomenclature of Source disk(in your case the failing disk) and Destination disk ( in your case the other good disk you had plugged into the other SATA port) as obtained in step 3. Make doubly sure.

You should have replaced sdb with your source disk ( failing disk) sda and sdc the destination disk your new disk sdb

And then you gave the command ddrescue -r3 -n -v /dev/sda /dev/sdb recovery.log

I only hope no damage has been done to your source disk. Anyway check. Quit ddrescue, Pull out your ddrescue pendrive, run Partition Wizard and check that your old disk remains as before without any change.

If everything is OK run ddrescue . The command I repeat
ddrescue -d -f -r3 /dev/sda /dev/sdb recovery.log ( assuming you haven't changed the positions of your old drive and new drive in the desktop)- not -r3 -n -v

I also told you to buy a 1.5TB drive. By buying a 1TB HDD ( The same capacity as your failing disk) you have made identification of the correct nomenclature of the source disk and destination disk difficult.Thank God since sda shows three partitions I can identify sda as the source disk.

While doing a data recovery you should always adhere to the instructions. By wrong execution you can ruin your failing drive further.