Laptop Toshiba 500GB crashed NTSF patitions became RAW

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  1. Posts : 23
    Windws 7 32bit
    Thread Starter
       #11

    1.
    Free Data Recovery Software Download to Recover Deleted Files - EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free Edition

    2. I was searching for a solution and there several suggestions on other sites to try EASEUS Free data recovery software. So I went to there site to try their free version to determine if it could even read the drive. It could read and recover the raw files but without the file structure. It allow for 2GB recovery. You still would have rename all those files and 500GB of file names was practible. I read in other places you can rebuild the MBR or file table.

    I have backup MBR on the drive. I did not go ahead as I read there was perhaps other ways and better data recovery software to rebuild the partition drive.

    2. Toshiba didn't have a diagnositc tool to run for their drives. I looked and several sites recommneded running the WD LifeGuard software

    3. Yes, I explain up in my other postings on this thread above, at first Windows 7 recognized the drive and assigned it a letter to it. However, when I clicked on it HDD I got a msg do I wish to initialize the drive? I made the mistake in saying YES and they gave me a choice. I chose GPT as I read use GPT for larger drives.

    4.
    ###############################################
    Hi EcoGeek,

    Thanks for contacting us.

    In your case, the lost MBR or parititions are not recoverable. The lost files can be just recovered with RAW mode. Usually, they will be renamed as File0xxx. For details:
    Do Not Miss "More lost files (RAW Files)"
    My suggestion is upgrading the free version to full version. Then save all the found files.
    #################################################

    I read on here that someone helped rebuild thier HDD file tables using MiniTools, or TestDrive or another program that costt $70. I can't remember. It was a very complicated process. So I did not want to try what they did in another thread on here using those programs and really messed things up.

    GRC Spinrite said they could fix HDD if it was not working probably to get it back up and running but not for recovery drive that went RAW or Unallocated.
    THX
    Last edited by GeekEco; 27 May 2016 at 14:42.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 7,055
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
       #12

    OK, right now I am running an experiment to replicate your HDD condition to ascertain the best possible way to reclaim your drive. That may take sometime.

    In the meanwhile, post the exact model Number of your Toshiba Laptop. It looks like a very recent model with UEFI. That is why your 500GB HDD was formatted as a GPT drive more so since it was a 64bit system.

    On a GPT drive, there is no backup of the protective MBR at sector 0.

    By initialising it as an MBR drive, you have replaced the protective MBR of the GPT drive with the conventional MBR of an MBR drive.

    There is no precedent of a case like this. So I have to experiment and work out a solution. I also may have to investigate your drive further . All this is going to take time. So be patient. There may also be a break from 30th inst. to 12 June when I am away in Spain.

    Data recovery is a painfully slow and tedious process since we have to proceed carefully without incurring any further data loss. Do not experiment on your own. ( You have been working on half-knowledge and misconceptions :) but that is acceptable since we cannot expect a normal user to be tech-savvy and know/decipher everything. ) Keep your external drive plugged out unless you are asked to plug-in.

    Apart from intimating the exact model Number of your Toshiba laptop, let me know whether you have made the Recovery Disks as per Toshiba instructions in the user manual for your system.

    Do you have a friend who has the same system - ditto everything? Then it will be easy to restore the Protective MBR.

    EDIT: In your first post you said " I stupidly clicked on mbr". In your last post you say "I chose GPT as I read use GPT for larger drives" Please clear the confusion you are creating. I am still assuming that you initialised it as an MBR.
    Last edited by jumanji; 27 May 2016 at 22:47.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 23
    Windws 7 32bit
    Thread Starter
       #13

    Toshiba MK5065GSXN HDD2J12. It has or had a recovery partition on it. I have rescue disks and backupimages but they are useless since it doesn't recognize the drive or if it doesnt don't remember as its been awhile, I didnt want to write to anything or do something that might mess everything up. At first, I got CRC error but that went away. At first when I plugged it into my desktop, Windows recognized the drive assigned a drive letter to it and ask do I want to initialize. I was uncertain on what I choose several months ago whether MBR or GPT cause I couldnt understand why it would ask them do I want to initialize. I thought it had to do something with using it as a plug-in for the first time as you get when you put a new usb thumb drive in, you get a msg. But it is now GPT

    Thx for taking the time to look into this. I'll wait Im not going anywhere.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 7,055
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
       #14

    Please do the following.

    1. Create a folder named bootice on the C: drive of your Desktop PC running Windows 7, 64bit.

    2. Download x64 version of bootice from here. Bootice Download It will be BOOTICEx64_v1.321.rar file. Extract it to the bootice folder you created. You will have a BOOTICEx64.exe file in it

    3. Please remove all other external drives/ pen drives/ Card Readers/USB printers/ USB hubs / docks from the USB ports.. Plug in only your external drive that has the Toshiba HDD inside.

    4. Click/doubleclick on the booticex64.exe file to run it.

    5. Select your 500 GB external drive and then click on the Sector Edit. Click on the Partitions button on the extreme left to show the Partition information. Post the screenshot showing the Partition information..That screenshot will also enable me to examine the Sector 0 and what it contains.

    Please read this post on how to use bootice. Lost partitions! ( Read only upto the first four screenshots explaining the Menu icons.That should be sufficient for you to execute the above instructions.)

    Your screenshot should be something like the second screenshot in the post.

    At this stage we are only examining your drive.

    After taking the screenshot, close bootice and then safely remove your external drive.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 23
    Windws 7 32bit
    Thread Starter
       #15

    Well I had difficulty on Windows Desktop 64bit. It would not recognize the drive. I have usb keyboard and mice connectors usb connectors on desktop. Control Panel Admin Computer management did not see the drive.

    I loaded up on another Windows 7 32bit laptop using BOOTICE 32bit Doesn't look to promising

    If you want to wait until you get back that's fine
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Laptop Toshiba 500GB crashed NTSF patitions became RAW-screenhunter_01-may.-29-05.26.jpg  
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  6. Posts : 7,055
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
       #16

    (On the Windows 64bit Desktop, you need not have to remove your USB keyboard and USB mouse. You need to remove only all storage devices like other external HDDs, Pen drives etc,)

    The protective MBR of your GPT drive looks good, nothing wrong. The screenshot below shows the Protective MBR of my 750GB trial drive.

    Laptop Toshiba 500GB crashed NTSF patitions became RAW-29-05-2016-18-30-49.jpg

    (You can see it is ditto the same. It is going to be the same on all GPT drives. That is why there is no backup of this Protective MBR, while the GPT Header and GPT Table are backed up in the last few sector of the HDD. In case the GPT header and GPT Table get corrupted, these will be automatically read from the backup and your HDD will continue to behave normally. You wouldn't even know that the GPT header and GPT table in sector 1 and 2 has been lost/corrupted)

    But I wanted you to click on the Partition button on top left to show the partition structure as in the above screenshot ( which you did not do :))

    Do that and post a screenshot.

    Next select sector 1, then 2, then 2048 and then 264192 and post the screenshots. ( You will click on the Sector field on top, input the sector Number and then OK to go to that sector as explained in my bootice post I had referred)

    Laptop Toshiba 500GB crashed NTSF patitions became RAW-29-05-2016-19-30-32.jpg

    After that close bootice, remove your drive safely and keep it. We shall continue after 12th June. Keep watching this thread after 12th June.
    Last edited by jumanji; 29 May 2016 at 11:31.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 23
    Windws 7 32bit
    Thread Starter
       #17

    I was when I did it reading thru other posts got confused OK I believe I did this right

    THX for all your help!
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Laptop Toshiba 500GB crashed NTSF patitions became RAW-screenhunter_02-may.-29-10.35.jpg   Laptop Toshiba 500GB crashed NTSF patitions became RAW-1.jpg   Laptop Toshiba 500GB crashed NTSF patitions became RAW-2.jpg   Laptop Toshiba 500GB crashed NTSF patitions became RAW-2048.jpg   Laptop Toshiba 500GB crashed NTSF patitions became RAW-264192.jpg  

      My Computer


  8. Posts : 7,055
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
       #18

    OK, good. You did a good job.

    Your HDD was in reality an MBR drive. I can see the first partition starting at sector 2048, which happens only on MBR drives. You wrongly initialised it as GPT drive. ( This part you confused me by giving contradictory statements and that is why I had to investigate and find it out myself. :))

    Not to worry. There is hope we can recover the drive, if not recover all or most of the data.

    For now, safely remove the drive and keep it aside. (Do not attempt to do anything yourself. Do not read anything about data recovery on the internet and try to apply it. You misunderstand so many things.. :))

    We shall go ahead after 12th June. Till then just relax. :)
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 7,055
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
       #19

    OK, GeekEco, we are on the job again after two weeks. Hope you are watching.

    Before we do anything with your faulty drive, I want you to save the current important sectors that had come up since you initialised the drive wrongly as a GPT drive. You will use bootice to save the sectors in your faulty drive.. Bootice will,by default, save the files to the same folder in which it resides.

    1. Save sector 0: ( Of course you already know that you have to select the correct faulty drive and then > Sector Edit. Please remove all other USB HDDs/Pendrives. Only your USB keyboard and USB mouse are allowed in the USB ports apart from your faulty drive.)

    Select sector 0 (which is the Protective MBR), click on the "Backup to file" button on the menubar,give it a name LBA0 and click on the backup button to save. Check the file has really been saved as LBA0.bin in the bootice folder. Illustrative screenshot below.

    Laptop Toshiba 500GB crashed NTSF patitions became RAW-14-06-2016-21-43-18.jpg

    2. Using the Next sector arrow (increment by 1) go to sector 1 and save it as LBA1. ( This is the GPT Header)

    3. Again increment by 1 and save sector 2 as LBA2. ( This is the GPT table. which may contain the partition Tables of the first four partitions and that includes the normally invisible 128 MB MSR partition. So MSR + 3 user partitions.) I am assuming that you did not have more than 3 user partitions and will stop with this. (All the same check sector 3 does not have any partition data and it is all 00s. Report if it has anything other than 00s)

    4. Now go to Sector 34 and save it. ( If it is all 00s in all fields then you need not save it.) This is the start point of the MSR partition)

    5. Using the Last sector arrow go to the last sector, which in your case will be 976773167. Save it as BupGPTH. (Backup of GPT Header) This is where the backup of the GPT Header at Sector 1 resides)

    6. Taking that last sector as n, go to n-32 which in your case is 976773135 and save it as BupGPTT ( Backup of GPT Table) This is where the backup of the GPT Table at sector 2 resides.

    Check you have all the saved files, representing the above GPT structure, is all there and confirm.

    Close bootice and safely remove your faulty drive.

    After your confirmation we shall proceed to the next step of zeroing all these wrongly written sectors that came up due the wrong GPT initialisation. ( We have saved all these sectors so that we can restore those back should a necessity arise to bring the drive back to the condition as is now.)

    If my response is delayed, do not worry. That only means that I am busy with other things but will return when free. Mood also matters :))

    Edit: In addition save sector 2048 with the name as LBA2048 (I missed it.)( This is the only MBR Partition start sector which is to be retained)
    Last edited by jumanji; 15 Jun 2016 at 04:38.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 23
    Windws 7 32bit
    Thread Starter
       #20

    OK that's good :)
    I made all the backups except for sector 3 & sector 34 had 00s in all fields were not saved

    Thanks
      My Computer


 
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