Solved Can't Read Files on Hard Drive That Was Previously Used With XP

[Agent 86]

HI, my main hard drive was taken out by a virus, so I replaced drive and upgraded to Windows 7.
The original secondary drive (XP) is working and I can store files there, but I can't see or read files that were on there before switching to 7. Properties show 160G is used, but no files.

How can I get back that 160gigs of files ?

Thanks for any help

 

[TVeblen]

Hello Agent86. Welcome to the forum.

There is some confusion in your explanation of your problem:

• You say: "The original secondary drive (XP) is working and I can store files there"
• And then: "I can't see or read files that were on there before switching to 7. Properties show 160G is used, but no files."

Does this mean that you can write new files to OLD-DRIVE but you can't read them?
Or that you can write and read new files but can't find any of the old files.


What would be really helpful is if you could post a screenshot of your Disk Management and Windows Explorer windows with this OLD-DRIVE connected.

 

[Agent 86]

can write and read new files but can't find any of the old files.

 

[Agent 86]

 

[Agent 86]

 

[Agent 86]

Sorry for the small results, hope this one is better.

 

[1Bowtie]

This is really a guess, but change the drive from active to inactive and see if you can read it then.

 

[Agent 86]

This is really a guess, but change the drive from active to inactive and see if you can read it then.

Thanks, how would I go about that ?

 

[1Bowtie]

Go to disk mgmt right click the drive see if there's an option to change it. If not left click to highlite the drive and go to the action tab. I haven't looked in there in awhile so not totally sure where the option is. While your looking i'll go look.

 

[Agent 86]

Go to disk mgmt right click the drive see if there's an option to change it. If not left click to highlite the drive and go to the action tab. I haven't looked in there in awhile so not totally sure where the option is. While your looking i'll go look.

There is an option to make it active, but not inactive.

 

[1Bowtie]

I looked and saw the same thing, but i'm sure there is a way and i'll defer to someone with that knowledge.

 

[TVeblen]

You need to use Diskpart to remove the active flag from the old hard drive.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/197157-partition-mark-inactive.html
That is a good idea, because we have seen some instances here where Windows is ignoring drives because they are redundant active drives.

If that does not work then you should look into using a recovery program like Recuva to try and find those files.

 

[1Bowtie]

You need to use Diskpart to remove the active flag from the old hard drive.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/197157-partition-mark-inactive.html
That is a good idea, because we have seen some instances here where Windows is ignoring drives because they are redundant active drives.

If that does not work then you should look into using a recovery program like Recuva to try and find those files.

Thank you very much TVeblen, i thought there was a way but didn't realize HOW???

 

[Agent 86]

Thank you, bit of a noob, though.

Once I get to DiskPart commands, will it be obvious, or do I need to enter more info to get to where I need to be ?

 

[1Bowtie]

The tutorial TVeblen posted will walk you right thru it, pic's as well.

 

[Agent 86]

Doh, didn't realize it was a link. Thank you both, I will try later and let you know the outcome.

Cheers
Dan

 

[1Bowtie]

Your welcome good luck and hope you are successful.

 

[Agent 86]

That was simpler than I thought, sadly it did not fix the problem. I have 95% saved on an external HD, but recent pics of my coil-over project are locked in there, otherwise I would just format it and be done.

Any other thoughts ?

 

[TVeblen]

Yes, use this program to try and recover the files, then you can just format it afterward:
Recuva - Undelete, Unerase, File and Disk Recovery - Free Download

Or use this program to try and repair the Master File Table (MFT) - not to be confused with the Master Boot Record (MBR).
TestDisk - CGSecurity

 

[Agent 86]

No luck with recuva, bit I think I'm getting somewhere with testdisk. I'm at the point of where to copy files, but it wants to send them to C, which does not have enough room.
Can I save it to the drive I'm working on ?