Hard Drive Management Gone Haywire

[gregrocker]

If you have no partition then Rebuild MBR or other System Repairs are useless. You might as well try a data recovery boot disk since formatting the HD will make data unrecoverable.

 

[Injust]

If you have no partition then Rebuild MBR or other System Repairs are useless. You might as well try a data recovery boot disk since formatting the HD will make data unrecoverable.

What might have caused this RAW partition? I suspect the bootsect
Can you help me try testdisk? If you know how?
Also, can you give me a STEP-BY-STEP set of instructions on how to use Recuva?

 

[gregrocker]

I was helping you try to sort out your previous recklessness when you randomly ran commands you were not given which destroyed what was left. Someone else will have to help you clean up your mess. I'm not that familar with Test Disk and don't use Data Recovery software so haven't had the chance to research it and read the instructions.

Do you have another HD you can swap in to Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7

 

[Injust]

No, I have no other HD accessible, and the only problem is that I urgently need certain files.

 

[Injust]

When I use Recuva in Windows Recovery Environment, it can't scan the disk because it says that it failed to determine the filesystem

 

[Injust]

TestDisk found my missing partition
I'm not quite sure how to use it, so if somebody does, please help
The missing partition:
START: Cylinder 0, Head 0, Sector 1
END: Cylinder 19581, Head 64, Sector 3
Anybody know how to interpret this data?
I had to interrupt this scan to retrieve this data, so I will do a COMPLETE scan overnight.

 

[gregrocker]

I'll ask anyone who knows Test Disk to check in.

 

[Slartybart]

Recovery is very difficult remotely, the best thing I can do is offer the following:

• http://www.sevenforums.com/software/190430-regain-lost-drive-using-test-disk-illustrated-guide.html
• TestDisk Step By Step - CGSecurity

@Injust: Please read through the SF gudie by Jumanji and the step-by-step examples by Testdisk's author. Familiarize yourself with the program before trying to use it. I spent three weeks helping one member use Testdisk. The time difference, language, and other factors made it very strenuous.

I'm not sure that I will be able to help much here, I'll read more of the thread and see what issue is trying to be solved, what was done, and what state your machine is in.

You have to get up to speed on Testdisk and be meticulous in reporting steps you've taken (or not taken). Screen shots are extremely important for every step in the Testdisk process.

Jumanji's guide is fairly straight forward, but it help if you understand the program.

Other documentation on the author's site:
TestDisk - CGSecurity
Data Recovery Examples - CGSecurity
Running TestDisk - CGSecurity

Read....read....read

 

[gregrocker]

Thanks for the valuable information, Bill.

Partition Wizard does not find the lost partition, but I understand Test Disk is more powerful. Do you agree?

 

[Injust]

Greg, or whoever, do you know of ANY other way that I can get some of my files back?
Mostly, the things I need to recover are all on the desktop and in My Documents.
I'm trying PhotoRec, but if I just search for .txt files, it takes forever. After a few seconds, it'll spit out thousands of files

 

[gregrocker]

I thought you said TestDisk had found the partition and were waiting to hear how to complete its Recovery.

There is information from Bill above showing how to do this. Please read it over.

 

[Injust]

Yes, TestDisk seemed to have found the partition in the screenshot I sent you.
However, when it FINISHED the deep scan, there was no sign of it. There were tons of those "boot" partitions, along with a Recovery, a Test, and a Pagefile partition, just like what the PW found. But no sign of my "Hard Drive" partition (yes, that's what it's named, "Hard Drive").
I'm re-doing a deep scan just to check again
Is there any other way that you know of? Recuva wouldn't work on it...

 

[Injust]

Greg!
I think that I've found another way...
Before, I had made backups on my external hard drive. I deleted those after my software (Paragon Backup & Recovery) was giving me BSODs due to the driver. However, I never overwrote them since I never use my external HD.
I'm using Recuva to see if I can recover something from them.

 

[Slartybart]

Testdisk is just an application that serves a different purpose than PW, so I wouldn't characterize it as more powerful. Anyway, I've paid hundreds of dollars for disk recovery software and I think that Testdisk is a valuable tool in a toolbox (it's free and does the same as the paid application). Documentation suffers - especially if you're not familiar with the basic concepts of a disk.

This is not a tool for the fainthearted or "anxious". As with most command line applications, Testdisk needs to be understood BEFORE executing it.

Some things are straight forward - Junmaji's guide can walk people through the simple problems - those that fit the examples. It's when the issue doesn't fit the examples -> knowledge of the tool is paramount.

The most difficult issue to solve is when a user has tried a number of tools and the disk is in a very sad state. It's unclear if any tool can unravel what has been done. The best case is to back up what you can (another strength of Testdisk), clean the drive, and start fresh with a new install. No one likes to hear that, but it is often the only solution. Sure, a person on-site running various tools might... might be able to fix the disk... over time. The question is does a person have the focus to learn the tool(s), run various tools (or executions of Testdisk), report current status, not chase other solutions, and solve the issue.

I don't make "housecalls" and I lack the patience to handhold a member that doesn't have the discipline required to follow instructions or report accurate and timely status. Too many tires changed on a moving truck.
I have all the patience in the world for anyone willing to carefully follow instructions and provide useful feedback. "I don't understand" is better feedback than "I tried this program and now I have this issue.....".

Anyway, I have used Testdisk only a few times. It's important that the OP has a realistic goal. First should be to get at their data and back it up. I'm not certain this is the primary goal of Injust.

TEstdisk has a few ways to copy data, assuming you have a device you can copy the data.

Then, they can try to recover the disk to a usable state. Even that is questionable. I say... the disk is flakey, get your data, get a clean bill of health (check the drive, clean the drive, install anew).

Thanks for the valuable information, Bill.

Partition Wizard does not find the lost partition, but I understand Test Disk is more powerful. Do you agree?

​

 

[gregrocker]

Check the Recycle Bin. It will show up on the External once you unhide Hidden and System Files in Control Panel>Folder options. It may also be in the desktop Recycle Bin.

 

[Injust]

Check the Recycle Bin. It will show up on the External once you unhide Hidden and System Files in Control Panel>Folder options. It may also be in the desktop Recycle Bin.

I deleted them permanently, but were able to recover them with Recuva. Going to see what's inside the files.

 

[Injust]

Testdisk is just an application that serves a different purpose than PW, so I wouldn't characterize it as more powerful. Anyway, I've paid hundreds of dollars for disk recovery software and I think that Testdisk is a valuable tool in a toolbox (it's free and does the same as the paid application). Documentation suffers - especially if you're not familiar with the basic concepts of a disk.

This is not a tool for the fainthearted or "anxious". As with most command line applications, Testdisk needs to be understood BEFORE executing it.

Some things are straight forward - Junmaji's guide can walk people through the simple problems - those that fit the examples. It's when the issue doesn't fit the examples -> knowledge of the tool is paramount.

The most difficult issue to solve is when a user has tried a number of tools and the disk is in a very sad state. It's unclear if any tool can unravel what has been done. The best case is to back up what you can (another strength of Testdisk), clean the drive, and start fresh with a new install. No one likes to hear that, but it is often the only solution. Sure, a person on-site running various tools might... might be able to fix the disk... over time. The question is does a person have the focus to learn the tool(s), run various tools (or executions of Testdisk), report current status, not chase other solutions, and solve the issue.

I don't make "housecalls" and I lack the patience to handhold a member that doesn't have the discipline required to follow instructions or report accurate and timely status. Too many tires changed on a moving truck.
I have all the patience in the world for anyone willing to carefully follow instructions and provide useful feedback. "I don't understand" is better feedback than "I tried this program and now I have this issue.....".

Anyway, I have used Testdisk only a few times. It's important that the OP has a realistic goal. First should be to get at their data and back it up. I'm not certain this is the primary goal of Injust.

TEstdisk has a few ways to copy data, assuming you have a device you can copy the data.

Then, they can try to recover the disk to a usable state. Even that is questionable. I say... the disk is flakey, get your data, get a clean bill of health (check the drive, clean the drive, install anew).

Thanks for the valuable information, Bill.

Partition Wizard does not find the lost partition, but I understand Test Disk is more powerful. Do you agree?

​

I'm pretty sure I understand how to use it.
I only went completely haywire and executed some commands that I didn't understand because I never thought that they would harm the hard drive
I understand how to use it pretty much. I'm just analyzing the disk right now and not changing anything. My main goal is to recover my files, even if I have to reinstall.
I can follow instructions and report statuses, even if it takes a while. I understand that you're all just volunteers.
I'm pretty sure my disk is in good health, because I ran a surface test and it's fine, but if you want, I'll check it more.

Right now, my TestDisk deep scan's at 30% percent, it has found TWO partitions. One with the label "Hard Drive" (that's the one with mah data) and one with no label, and I'm not sure what it is.

 

[Injust]

What I have available to use right now:
PW boot DVD
TestDisk (on a PartedMagic USB)
Windows 7 Install Disc
Windows 7 Repair Disc
Paragon 2012 Recovery Disc (the disc is self-dependent and can recover files from images, which I should have)

Right now, I am running TestDisk deep scan, at 32%. I have recovered the Paragon images from my hard drive (I have 3 different ones, not exactly sure what they are, but pretty sure 1 is for my documents, 1 is for my Chrome profiles, and 1 is the System Reserved partition).
Will the backup of the System Reserved partition help?

I will boot the Paragon DVD and see if I can recover the images to another partition on another computer's hard drive, will see if that's possible.

 

[Slartybart]

The fact that your drive is in an unstable state means disk labels are not useful.

You're going to have to provide screen shots of Testdisk for every step. How you determine the disk and partitioning is based on type and size in the first few screens. Then you have to whittle away all of the "bad" information. This cannot be done willy-nilly. Knowing how your drive was partitioned makes it easier to use Testdisk. Often the partiton table is totally confused and you have to make educated guesses. The Testdisk documentation goes over some complex scenarios where "phantom" disks are discovered. It finds lots of partitions, because your drive table is corrupt. Your attempts to fix it has compounded the issue.

re: lots of .txt files. Well yeah, recovery software does that. It finds bits and tries to hook them together into a file. The software's job is to find things the OS no longer cares about - that means lots of files with generated names.

Yes, TestDisk seemed to have found the partition in the screenshot I sent you.
However, when it FINISHED the deep scan, there was no sign of it. There were tons of those "boot" partitions, along with a Recovery, a Test, and a Pagefile partition, just like what the PW found. But no sign of my "Hard Drive" partition (yes, that's what it's named, "Hard Drive").
I'm re-doing a deep scan just to check again
Is there any other way that you know of? Recuva wouldn't work on it...

 

[Injust]

Ok, TestDisk is at 40% right now. I'm just providing a screenshot, available here, of what the screen shows.