External HDD with all pictures corrupted. Help with recovering.

What ever you do Len, don't try to do this yourself. I have know so many people who think that they can fix it, and they end up making it so that the professionals can't even recover it. Your best bet, if it means enough to you, is to ship it to a Data Recovery Facility. It will cost you a lot, I'm sure, but they will most likely be able to recover it without any problems.

Let us know if you decide to do this, cause if not, im sure there are DIY tutorials out there, but they are very risky, and dont always work.

Good luck,
Ben

What is the nature of the corruption. If it is just the MFT, that can be fixed from the mirror.
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk

whs said:

What is the nature of the corruption. If it is just the MFT, that can be fixed from the mirror.
TestDisk - CGSecurity

Not to sure what MFT means whs. Can you explain more? And how does it have a mirror. I love learning new things.


Thanks,
Ben

MFT = Master File Table

whs said:

MFT = Master File Table

Ok,
Compared to a HDD, what is the difference?

Thanks,
Ben

Ben, the MFT is inventory list of all files in a partition. E.g. if you delete a file, it does not disappear from the partition. All that happens is that a bit in the MFT pertaing to that file is set saying that the file is deleted. That is why programs like Recuva have a good chance to recover data even after the user "deleted" it.
When a data partition or disk is shown as corrupted, it is very often the MFT that is on the blink. But fortunately there is a double (mirror) of it from where it can be reconstructed (most of the time).

Ben,

Here you go happy reading :)

NTFS.com NTFS Format. Master File Table (MFT). General Information.

Barman58 said:

Ben,

Here you go happy reading :)

NTFS.com NTFS Format. Master File Table (MFT). General Information.

whs said:

Ben, the MFT is inventory list of all files in a partition. E.g. if you delete a file, it does not disappear from the partition. All that happens is that a bit in the MFT pertaing to that file is set saying that the file is deleted. That is why programs like Recuva have a good chance to recover data even after the user "deleted" it.
When a data partition or disk is shown as corrupted, it is very often the MFT that is on the blink. But fortunately there is a double (mirror) of it from where it can be reconstructed (most of the time).

Thank you both very much. Going to relax with my lady. Will take a look at the articals later.

Talk to you all later,
Ben