My external hard drive suddenly became unllocated:

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  1. Posts : 7,055
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
       #21

    Glad that you finally mustered courage to finish the pending operations in Partition Wizard and got your HDD back to its previous state accessing the data.:)

    1. As regards autoplay, you may refer to this tutorial AutoPlay - Turn On or Off

    2. Diffferent Data Recovery programs work on different algorithms. In a given situation one has to try different programs. There is no one size fits all. But generally in a situation where the HDD has become RAW or unallocated Partition Wizard is known to do a good job.

    3. Even after accidenatally formatting a drive, it is possible to recover data, as long as the data has not been overwritten.

    4. Regarding your final query: Yes, I recommend that you raise the query in the Installation and Setup subforum - not my cup of tea anyway, my brain autoskips if it can't indulge.. :)

    Finally, do backup and save the MBR of all drives. In most cases of data inaccessibility - which arise due to first sector corruption, either boot code or partition table - simply restoring the backup will resolve the problem without a need for running a data recovery program. The first sector so backed up pertains to only that partition setup. If you make any changes to the disk setup, like adding, deleting, merging, extending the partitions, you must take a fresh backup containing those new partition data and discard the old backup.

    There is even a simpler program to do it. MBR Backup 2.0 Released | TrojanHunter Blog

    My external hard drive suddenly became unllocated:-20-04-2013-08-23-13.jpg

    Physical Drive 0 will always be your internal drive. Physical drive 1 will be the connected external drive - where you have only one internal drive. Always connect only one external drive and save the backup in a clearly identifiable disk name-serial number folder. Also keep a snapshot of the MBR and Partition Table of that drive.

    Finally, you may mark this thread as solved, so that it may help others with a similar problem.

    Enjoy.:)
    Last edited by jumanji; 20 Apr 2013 at 11:43. Reason: minor corrections
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  2. Posts : 116
    Windows Ultimate x86, SP1
    Thread Starter
       #22

    Thank you so much indeed,
    May I ask you these final questions

    First: Could you please reply me Partition recovery wizard took only less than one minute. Why did the testdisk take more than four hours for each scan and it faild in the end?
    What features of test disk are there ???

    3. Even after accidenatally formatting a drive, it is possible to recover data, as long as the data has not been overwritten.
    I really restored my Windows from recovery disks many times; however, when I used Mini data recovery to recover data, I found in each time that only the old data whatever happened for hard drive
    In other words, take this example:
    I had a preinstalled windows 7 from the Factory with this layout of hard drive(System, C, D(Factory Recovery) HP Tools) , then I have saved many datas on C: while working Windows 7.

    After some period of time, I have recovered my system from Recovery Disks I have created, so all my old data has been deleted by restoration.

    Next, I have saved new data on C:\ after restoration.

    When I tried recovered with data recovery via Mini data recovery program, I found that only old data was recovered whatever happend for the hard drive.
    I think it should new data was only recovered .

    Finally, do backup and save the MBR of all drives. In most cases of data inaccessibility
    Should I save the MBR of each partition, or there is only one MBR of each hard drive?
    Will restoring MBR of partition(s) affect the data restored on partition(s)?

    Also keep a snapshot of the MBR and Partition Table of that drive.
    Can the program you provied above take the snapshot of the MBR and Partition Table of a drive? Or do you mean with the snapshot (IMAGE of hard drive with Imaging programs)
    What can I do with Snapshot of the MBR and Partition Table of a drive as long as that porgram you provided can only Save(Back up) and restore MBR ?
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  3. Posts : 7,055
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
       #23

    1. As I have already told, different programs adopt different algorithms. In a given situation, one program may succeed while another may not. As far as data recovery is concerned, there is no one size fits all and if one fails, you have to try another. It is almost impossible to pinpoint why one failed while another succeeded since a large number of variables are associated.( If you go on repeating the same questions, I shall go on repeating the same answers.:))

    2. By definition, you "recover" only "lost" data. If the data is already accessible and seen, why should a recovery program recover it and show it to you? !!!!!!!!

    3. MBR is always a dedicated first sector of any hard drive, 512 bytes in length. It contains the boot code, the partition table and the disk signature used exclusively by the BIOS/OS to read your drive.

    All data you write can only be stored on the other sectors.

    If the boot code is corrupted your computer will not boot. If the partition table is corrupted , your OS cannot see the partitions and you won't be able to access the data though all data is there.

    If you had backed up the first sector, you may then restore the corrupted first sector and presto you can boot into and read all the partitions and data on it..

    If you want more information on MBR, do your own google search.

    4. There is only one first sector on any hard drive :) and that is called MBR or boot sector. So the MBR wizard will only copy the first sector of your hard drive. If you see the saved .bin file , its size will be 512 bytes. It will be sufficient if you backup the first sector of your external drive for restoring later.


    The snapshots of the contents of the first sector and partition table are just additional information.

    The following screenshots of my Maxtor external drive are the snapshots taken with Windows Snipping tool and saved alongwith the backup of the first sector.


    My external hard drive suddenly became unllocated:-21-04-2013-12-58-09.jpg

    My external hard drive suddenly became unllocated:-21-04-2013-13-33-24.jpg

    My external hard drive suddenly became unllocated:-21-04-2013-13-35-12.jpg


    As you can see the size of the *.bin file which is the backup of the first sector is 512 bytes.

    The Hex table shows the actual 512 bytes. ( An expert can read it and analyse.)

    The Partition table shows the drive has two partitions.

    If ever you restore the first sector in a situation like the ones where it had turned RAW or unallocated, you can take fresh snapshots and compare against these to confirm that everything is rightly back in its place. Otherwise, you will keep asking me, "OK. I did all that you said and now everything is apparently OK, but still how do I know what came out only is what went in again?"
    Last edited by jumanji; 21 Apr 2013 at 04:17.
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  4. Posts : 116
    Windows Ultimate x86, SP1
    Thread Starter
       #24

    Thank you very much

    An expert can read it and analyse
    I am quite surprised how so smart those people who designed such programs that the ordinary people hardly can understand how to use these programs. Glory of GOD



    By definition, you "recover" only "lost" data. If the data is already accessible and seen, why should a recovery program recover it and show it to you? !!!!!!!!
    Yes, I know, but if I have installed Windows in hard drive, then I worked on it and saved data. Then I formated it. Next, I reinstalled the windows and also worked on it and saved other data.
    Finally, I also formated it, then I run data recovery wizard, I only get the first data. However, the second data I didn't find them.

    3. MBR is always a dedicated first sector of any hard drive, 512 bytes in length. It contains the boot code, the partition table and the disk signature used exclusively by the BIOS/OS to read your drive.
    If so, then why I am asked if I want to restore MBR for each partition in the image while restoring an image created by Macrium. In other words, whenever I choose a partition from image, I am asked if I want MBR to be restored.
    Then if there are three partitions in an image, so I will be asked for each partition I choose.

    Second: should I save the MBR of all my hard drives in a hard drive. Then, I will also save the MBR of the hard drive on which MBRs of the previous hard drives are saved.

    Finally: Should I save MBR of internal hard drive?
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  5. Posts : 7,055
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
       #25

    When you write anything, you will not know where exactly the new data is written. It could have so happened the second data had been overwritten. So you did not get it. First data might not have been overwritten. So only that was retrieved.

    I do not use MacriumReflect, so I do not know what it does and how it does.

    That it asks you whether to write the MBR too when you want to restore a partition does not mean that each partition has an MBR.

    It will still write the MBR to the first sector of the hard drive only.

    To say yes or no to that depends upon why and where you want to restore that partition. If it is the same drive, same location you can say yes (or even no since nothing requires to be changed in the existing first track (MBR).:)). If to a different location on the same drive, say no since a new partition table has to be written into the first sector ( and perhaps MacriumReflect will take care of it). You have already been told a particular first sector(MBR) image is valid only for that particular partition setup. If you change the partition setup, the partition table in the first sector has to be updated to reflect that change so that the OS can read it and access the new location.

    If you already use MacriumReflect, you need not take the MBR image with MBRWizard for the system drive. MacriumReflect will have it -though it may not show it to you as a separate entity - and use it during the restore operation. You may only save the backups of first sector of other internal drives (if any) and other external drives for use in any eventuality like the one in this thread.
    Last edited by jumanji; 22 Apr 2013 at 03:12.
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  6. Posts : 116
    Windows Ultimate x86, SP1
    Thread Starter
       #26

    I hope this is final question in this thread, I know that my original problem was solved and I should have marked this thread as solved. But this is realted post and then I am going to mark it as solved to maybe it will help other people

    jumanji said:

    8. At this stage I pressed “P” to list the files and check whether it can see the files. It
    showed all the files. I copied one file to a partition on my internal drive and checked
    that it played. I terminated TestDisk after this since I have to now try Partition Wizard.



    .
    After I formating a hard drive(one partition), I have recovered it with Testdisk
    Then, I found the result,
    My questioins is when I pressed “P” to list the files and check whether it can see the files. It showed all the files. Then, I copied file.


    Copied done as you see in the screenshot, but I didn't where file was saved.


    But I couldn't know the destination where recovered file would be saved because there wasn't any option to choose the destination.
    So I thought that file didn't copied to the destination.
    However, suddenly while opening the user 'Mohammad' i run Testdisk with, found the files were copied in as the picture shows below.



    Inside '$Recycle.BIN is:



    Inside each one is this file:


    How did you manage to choose the destination to copied file?
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  7. Posts : 7,055
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
       #27

    I have seen your post and will answer. Please wait till I return.
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  8. Posts : 7,055
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
       #28

    Copying files listed by TestDisk during Recovery


    It is very difficult to explain in words how to copy the files listed by TestDisk during recovery. The whole process is interactive and needs close attention.

    So I have put it all in screenshots.

    Please go through diligenty and you will get to know.

    Screenshot 1

    My external hard drive suddenly became unllocated:-a12-05-2013-10-39-36.jpg

    Screenshot 2

    My external hard drive suddenly became unllocated:-b-12-05-2013-11-18-56.jpg

    Screenshot 3

    My external hard drive suddenly became unllocated:-c-12-05-2013-11-26-06.jpg

    ( I have omitted some screenshots here and straightaway gone to the point whwre we are going to list the files.)

    Screenshot 4

    My external hard drive suddenly became unllocated:-d-12-05-2013-11-39-46.jpg

    Screenshot 5

    My external hard drive suddenly became unllocated:-f-12-05-2013-12-16-18.jpg

    Screenshot 6

    My external hard drive suddenly became unllocated:-g-12-05-2013-14-36-41.jpg

    Screenshot 7

    My external hard drive suddenly became unllocated:-h-12-05-2013-14-39-48.jpg

    Screenshot 8

    My external hard drive suddenly became unllocated:-i-12-05-2013-14-45-44.jpg

    Screenshot 9

    My external hard drive suddenly became unllocated:-j12-05-2013-15-32-41.jpg

    Screenshot 10

    My external hard drive suddenly became unllocated:-k-12-05-2013-15-42-43.jpg

    Screenshot 11

    My external hard drive suddenly became unllocated:-l-12-05-2013-15-49-23.jpg

    Screenshot 12

    My external hard drive suddenly became unllocated:-m-12-05-2013-15-57-53.jpg
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  9. Posts : 25,847
    Windows 10 Pro. 64/ version 1709 Windows 7 Pro/64
       #29

    jumanji you are very patient. Good follow through. I wish it would let me rep you.
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  10. Posts : 7,055
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
       #30

    Thanks for your kind words, which itself is a rep for me. :)

    The OP wanted to know how to copy when TestDisk lists the file and he also said if it is made known it will help others too. I appreciated it and the troubles he had and hence took the pain to delineate the whole process by that demo. TestDisk is really difficult to handle for the first time users. Even I fumbled many times while preparing the screenshots and text annotations that go with it and had to repeat it many times to get everything in order. Even if one user is benefitted by it, I am happy. :)
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