Didn't work apparently. I double clicked on the first line (after filling check mark), and got the second screen. No contents, just 'Disk:2 LBA:2048'. Drive B is the one. Still 'RAW' in Manage.
Last edited by shokan2; 11 Jun 2014 at 15:32.
OK, for clarity's sake, post the screenshot of PW main screen again and then the screenshot of Windows Disk Management.( Please remove all other external drives)
I presume that zero operations were pending and therefore you couldn't Apply.
If you remember you ran check disk and it gave out a message that MFT is corrupted.
Now repeat the same Check disk process.
If you get the same MFT corrupted message and the cursor keeps blinking, it denotes check disk is running in the background. Do not abort. Allow check disk to complete which again will take a long time , perhaps as long as it took for PW Quick Scan.
Let us see what message you get at the end.
If check disk repairs the MFT well and good. If on the other hand it throws out a message could not repair and aborts itself ( my post #3), we shall then proceed to use TestDisk to repair the MFT.
Last edited by jumanji; 11 Jun 2014 at 21:25.
Yesterday, I started a demo of Active File Recovery for Windows (LSoft) and it's at 64% after about nine hours. I'll see what happens. FYI, I've attached a capture of the program scan screen in progress and the Signatures tab, which I assume is what it has found so far. The third is the Volumes tab.
After Partition Wizard yesterday, btw, I recall getting an MFT corrupt message with chkdsk. In any case, I'm waiting for results of "Super Scan" with this other program. Thank you and will post back.
OK, no problems.
I have seen it as a method to recover files. NTFS: repairing a corrupt master file table "In this case we recommend you to use third party software, like Active@ UNERASER for DOS or Active@ File Recovery for Windows to access and save your files to another drive, and then reformat the partition."
I am glad you are trying it. Keep us posted of the results.
Once you finish with it and copied all your files successfully to another external drive , I would like you to try MFT Repair with Test Disk.
It is a simple process. The MFT is normally backed up in an MFT Mirror file.
TestDisk will check whether the backup MFT Mirror is OK. If it is OK it will rewrite the MFT with that backup. One can then access the whole drive as before - no need to copy to another external disk. If the MFT Mirror is also corrupted TestDisk will say so and then data recovery by a suitable software is the only option. TestDisk recommends Zero Assumption Recovery (ZAR) which does not depend upon a file system to be present. So even with a corrupt Master File Table, it can reconstruct the data to copy it. I am not sure whether ZAR is freeware. I think only for Media files like Photo, Video and mp3 it is free.
PhotoRec in TestDisk can also find and reconstruct the files without depending on a filesystem and PhotoRec can recover almost all types of files for free - not necessarily the media files only - and that is the route I normally recommend.I have atleast one user report which says while most other data recovery programs recovered files but with errors, recovery with PhotoRec was perfect and without any errors.
So you need to check that the recovered files by whatever method you employ are also error free and maintains data integrity.
Your experience with Active @File Recovery and then with TestDisk MFT repair will be a valuable information to us.
So keep going and let us know how everything unfurls.
EDIT: once you finish with the present process, I can guide you on MFT Repair with TestDisk, if need be. http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/Advan...and_MFT_Repair
Hello Jumanji. The program progress is at 93% and I have to go to work now. This process of trying to recover files is a new arena for me and is exciting.
I'm confident I'll get some good results with the new information you gave in addition to whatever comes from Active Recovery for Windows. I have Test Disk ready to go for later today.
("Jumanji"... a guy named Chris van Allsburg, who was a couple years ahead of me at Rhode Island School of Design back in the 70s, wrote and illustrated a brilliant book for children by that name. Also, The Polar Express. FYI, his medium for the illustrations was charcoal dust, which gave a unique smoothly gradated effect. Both books became movies, as you know. Talented guy.)
Ah, this demo version won't allow me to extract found files because of size. So, I'll take a look at Test Disk now.
Of my options, which will give me the best chance of getting videos contained in their original folders?
Test Disk:
Screen 1 : Select No log - Enter
Screen 2 : Select your External Drive > Proceed Enter
Screen 3: Select Intel Enter
screen 4: Advanced File System Utilities - Enter
Screen 5 Boot - Enter
I think from thereon you can find your way. I do not know what will come next in your case. I have to learn from you. :)
As I had already told in case MFT repair with TestDisk is not possible or we get lost not knowing what do to with it, I shall bet upon PhotoRec. It is going to take an excruciatingly long scan but in the end there is every likleihood that you will thank your stars for being so patient.
This is the third (I think) PhotoRec screen. I don't know what to do here. Only the up/ down arrow keys work here so only 'OTHER' and '[ EXT2/EXT3 ]' are highlight-able. There is a blinking underscore prompt at the end of the three dots.
No, first use TestDisk and try to repair MFT.
Only if Repair MFT fails, you will go on to data Recovery with PhotoRec.
Did you miss reading the first few lines on my previous post?
Run Test Disk.
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