Cannot see a logical partition after clean install

[Lau]

Hi Everyone...

I'm in BBIIGGG trouble. I think I might have just lost all of my work files.
I was having some trouble today so I decided to do a clean install of Windows XP Home. I'm not worried about my files since I have partitions (one for personal, one for work). So, the install is all done. Everything looks good.
I just realized that I am not seeing my work partition. I installed Partition Magic right away, and what I am seeing is what COULD BE my partition with a (*.*) for name, Unallocated type. Its used size is 0Kb, which doesn't look too good for me. I click right on it, and the only enabled option is Properties, and it is not giving me much to do with.

I need your help big time. I cannot afford to have lost all of that!

Thanks in advance,

[pop pop]

I'm not a data/partition recovery expert. There are guys here though who are. If it can be done, they'll help. I would suggest you wait.

[Quantax]

Yeah, where's "Partition Paul"?

[Paleo Pete]

OK, I don't know much about data recovery, but I can tell you if it's been repartitioned it will be difficult at best and you should NOT boot the machine any more than necessary until recovery is attempted. Every time you turn it on you lessen the chance of recovery.

[Lau]

Thanks for the tips guys...

Pete - I will try not to boot my computer to much, but I still need it to do the little work I can still do without my files

BTW, here is what I think could have happened. Tell me if I might be right:
I have 2 hard drive:
#1 - Maxtor 40Gb, where my C: partition is (that's where windows is installed), and where I think (but I'm not sure) my work partition was (E: )
#2 - Seagate 160 Gb, where I created two partitions, personal data (D: ), and a blank one (F: ) <-- was supposed to be used for BACKUP!! (imagine that)
When I did the XP Home clean install, it asked me where I wanted the install to go. I selected C:, and did a quick format (for some reason the longer, more throughout format won't go through). Now, could it have formatted the whole HD (#1) instead of just the partition???

[Steve]

If you r.click on my computer > manage > disk management, what partitions and drives are listed?

[Lau]

Steve - there are three partitions listed with a letter, C: and D: on disk 0 and E: on disk 1. There is also one partition listed as 'free space' (in bright green) on disk 1

[Dan Penny]

I saw this yesterday but hesitated on posting because I haven't tried these yet, but I have five different data recovery tools. (I'm an experimentor ;>) ) I don't know if they'll work with XP, but I assume at least one will. I've uploaded them to my webspace for download if you want to try them;

http://www.cyberus.ca/~danpenny/5Tools.zip

Please let me know if you want to (or have already) downloaded them as this one file (8+MB) is taking up almost half of my quota on the server. I'll leave the file there for a day or three.

As cautioned in the posts above, anything you do to the disks lessens your chance of recovery. Ideally, load the recovery tools on another computer then slave your drives to it to attempt the recovery. What you recover should be saved to ANOTHER disk to prevent writing the saved data over other potentially recoverable data on the problem disks.

[Lau]

Dan - let me get that right: the zipped file I just downloaded (I got the file BTW, so I guess you can remove it from the server) contains 4 *.exe and one zipped file. They are the 5 different data recovery tools you are talking about, correct?

What is the difference between all five? Do you recommend one over another?

I will try what you are suggesting... and everybody keep your fingers crossed!!!

Thanks Dan :)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I should probably post this in another thread, on another section, but that sort of relate to what Dan says I should do to recover my data. I have a home network (actually, I almost have a home network). Both computers are running Windows XP Home. They are connected to a switch, which is connected to the cable modem. They are on the same workgroup. I can see computer 2 in the workgroup and vice-versa.
When I double-click on it to access it, the user name is grayed out as computername/Guest. The Guest account on computer 2 is disabled.
The exact same thing happens when I try to access my computer from computer 2. Anybody knows how to manually enter the user name?

Thanks

[Lau]

After searching for about 2 full hours, I finally figured it out... and it was pretty simple:

For those interested at all: simply share one of your hard drive/partition. Suddenly, the disabled username and request for password do not come back and you can access the other computer's shared drive freely.

[Dan Penny]

"They are the 5 different data recovery tools you are talking about, correct?"

Yes. Five seperate tools.

"What is the difference between all five? Do you recommend one over another?"

As I stated earlier, I haven't tried them yet so I can't answer.

[Paul Komski]

For future reference I have no hesitation in recommending GetDataBack from www.runtime.org (there is one for FAT and one for NTFS). It has consistently retrieved data for peeps on these forums over the past couple of years. If nothing else getting it to scan your system will show you whether your data is recoverable or not - and help to allay the panic that can set in.

As long as a drive can be seen by the BIOS and data has not been overwritten or zeroed then such DIY software is surprinsingly effective. "Simple" formatting and repartitioning is not of itself usually all that destructive to data - though a clean installation would naturally have overwritten a lot of data.

[Lau]

Paul - I am running GetDataBack as we speak. Writing this from another computer though. I will let you know how that went as soon as I find out.
The good news: I know for sure the area I am scanning contains a little over 3400 files that I can access right now, and the scanning detected 5400 so far. It is good news, isn't it?

... update: up to 10000 files detected. Am I getting too excited or should I be happy at that point??

[Paul Komski]

I finally figured it out... and it was pretty simple:
I thought this meant that you had sorted your problem.

If you still cant directly access the work files then the first thing I would ask you to do is to run PartitionInfo (from the Partition Magic Tools in the Start Menu) then use its "Save As" button and upload the txt file it creates here.

[Lau]

Oh no Paul, when I said "I figured it out", I meant the home network part, which I should have posted in a different thread. Sorry about that!

But hey, guess what, I'm done with GetDataBack, IT WORKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You have no idea what this means. I'd give you the biggest hug if you were in front of me.
I am just so relieved.
This program is great. The install and scan are free so if I don't find what I'm looking for, I can just stop there. I only had to pay $80 for the license key to actually copy the data to a folder. The data recovery company I got in touch with today about this was quoting about $1300!!! Unreal...

Thank you so much again!

[Lau]

I actually have a quick question: the data I recovered was on its own partition. When I copied it to a folder on C: it also copied a folder called 'System Volume Information', and a bunch of files ($AttrDef, $BadClus, $Bitmap, just to name a few). Do I need those files in any way anymore?? Can I delete them?

[Dan Penny]

Don't delete *ANYTHING* until you manipulate that drive for a while and you know you have what you want.

[Paul Komski]

System Volume Information is created on each partition as a hidden system folder and it is dynamic and not something one would normally even consider restoring.

The $AttrDef, $BadClus, $Bitmap files are "superhidden" system metadata files relating to the NTFS file system and similarly would not be restored/restorable.

As long as all your DATA is safe (and BACKED UP ONTO REMOVABLE MEDIA) then there is no real need to keep anything else. Another thing you might consider doing is to use GDB to create an image file. The image file that GDB creates is a literal clone of the original bad partition and can be used, just like a physical partition, for recovery purposes. Once you are sure your DATA is safe then you can play away to your heart's content.

GDB rocks again - which is Great News. You can actually recover stuff for free but this can only be done one file at a time by opening that file with the application that created it and then use it to save a copy. That is of course tedious if there are a lot of files and it is a value judgement of time versus money as to which route to go.

PS I suspect (esp since you recovered your data) that we could have been able to edit your drive to get things back the way they were - but heck - you seem to be a happy bunny as things go right now!

[Lau]

Dan, Paul,

I ended up deleting those files after making sure that I could open all my data files. I wasn't going to open and save every files since I have about 1.5 Gb of data that I recovered. It would have taken days probably.

Thanks again for everyone's input and advice. :)