cgsecurity.org

Sorry for taking so long to get back to you on my results but things have been crazy busy lately.

So far I have recovered a lot of my files by using a different app as suggested. Still working on it but looks like I won't be recovering some (somewhat) important backups. But these are not important ...

Thanks Fiona, I'll give those a try.

I installed and ran testdisk 6.14 as instructed. Here is the log file:

testdisk.zip

In case it helps here is what testdisk showed after the deepsearch:

TestDisk 6.14-WIP, Data Recovery Utility, May 2012
Christophe GRENIER <grenier@cgsecurity.org>
http://www.cgsecurity.org

Disk /dev/sdb - 2000 ...

Ok, I will try 6.14 and get back to you. I am sure I did a deepsearch but perhaps I sent the wrong log file.

PS
Just ignore the last message as I sent it before I saw the posting prior to that.

Does anyone have any other ideas, as I am fresh out?
If not should I just proceed with my backup plan from the 1st post (skipping the image creation step)?

Yes the listing that I tried was for Nextstar3: which is the external drive.

Here is the log file again. Hopefully it works this time

I ran another series of tests as follows:

1. Upgraded from testdisk 6.11 to 6.13 (latest non-beta version)
2. create log file
3. partition type = Intel
4. Analyse \ quick search \ list --> only shows the current files ($RECYCLE.BIN & "System Volume Information")
5. Deepsearch \ list --> same ...

Well before the Dell restore utility decided to wipe my 2TB eSata external drive, it contained one 2TB partition. I am almost positive it was formatted NTFS.

I followed your instructions remy and have attached the resultant testdisk log file as requested. Wow, turning off the align option certainly ...

You should begin a new life : you already think like an expert in data recovery.

Thanks remy, I learned some data recovery stuff last year when my laptop drive started failing. Unfortunately I learned about the merits of taking an image before modifying anything the hard way.

As far as I ...

My wife's laptop recently developed issues most likely due to a virus. So we backed up the entire hard drive to an external (eSata) 2TB drive. This drive was most likely formatted NTFS previously.

At which point we used the Dell recovery partition to reload the O/S (Windows 7). Unfortunately it ...