Recovering deleted ext4 Ubuntu partitions using TestDisk

How to use TestDisk to recover lost partition
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Author
hhhzzzarn
Posts: 1
Joined: 13 Nov 2012, 21:37

Recovering deleted ext4 Ubuntu partitions using TestDisk

#1 Post by hhhzzzarn »

Recovering deleted ext4 Ubuntu partitions using TestDisk


Question

How do I write (recover) found partitions from [None] None partition media table type (unallocated space?) in TestDisk?


Problem

I changed grub settings (default entry to boot into from 0 to 4), then run the command sudo update-grub. I rebooted my computer. It bypassed the grub menu automatically and entered the "Acer Recovery Manager" (for windows 7). I canceled it because I did not want to recovery windows 7. I rebooted the computer again. This time I encountered:

error: no such partition.
grub rescue>

I booted into Ubuntu 12.10 live and run "GParted Partition Editor".

Image 0 (image album link provided below)

Instead of unallocated space, I used to have / and /home ext4 Ubuntu partitions. I think the "Acer Recovery Manager" deleted (hide) them even though I canceled the process.


Recovering missing partitions using TestDisk

I am not allowed to post images or post more than 2 hyperlinks since I don't have 10 reputation points.

All screenshot images in one album:

http://imgur.com/a/gqPio#0 (updated: added deep search results)

Individual screenshot images:

Image 7: This partition table is not the correct (desired) table (not the one I want).

Image 10: So far, I did not find the missing partitions (above). I did not do deep search yet. I continued the search in [None] None partitioned media table type (below).

Image 15: This is the correct (desired) partition table I want. The two ext4 partitions that is now converted into unallocated space. I want to recover these two.

Image 16: I found the missing / ext4 Ubuntu partition (above).

Image 19: I found the missing /home ext4 Ubuntu partition (above).

Image 21: I found the missing / and /home ext4 Ubuntu partitions but since I am in [None] None partitioned media table type, I can not write (recover) the partitions (no option to write).

Updates:

Image 24: I found the same /home in the deep search also (above). The deep search was done while I was still in [None] None partitioned media table type, maybe this is why I can't write or recover.

Image 28: I found the same / in the deep search also (above). The deep search was done while I was still in [None] None partitioned media table type, maybe this is why I can't write or recover.


Conclusion

How can I recover these two partitions that are found in [None] None partitioned media table type (unallocated space?) and also in deep search?

I have searched around and have not found anything that refers to recovering found partitions in [None] None partitioned media table type.

User avatar
Fiona
Posts: 2835
Joined: 18 Feb 2012, 17:19
Location: Ludwigsburg/Stuttgart - Germany

Re: Recovering deleted ext4 Ubuntu partitions using TestDisk

#2 Post by Fiona »

If you choose partition table type none, there will be no partition table.
That's why it's not possible to write any partition to your partition table.
Would it be possible to repeat your Diagnose, leaving partition table type Intel and change your geometry?
Linux often uses 16 Heads.
Please let me know, do you use your disk normally in an Acer laptop?
Laptops often use a geometry of 240 heads.
You can use the menu geometry and heads to change the value.
Please don't change anything else in the menu geometry.
Repeat your diagnose and let me know, did you find your missing ext4 partitions?

Fiona

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