Problem recovering partition/filesystem

How to use TestDisk to recover lost partition
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Fiona
Posts: 2835
Joined: 18 Feb 2012, 17:19
Location: Ludwigsburg/Stuttgart - Germany

Re: Problem recovering partition/filesystem

#21 Post by Fiona »

I don´t understand what the 129 MB un-allocated disk are or where it comes from, also the disk is listed as RAW, does the disk manager read the boot sector or does it the try to read the MFT?
Your unallocated space was probably reserved for either ESP (EFI) or MSR (Microsoft Reserved).
It should be a normal behavior.
Information here;
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows ... e/gg463525
does the disk manager read the boot sector or does it the try to read the MFT?
Windows doesn't read anything at the moment.
You only created an unformatted partition.
It appears as RAW.
It means, currently it has no boot sector nor file system.
It's absolutely advisable not to format it!
You would override your previous file system.
Then you can only try datarecovery software, to read your underlying data in your sectors.

If you didn't use Rebuild BS and both sectors (boot sector and its backup) are available, then TestDisk found them on your Disk.
But I'd need some more information about TestDisk.;
Partition is found, boot-sector and back up boot sector ok.
When you create a partition. it's unformatted and has no boot sector nor a backup of the boot sector.
If you create a partition equal to your initial situation, then the boot sector should be bad.
If your underlying backup of the boot sector is ok (it's at the end of your volume) you can use Backup BS to copy your backup of the boot sector over your boot sector.
As long as your file system is intact, after boot sector recovery, your file system gets readable to windows and all your files are visible.
But if your file system is damaged, your partition can still appear as unformatted.
In some cases, a bad file system got readable to windows and windows hung or didn't response anymore if there was any error.
Please let me know, did you do a boot sector recovery?
Did you use PartitionGuru?
When you rebuilded your RAID did you use a spare disk for rebuild?

I'd need infos about boot sector recovery and your current situation, uploading a screenshot from the menu advanced (partition type must be chosen) and "Boot".
I'd like to determine, that your partition size is correct.
If not, to delete that current partition of your GUID partition table and diagnose one using the whole space.
It doesn't touch your underlying data.
Even if boot sector recovery lists your data, I'll recommend to copy/backup them first.
If this one fails,it indicates that your file system is wrong or seriously damaged.
The next step would be testing Restorer Ultimate with creating a virtual RAID 5 (stripe size, sequential order of your disks everything adjusted in the software) and examining the result.

mwitt
Posts: 13
Joined: 31 Mar 2012, 21:38

Re: Problem recovering partition/filesystem

#22 Post by mwitt »

Well, thanks for the help, I have given up on recovery as of now and will format the drives.

/Micke

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remy
Posts: 457
Joined: 25 Mar 2012, 10:21
Location: Strasbourg, France.
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Re: Problem recovering partition/filesystem

#23 Post by remy »

were the data not so important that you could give up, loosing data ?

vivianbloome
Posts: 1
Joined: 27 Apr 2017, 07:59

Re: Problem recovering partition/filesystem

#24 Post by vivianbloome »

Hello.

I've tried to use testdisk to fix my external HD problem (the file type turned to RAW).

But after the ANALYZE step, the result is as picture below:-
testdisk_result.gif
testdisk_result.gif (26.88 KiB) Viewed 2157 times
Then, the system just continue to stuck at this stage.

Please help me.

Thank you in advance.

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cgrenier
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Joined: 18 Feb 2012, 15:08
Location: Le Perreux Sur Marne, France
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Re: Problem recovering partition/filesystem

#25 Post by cgrenier »

The disk may be using a PC Intel partition table instead.
Please copy and paste the testdisk.log file content.

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