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Re: help repairing FAT32 external HD

Posted: 02 Apr 2012, 13:12
by rheemixed
well not the whole space, but definitely larger than 1 GB

Re: help repairing FAT32 external HD

Posted: 02 Apr 2012, 13:43
by Fiona
Sry, I meant, that your partition probably used the whole space.
It has nothing to do with your data, stored on your disk.
I consider to create a partition like before to diagnose it and have a try to get your data back.

Re: help repairing FAT32 external HD

Posted: 02 Apr 2012, 13:47
by rheemixed
What specific steps should I do to create the partition like before?

Thanks for your continued help Fiona!

Re: help repairing FAT32 external HD

Posted: 02 Apr 2012, 13:59
by Fiona
Please let me know, what OS (WindowsXP, Vista or Win7) you use.

Re: help repairing FAT32 external HD

Posted: 02 Apr 2012, 14:00
by rheemixed
Using Windows 7

Re: help repairing FAT32 external HD

Posted: 02 Apr 2012, 14:28
by Fiona
Partitions created using Win7 are diferent to Intel Standard.
I'll set you instructions in TestDisk to add an Intel-Standard-Partition.
If you don't understand something right, please let me know.
Everything it's only intended for diagnosis purposes, so you don't touch your underlying data.
In case, if it's not working, you can still use datarecovery software!

Start Testdisk.
Confirm through testdisk until you see Analyse.
Your affected disk must be selected.
Confirm at Analyse and highlight Backup.
Press Enter.
If there appears a message like "do you want to search for partitions created under vista, conform with n (NO).
If Quick Search is starting any search, let finish it.
Afterwards your screen should look like this;
http://forum.cgsecurity.org/phpBB3/down ... php?id=267
Highlight your partition and use your right or left arrow on your keyboard to set it to D for deleted.
You can watch it at the left.

Now press a to add another partition
The menu should look like this;

[ Cylinders ] [ Heads ] [ Sectors ] [ Cylinders ] [ Heads ] [ Sectors ] [ Type ] [ Done ]
......0........... 1..........1...........60800.......254........63..........0c....[Enter]
the Type 0c (zero c) is for FAT32
Please enter exactly these values!

After confirm at [Done], you will get back to the previous screen.

In case, check your added partition, it must be primary (P).
You can check it at the left side.
If not, use your arrow keys.
Should be;
P HPFS - NTFS 0 1 1 60800 254 63
Press enter to proceed.

Write your partition table at Write.

Now you have an empty unformatted partition.
Don't format it, you would override your underlying file system, then you'd need datarecovery software.

Confirm in TestDisk through until you see the menu Analyse.
Don't confirm at Analyse but Advanced.
Highlight your affected partition and confirm at Boot.
Please upload another screenshot.
Highlight Rebuild BS and hit Enter.
Rebuild BS will be in progress.
Normally, it takes some minutes.
If it's finished, please post the infos or upload a screen.
If you see a menu List, please highlight it and press enter.
Please let me know, do you see your data or an error message.
To get back to the previous screen, easily press q for Quit.