Problem with external HDD Topic is solved

How to use TestDisk to recover lost partition
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sdafwsf
Posts: 3
Joined: 10 Jun 2014, 12:13

Problem with external HDD

#1 Post by sdafwsf »

Hi,

While trying to access my Samsung S2 external HDD, Windows says "The drive is not formatted, do you want to format it now?". I ran Testdisk, and after a "quick search" it recognizes the partition and I can see all files on the disk, as well as copy them to my main hard drive. Any suggestions on how to fix the HDD? The log:

Code: Select all


Tue Jun 10 12:30:24 2014
Command line: TestDisk

TestDisk 7.0-WIP, Data Recovery Utility, June 2014
Christophe GRENIER <grenier@cgsecurity.org>
http://www.cgsecurity.org
OS: Windows WorkStation 6.2.9200
Compiler: GCC 4.7, Cygwin 1007.25
Compilation date: 2014-06-09T08:52:39
ext2fs lib: 1.42.8, ntfs lib: 10:0:0, reiserfs lib: 0.3.1-rc8, ewf lib: 20120504
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(/dev/sda)=512110190592
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(/dev/sdb)=7969177600
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(/dev/sdc)=640135028736
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\PhysicalDrive0)=512110190592
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\PhysicalDrive1)=7969177600
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\PhysicalDrive2)=640135028736
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\C:)=491568234496
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\D:)=7964983296
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\E:)=555757568
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\F:)=640132383232
Hard disk list
Disk /dev/sda - 512 GB / 476 GiB - CHS 62260 255 63, sector size=512 - SAMSUNG MZ7TD512HAGM-000L1, S/N:S151NYAF100923, FW:DXT05L0Q
Disk /dev/sdb - 7969 MB / 7600 MiB - CHS 968 255 63, sector size=512 - Realtek PCIE Card Reader, FW:1.00
Disk /dev/sdc - 640 GB / 596 GiB - CHS 77825 255 63, sector size=512 - Samsung S2 Portable, S/N:00000011E093105006D7
Drive E: - 555 MB / 530 MiB - CHS 132 64 32, sector size=2048 - Msft Virtual DVD-ROM, FW:1.0

Partition table type (auto): Intel
Disk /dev/sdc - 640 GB / 596 GiB - Samsung S2 Portable
Partition table type: Intel

Analyse Disk /dev/sdc - 640 GB / 596 GiB - CHS 77825 255 63
Geometry from i386 MBR: head=255 sector=63
FAT32 at 0/1/2
Info: size boot_sector 1250258561, partition 1250258561
FAT1 : 32-152614
FAT2 : 152615-305197
start_rootdir : 305198 root cluster : 2
Data : 305198-1250258541
sectors : 1250258561
cluster_size : 64
no_of_cluster : 19530521 (2 - 19530522)
fat_length 152583 calculated 152583
Current partition structure:
 1 P FAT32 LBA                0   1  2 77824 254 63 1250258561 [SAMSUNG]
No partition is bootable

search_part()
Disk /dev/sdc - 640 GB / 596 GiB - CHS 77825 255 63
FAT32 at 0/1/2
FAT1 : 32-152614
FAT2 : 152615-305197
start_rootdir : 305198 root cluster : 2
Data : 305198-1250258541
sectors : 1250258561
cluster_size : 64
no_of_cluster : 19530521 (2 - 19530522)
fat_length 152583 calculated 152583

FAT32 at 0/1/2
     FAT32 LBA                0   1  2 77824 254 63 1250258561 [SAMSUNG]
     FAT32, blocksize=32768, 640 GB / 596 GiB
file_pread(6,2,buffer,1250265088(77825/102/38)) lseek err Invalid argument
file_pread(6,1,buffer,1250265088(77825/102/38)) lseek err Invalid argument
file_pread(6,8,buffer,1250263744(77825/81/17)) lseek err Invalid argument
file_pread(6,1,buffer,1250263744(77825/81/17)) lseek err Invalid argument
file_pread(6,8,buffer,1250263872(77825/83/19)) lseek err Invalid argument
file_pread(6,8,buffer,1250264000(77825/85/21)) lseek err Invalid argument
file_pread(6,8,buffer,1250264128(77825/87/23)) lseek err Invalid argument
file_pread(6,8,buffer,1250264256(77825/89/25)) lseek err Invalid argument
file_pread(6,8,buffer,1250264384(77825/91/27)) lseek err Invalid argument
file_pread(6,8,buffer,1250264512(77825/93/29)) lseek err Invalid argument
file_pread(6,8,buffer,1250264640(77825/95/31)) lseek err Invalid argument
file_pread(6,8,buffer,1250264768(77825/97/33)) lseek err Invalid argument
file_pread(6,8,buffer,1250264896(77825/99/35)) lseek err Invalid argument
file_pread(6,8,buffer,1250265024(77825/101/37)) lseek err Invalid argument
file_pread(6,1,buffer,1250265087(77825/102/37)) lseek err Invalid argument
file_pread(6,1,buffer,1250265088(77825/102/38)) lseek err Invalid argument
file_pread(6,14,buffer,1250265089(77825/102/39)) lseek err Invalid argument
file_pread(6,3,buffer,1250265103(77825/102/53)) lseek err Invalid argument
file_pread(6,3,buffer,1250265150(77825/103/37)) lseek err Invalid argument
file_pread(6,8,buffer,1250265166(77825/103/53)) lseek err Invalid argument
file_pread(6,11,buffer,1250265213(77825/104/37)) lseek err Invalid argument
file_pread(6,2,buffer,1250267135(77825/135/6)) lseek err Invalid argument

Results
   L FAT32 LBA                0   1  2 77824 254 63 1250258561 [SAMSUNG]
     FAT32, blocksize=32768, 640 GB / 596 GiB

interface_write()
 
No partition found or selected for recovery
simulate write!

write_mbr_i386: starting...
write_all_log_i386: starting...
No extended partition

Interface Advanced
Geometry from i386 MBR: head=255 sector=63
FAT32 at 0/1/2
Info: size boot_sector 1250258561, partition 1250258561
FAT1 : 32-152614
FAT2 : 152615-305197
start_rootdir : 305198 root cluster : 2
Data : 305198-1250258541
sectors : 1250258561
cluster_size : 64
no_of_cluster : 19530521 (2 - 19530522)
fat_length 152583 calculated 152583
 1 P FAT32 LBA                0   1  2 77824 254 63 1250258561 [SAMSUNG]
     FAT32, blocksize=32768, 640 GB / 596 GiB

fat32_boot_sector
 1 P FAT32 LBA                0   1  2 77824 254 63 1250258561 [SAMSUNG]
     FAT32, blocksize=32768, 640 GB / 596 GiB
FAT32 at 0/1/2
Info: size boot_sector 1250258561, partition 1250258561
FAT1 : 32-152614
FAT2 : 152615-305197
start_rootdir : 305198 root cluster : 2
Data : 305198-1250258541
sectors : 1250258561
cluster_size : 64
no_of_cluster : 19530521 (2 - 19530522)
fat_length 152583 calculated 152583
FAT32 at 0/1/2
Info: size boot_sector 1250258561, partition 1250258561
FAT1 : 32-152614
FAT2 : 152615-305197
start_rootdir : 305198 root cluster : 2
Data : 305198-1250258541
sectors : 1250258561
cluster_size : 64
no_of_cluster : 19530521 (2 - 19530522)
fat_length 152583 calculated 152583
Boot sector
OK

Backup boot sector
OK

Sectors are identical.

A valid FAT Boot sector must be present in order to access
any data; even if the partition is not bootable.

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

Re: Problem with external HDD

#2 Post by Fiona »

FAT32 LBA 0 1 2 77824 254 63 1250258561 [SAMSUNG]
FAT32, blocksize=32768, 640 GB / 596 GiB
The value 2 is not Intel-MBR standard and should be 1.
But that's not a big deal and you can leave it as it is.
Your boot sector looks ok, that's why there is nothing to do.
Recommendation in your case is, copy(backup) all important data first, using testdisk and run chkdsk driveletter: /r, using a command prompt and admin privileges, to have a try to repair your file system.
Before you should copy/backup your data.

Fiona

sdafwsf
Posts: 3
Joined: 10 Jun 2014, 12:13

Re: Problem with external HDD

#3 Post by sdafwsf »

I tried that before running Testdisk, but get the following message:

Code: Select all

The type of the file system is FAT.
An error occurred while reading the file allocation table (FAT 1).
An error occurred while reading the file allocation table (FAT 2).
There are no readable file allocation tables (FAT).

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

Re: Problem with external HDD

#4 Post by Fiona »

If you recovered your data, you can use testdisk / Advanced / Boot and Rebuild BS to check your boot sector.
Are both sectors after a Rebuild BS still identical?
If not, please let me know.

Only if you've already a backup!

If chkdsk doesn't work, you can use Repair Fat.
But only if you have a backup.
Info:
Repair FAT tables:
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/Advanced ... FAT_tables
If this doesn't work for you, it's remommended to delete and create a new partition, format it and copying data back.

Fiona

sdafwsf
Posts: 3
Joined: 10 Jun 2014, 12:13

Re: Problem with external HDD

#5 Post by sdafwsf »

Unfortunately it didn't worked so I formatted the disk. Thanks for the help and great tool!

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

Re: Problem with external HDD

#6 Post by Fiona »

Thanks for your feedback! :)
I'll set your topic as solved.

Fiona

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