Recover partition or data

How to use TestDisk to recover lost partition
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aktiwers
Posts: 3
Joined: 19 Dec 2014, 11:47

Recover partition or data

#1 Post by aktiwers »

I have a damaged harddrive which I created an image of (using ddrescue).

I don't know what filesystem the drive had, since its not my disk and the person who gave it to me has no idea - but I would think its an NTFS or a small chance HFS+.

My goal is to restore the partition or at least save the data on the drive. Im kinda stuck now.

Can anyone help me get futher?

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fdisk -lu ene.img

Disk ene.img: 931.5 GiB, 1000204886016 bytes, 1953525168 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
After running testdisk analyse

Code: Select all

Disk ene.img - 1000 GB / 931 GiB - CHS 121602 255 63

The harddisk (1000 GB / 931 GiB) seems too small! (< 1689 GB / 1573 GiB)
Check the harddisk size: HD jumpers settings, BIOS detection...

The following partition can't be recovered:
     Partition               Start        End    Size in sectors
>  FAT12                176557 212 12 205386  97 24  463130653
I also tried running fixparts on the drive

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 sudo fixparts /dev/sde 
FixParts 0.8.8

Loading MBR data from /dev/sde

Unable to read MBR data from '/dev/sde'! Exiting!
And on the image:

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sudo fixparts ene.img 
FixParts 0.8.8

Loading MBR data from ene.img
Error 38 when determining sector size! Setting sector size to 512
Disk device is ene.img
Error 38 when determining sector size! Setting sector size to 512
Disk device is ene.img
Error 38 when determining sector size! Setting sector size to 512
Disk device is ene.img
Error 38 when determining sector size! Setting sector size to 512
Disk device is ene.img
Error 38 when determining sector size! Setting sector size to 512
Disk device is ene.img
Error 38 when determining sector size! Setting sector size to 512
Disk device is ene.img

Unable to read MBR data from 'ene.img'! Exiting!
And output of parted print:

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sudo parted ene.img print
Error: /media/bolli/My Passport/ene.img: unrecognised disk label
Model:  (file)                                                            
Disk /media/bolli/My Passport/ene.img: 1000GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: unknown
Disk Flags: 
I properbly shouldnt, but I tried anyways to run sfdisk:

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sudo sfdisk ene.img  > parts.txt
sfdisk: Warning: ene.img is not a block device
sfdisk: Disk ene.img: cannot get geometry
sfdisk:  ene.img: unrecognized partition table type
sfdisk: No partitions found
sfdisk: Input in the following format; absent fields get a default value.
<start> <size> <type [E,S,L,X,hex]> <bootable [-,*]> <c,h,s> <c,h,s>
Usually you only need to specify <start> and <size> (and perhaps <type>).
sfdisk:  ene.img1 :
Testdisk has also written that the partition size is too big - it looks like testdisk sees it as a 2tb filesystem, on a 1tb disk.

I also tried running photorec on it and after 16 hours it only located a few broken files.

Any idea what to do next?

Thanks in advance - any help will be very appriciated!

aktiwers
Posts: 3
Joined: 19 Dec 2014, 11:47

Re: Recover partition or data

#2 Post by aktiwers »

No one?

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cgrenier
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Posts: 5432
Joined: 18 Feb 2012, 15:08
Location: Le Perreux Sur Marne, France
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Re: Recover partition or data

#3 Post by cgrenier »

Can you post testdisk.log file ?
Do you have a Raid 0 ?

aktiwers
Posts: 3
Joined: 19 Dec 2014, 11:47

Re: Recover partition or data

#4 Post by aktiwers »

Thanks a lot for the reply cgrenier!

I can't find any testdisk.log, shouild I specify it as parameter before running testdsik? If so I will do it and post back the log ASAP. Right now I don't seam to have this log file.

I don't beleive the harddrive has any raid on it - it comes from a standard external USB harddrive.

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