cgsecurity.org

Posted: **23 Jun 2015, 17:32**

Hello All,

I accidently erased my linux disks and like some help.

What happened:
- I wanted to install Windows 10 preview. Being cautious I backed up the mbr on the Crucial CT500MX200SSD1 SSD.

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dd if=/dev/sda of=mbr.bin bs=446 count=1

- Accidently I picked the wrong disk when I did this:

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diskpart -> select disk 1 -> clean

This wiped out the paritions on the disk
- I immediately powered off, and cloned the SSD.
- I wrote the backed up mbr back to the disk, hoping that would restore the paritions. No luck.

What I tried:
I tried testdisk to see if I could restore the paritions. There are atleast 4 paritions on the disk that I know of:
1)ext4: linux root, 2) linux swap 3) linux ext4 (home, and this is the one I am most interested in) and 4) NTFS.

I started with the Intel partition type, which see the 4 paritions but I get the message that the paritions cannot be recovered. Here are two screen shots:

Then I tried the EFI GPT parition type, which again sees the 4 paritions but I get the same message that they cannot be recovered.

Finally I tried the None type, and this sees the 4 paritions correctly. I can even list files and copy from the larger ext4 partition (but this is encrypted so just copying it does not help).

In the image above, I chiefly want to restore the 3rd listed parition (size 640000000) which is the encrypted home parition.

Some other pertinent information:

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> fdisk -l /dev/sdh
Disk /dev/sdh: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders, total 976773168 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
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/sdh doesn't contain a valid partition table

I'll add the testdisk logs soon.
Thanks for the help in advance.

M.

Posted: **29 Jun 2015, 06:11**

5 partitions are listed but Intel-MBR only supports 4 primary partitions or 3 primaries and 1 extended for logical partitions.
If you choose partition table type None, you cannot write a partition into your partition table, that's why you should choose Intel.
On this screen:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qcU2 ... /none1.png
There are 5 partitions listed.
The fourth partition overlaps the third partition and can't be recovered.
Should be set to D for deleted.
The fifth partition fits exactly.
Did you have a try to list your files?
Please let me know!
But the fifth partition starts exactly 1 sector after the third one.
That's why I assume, if you try to set it to L for logical, you can receive the message "structure bad".
In case, you should set it as P for primary only.
Your boot partition should be set to star as primary and active.

Currently it's important, can you list your files on your NTFS parttition?

Fiona

cgsecurity.org

Recovering ext4 partitions.

Recovering ext4 partitions.

Re: Recovering ext4 partitions.