Recovering files to a different hard drive

How to use TestDisk to recover lost partition
Forum rules
When asking for technical support:
- Search for posts on the same topic before posting a new question.
- Give clear, specific information in the title of your post.
- Include as many details as you can, MOST POSTS WILL GET ONLY ONE OR TWO ANSWERS.
- Post a follow up with a "Thank you" or "This worked!"
- When you learn something, use that knowledge to HELP ANOTHER USER LATER.
Before posting, please read https://www.cgsecurity.org/testdisk.pdf
Locked
Message
Author
TALooN
Posts: 3
Joined: 12 Aug 2016, 14:16

Recovering files to a different hard drive

#1 Post by TALooN »

Hi guys. I need a bit of help.

I have a drive I am trying to recover. It's 500Gb.
I have another 2Tb drive which is empty waiting to copy the files to using test disk.

I am booting test disk off of a 16Gb USB stick.

Now here is the problem, due to the size of data I am trying to recover, I need to copy it to the 2Tb but can't find a way of mounting it to receive the files. I seem to only be able to recover to the 16Gb USB. When going back directories it gives you a drive list but as the 2Tb isn't mounted, I cant select it as a destination.

I thought about running test disk off of the 2Tb but for the life of me I can't figure out how to make the 2Tb DOS bootable with the NTFS file system.

Any ideas on what I should do?

User avatar
cgrenier
Site Admin
Posts: 5432
Joined: 18 Feb 2012, 15:08
Location: Le Perreux Sur Marne, France
Contact:

Re: Recovering files to a different hard drive

#2 Post by cgrenier »

The OS you are booting from need to support NTFS. If you are using Linux, you need to use the mount command to mount the NTFS partition and next use testdisk to copy the files.

TALooN
Posts: 3
Joined: 12 Aug 2016, 14:16

Re: Recovering files to a different hard drive

#3 Post by TALooN »

I'm using FreeDOS to boot off of the USB stick. What would be the best .exe to put on the USB stick to mount using freeDOS?

TALooN
Posts: 3
Joined: 12 Aug 2016, 14:16

Re: Recovering files to a different hard drive

#4 Post by TALooN »

Ok so after a bunch of mucking around with this drive... I'm having REAL problems trying to figure out of way of doing this safely.

Firstly, the drive CANNOT be read in Windows or any other operating system. It seems that test disk will only see the drive in dos (off of the BIOS). This presents a few problems for me.

I am trying to make an image of the drive so that I can work on safely restoring it rather than working on the actual drive itself and risking damaging it further. I cannot do this as I cannot mount an NTFS drive in FreeDos to copy the image of the NTFS damaged drive to.

Secondly, using testdisk to copy files off of the damaged drive, some files are failing (which isnt TOO much of an issue) but when trying to recover large amounts of data, it simply takes HOURS. It would be a LOT easier for me to simply make an image and try repairing that image. But seeing as though I cant see the drive in Windows therefore I cannot make an image of it, I REALLY don't want to risk trying to repair it with test disk if it doesn't work and damages it further.

Does anyone have ANY suggestions for me as to what I can do?

Locked