External USB HDD
Posted: 15 Jul 2012, 07:06
Hello, everyone.
I recently experienced the unfortunate failure of my external USB hard drive where I keep my daughter's photos and videos and I'm desperately trying to recover the files. I've tried using Testdisk to no avail. I've also Googled the log errors and some people have had success recovering their files (with the help of some wonderful forum members!).
However, I'm a complete newbie regarding disk recovery and I could not grasp why some members suggested their proposed solutions (e.g., increase cylinders number, change heads number). If I had understood what they were seeing, I would have already tried something on my disk but I'm too weary of trying because of the emotional attachment I have towards the information in it.
With all that said, I would be thoroughly grateful towards any helpful information anyone could provide me.
The Testdisk log is the following (I used the Analyse and the Deeper Search functions):
I recently experienced the unfortunate failure of my external USB hard drive where I keep my daughter's photos and videos and I'm desperately trying to recover the files. I've tried using Testdisk to no avail. I've also Googled the log errors and some people have had success recovering their files (with the help of some wonderful forum members!).
However, I'm a complete newbie regarding disk recovery and I could not grasp why some members suggested their proposed solutions (e.g., increase cylinders number, change heads number). If I had understood what they were seeing, I would have already tried something on my disk but I'm too weary of trying because of the emotional attachment I have towards the information in it.
With all that said, I would be thoroughly grateful towards any helpful information anyone could provide me.
The Testdisk log is the following (I used the Analyse and the Deeper Search functions):
Sat Jul 14 09:07:50 2012
Command line: TestDisk
TestDisk 6.14-WIP, Data Recovery Utility, May 2012
Christophe GRENIER <grenier@cgsecurity.org>
http://www.cgsecurity.org
OS: Linux, kernel 2.6.32-23-generic (#37-Ubuntu SMP Fri Jun 11 08:03:28 UTC 2010) x86_64
Compiler: GCC 4.4
Compilation date: 2012-06-28T08:50:00
ext2fs lib: 1.41.12, ntfs lib: libntfs-3g, reiserfs lib: 0.3.1-rc8, ewf lib: 20100226
/dev/sda: LBA, HPA, LBA48, DCO support
/dev/sda: size 312581808 sectors
/dev/sda: user_max 312581808 sectors
/dev/sda: native_max 10591920 sectors
/dev/sda: dco 312581808 sectors
/dev/sdb: LBA, HPA, DCO support
/dev/sdb: size 156301488 sectors
/dev/sdb: user_max 156301488 sectors
/dev/sdb: native_max 156301488 sectors
/dev/sdb: dco 160086528 sectors
Warning: can't get size for Disk /dev/mapper/control - 0 B - CHS 1 1 1, sector size=512
Hard disk list
Disk /dev/sda - 160 GB / 149 GiB - CHS 19457 255 63, sector size=512 - Hitachi HDS721616PLA380 IBM, S/N:PVFC44ZHRXNA8E, FW:P22OABCA
Disk /dev/sdb - 80 GB / 74 GiB - CHS 9729 255 63, sector size=512 - Maxtor 4D080H4, S/N:D40C0D8E, FW:DAH017K0
Disk /dev/sdc - 500 GB / 465 GiB - CHS 60801 255 63, sector size=512 - WD 5000AAV External, FW:1.65
Partition table type (auto): Intel
Disk /dev/sdc - 500 GB / 465 GiB - WD 5000AAV External
Partition table type: Intel
Analyse Disk /dev/sdc - 500 GB / 465 GiB - CHS 60801 255 63
Geometry from i386 MBR: head=255 sector=63
test_FAT()
1 P FAT32 LBA 0 1 1 60799 254 63 976751937
sector_size 46074
cluster_size 252
reserved 52687
fats 168
dir_entries 37047
sectors 17978
media 63
fat_length 16094
secs_track 6759
heads 61505
hidden 2682593931
total_sect 1202497466
check_part_i386 failed for partition type 0C
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=255 nbr=2
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=8 nbr=2
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=16 nbr=2
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=32 nbr=2
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=64 nbr=2
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=128 nbr=2
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=240 nbr=2
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=255 nbr=2
Current partition structure:
Invalid FAT boot sector
1 P FAT32 LBA 0 1 1 60799 254 63 976751937
1 P FAT32 LBA 0 1 1 60799 254 63 976751937
No partition is bootable
Ask the user for vista mode
search_vista_part: 0
search_part()
Disk /dev/sdc - 500 GB / 465 GiB - CHS 60801 255 63
Search for partition aborted
Results
interface_write()
No partition found or selected for recovery
simulate write!
write_mbr_i386: starting...
write_all_log_i386: starting...
No extended partition
Analyse Disk /dev/sdc - 500 GB / 465 GiB - CHS 60801 255 63
Geometry from i386 MBR: head=255 sector=63
test_FAT()
1 P FAT32 LBA 0 1 1 60799 254 63 976751937
sector_size 46074
cluster_size 252
reserved 52687
fats 168
dir_entries 37047
sectors 17978
media 63
fat_length 16094
secs_track 6759
heads 61505
hidden 2682593931
total_sect 1202497466
check_part_i386 failed for partition type 0C
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=255 nbr=2
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=8 nbr=2
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=16 nbr=2
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=32 nbr=2
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=64 nbr=2
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=128 nbr=2
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=240 nbr=2
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=255 nbr=2
Current partition structure:
Invalid FAT boot sector
1 P FAT32 LBA 0 1 1 60799 254 63 976751937
1 P FAT32 LBA 0 1 1 60799 254 63 976751937
No partition is bootable
Ask the user for vista mode
search_vista_part: 1
search_part()
Disk /dev/sdc - 500 GB / 465 GiB - CHS 60801 255 63
Search for partition aborted
Results
interface_write()
No partition found or selected for recovery
simulate write!
write_mbr_i386: starting...
write_all_log_i386: starting...
No extended partition
Analyse Disk /dev/sdc - 500 GB / 465 GiB - CHS 60801 255 63
Geometry from i386 MBR: head=255 sector=63
test_FAT()
1 P FAT32 LBA 0 1 1 60799 254 63 976751937
sector_size 46074
cluster_size 252
reserved 52687
fats 168
dir_entries 37047
sectors 17978
media 63
fat_length 16094
secs_track 6759
heads 61505
hidden 2682593931
total_sect 1202497466
check_part_i386 failed for partition type 0C
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=255 nbr=2
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=8 nbr=2
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=16 nbr=2
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=32 nbr=2
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=64 nbr=2
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=128 nbr=2
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=240 nbr=2
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=255 nbr=2
Current partition structure:
Invalid FAT boot sector
1 P FAT32 LBA 0 1 1 60799 254 63 976751937
1 P FAT32 LBA 0 1 1 60799 254 63 976751937
No partition is bootable
Ask the user for vista mode
search_vista_part: 1
search_part()
Disk /dev/sdc - 500 GB / 465 GiB - CHS 60801 255 63
BAD_RS LBA=536870975 63
check_part_i386 failed for partition type 0C
FAT32 LBA 33418 171 33 94218 170 32 976751937
This partition ends after the disk limits. (start=536870975, size=976751937, end=1513622911, disk end=976773168)
Disk /dev/sdc - 500 GB / 465 GiB - CHS 60801 255 63
Check the harddisk size: HD jumpers settings, BIOS detection...
The harddisk (500 GB / 465 GiB) seems too small! (< 774 GB / 721 GiB)
The following partition can't be recovered:
FAT32 LBA 33418 171 33 94218 170 32 976751937
Results
interface_write()
No partition found or selected for recovery
search_part()
Disk /dev/sdc - 500 GB / 465 GiB - CHS 60801 255 63
Results
interface_write()
No partition found or selected for recovery
simulate write!
write_mbr_i386: starting...
write_all_log_i386: starting...
No extended partition
TestDisk exited normally.