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Write error: Can't overwrite NTFS backup boot sector

Posted: 17 Apr 2018, 16:30
by RhysD
Hi all,

My external hard drive now takes very long to copy single files, often spending 5 minutes calculating the size of a tiny file before not even copying it. Large files or directories just doesnt work at all. I can see the files - but just loading a dir in windows takes a while.

So i ran TestDisk and choose the Boot menu ->

Drive E: - 1000 GB / 931 GiB - CHS 121597 255 63
Partition Start End Size in sectors
P NTFS 0 0 1 121597 5 8 1953456128 [My Passport]
Boot sector Status: OK
Backup boot sector ntfs_boot_sector: Can't read backup boot sector.
Status: Bad
Sectors are not identical.
A valid NTFS Boot sector must be present in order to access
any data; even if the partition is not bootable.
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I choose Org.BS - copy boot sector over backup sector ->

Write error: Can't overwrite NTFS backup boot sector
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Is the unreadable backup boot sector the issue and if so any ideas how to fix? If not any further ideas?

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Re: Write error: Can't overwrite NTFS backup boot sector

Posted: 18 Apr 2018, 05:54
by cgrenier
Your disk slowdown is probably due to bad sectors.
You should clone your disk to a new empty one using ddrescue as described in https://www.cgsecurity.org/testdisk.pdf
Once it's done, remove the original disk and try to access your data on the clone.

Re: Write error: Can't overwrite NTFS backup boot sector

Posted: 18 Apr 2018, 11:28
by RhysD
Many thanks. I will have a go at this and feedback!