Found Partitions But Can't Recover Them

How to use TestDisk to recover lost partition
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tibbletwin
Posts: 4
Joined: 21 Jun 2014, 17:26

Found Partitions But Can't Recover Them

#1 Post by tibbletwin »

For reasons I can't remember I had a second hard drive (1TB) in my PC split into two NTFS partitions - one to back up work from a previous operating system before installing a new one, and another for my regular work files. Well, I acidentally selected that hard drive to install Linux Mint to, but I halted the instillation during the installer's mid-format. I then searched for a way to recover everything and found this tool (testdisk). However both the version Mint ships and the beta version won't let me write the two partitions I need.
The deep scan leaves me with this:

Code: Select all

Disk /dev/sdc - 1000 GB / 931 GiB - CHS 121602 255 63
Check the harddisk size: HD jumpers settings, BIOS detection...
The harddisk (1000 GB / 931 GiB) seems too small! (< 4022 GB / 3745 GiB)
The following partitions can't be recovered:
     Linux                115358 174 17 121885 195 38  104857600 [_Kororaa]
     ext4 blocksize=4096 Large file Sparse superblock Recover, 53 GB / 50 GiB
     HPFS - NTFS          121600 254 63 183683   1 63  997347457
     NTFS, blocksize=4096, 510 GB / 475 GiB
     FAT12                321316  26 62 488995 147 62 2693770759
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=255 nbr=1
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=1
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=64 nbr=1
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=128 nbr=1
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=255 nbr=1
Warning: the current number of heads per cylinder is 255 but the correct value may be 16.

Results
     Linux                    0  32 31    31  26 57     497664
     ext2 blocksize=1024 Sparse superblock Backup superblock, 254 MB / 243 MiB
     Linux                    0  32 33    31  26 59     497664
     ext2 blocksize=1024 Sparse superblock, 254 MB / 243 MiB
     HPFS - NTFS              0  65  2 59519  25 26  956170240 [TMP_BACKUP]
     NTFS, blocksize=4096, 489 GB / 455 GiB
     Linux LVM               31  59 29 121601  57 56 1953021952
     LVM2, 999 GB / 931 GiB
     Linux                  835   1 63 115071  53 54 1835204608
     ext4 blocksize=4096 Large file Sparse superblock Backup superblock, 939 GB / 875 GiB
     Linux                  835  34 32 115071  86 23 1835204608
     ext4 blocksize=4096 Large file Sparse superblock Backup superblock, 939 GB / 875 GiB
     FAT12                33116   2  7 33116  34 38       2048
     FAT12, blocksize=2048, 1048 KB / 1024 KiB
     FAT12                34610 127 14 34610 159 45       2048
     FAT12, blocksize=2048, 1048 KB / 1024 KiB
     Linux                54422 158  9 54683 179 24    4194304 [Data]
     ext4 blocksize=4096 Large file Sparse superblock Recover, 2147 MB / 2048 MiB
     Linux                54422 223 10 54683 244 25    4194304 [Data]
     ext4 blocksize=4096 Large file Sparse superblock Recover, 2147 MB / 2048 MiB
     HPFS - NTFS          59518 252 49 119037 249 63  956172561
     NTFS, blocksize=4096, 489 GB / 455 GiB
     HPFS - NTFS          59518 252 56 121600 254 56  997347457 [MT_Storage_Drv]
     NTFS, blocksize=4096, 510 GB / 475 GiB
     HPFS - NTFS          59518 252 63 121600 254 63  997347457
     NTFS found using backup sector, blocksize=4096, 510 GB / 475 GiB
     Linux                96847   0  1 97499 254 63   10490445
     ext3 blocksize=4096 Large file Sparse superblock Recover, 5371 MB / 5122 MiB
     Linux                115071  53 55 121598  75 13  104857600 [_Fedora-16-x86_6]
     ext4 blocksize=4096 Large file Sparse superblock Backup superblock, 53 GB / 50 GiB
     Linux                115071  86 24 121598 107 45  104857600 [_Kororaa]
     ext4 blocksize=4096 Large file Sparse superblock Backup superblock, 53 GB / 50 GiB
     Linux Swap           118462 190  1 121595  60  1   50323456
     SWAP2 version 1, pagesize=4096, 25 GB / 23 GiB
     Linux Swap           120827  72 14 121598  75 13   12386304
     SWAP2 version 1, pagesize=4096, 6341 MB / 6048 MiB
The two partitions I need are "MT_Storage_Drive" and "TMP_BACKUP" How do I restore just those two partitions and all the files they contained?

User avatar
Fiona
Posts: 2835
Joined: 18 Feb 2012, 17:19
Location: Ludwigsburg/Stuttgart - Germany

Re: Found Partitions But Can't Recover Them

#2 Post by Fiona »

If you're using Linux, you need root to write your partitions.
Do you start your terminal or console as root user?
Are your mentionned NTFS-Partitions the only partitions where you'd like to recover?
Because testdisk found a lot of partitions.
Have you been able to list your files on your NTFS-partitions?

Fiona

tibbletwin
Posts: 4
Joined: 21 Jun 2014, 17:26

Re: Found Partitions But Can't Recover Them

#3 Post by tibbletwin »

Testdisk was run with root (sudo) privelages. The mentioned NTFS partitions are the only ones I need, but as they have a ton of files, I didn't try to see if I could list them...

User avatar
Fiona
Posts: 2835
Joined: 18 Feb 2012, 17:19
Location: Ludwigsburg/Stuttgart - Germany

Re: Found Partitions But Can't Recover Them

#4 Post by Fiona »

Mark your NTFS partition and press p.
Do it on both partitions.
TestDisk can even copy them.
Please let me know, have you been able to list your files?

tibbletwin
Posts: 4
Joined: 21 Jun 2014, 17:26

Re: Found Partitions But Can't Recover Them

#5 Post by tibbletwin »

Sorry I've been away so long, this still hasn't been fixed. I'm still afraid it's going to take up too much time and/or resources to search for and list over 900GB of files...

User avatar
Fiona
Posts: 2835
Joined: 18 Feb 2012, 17:19
Location: Ludwigsburg/Stuttgart - Germany

Re: Found Partitions But Can't Recover Them

#6 Post by Fiona »

To list files takes probably seconds.
You should immediately be able to watch your files.
Also I've no idea why it takes so long?
Did you receive read errors?
In this case, testdisk and windows might hang.
If you're able to list your files, you'd be also able to copy them to another healthy disk or partition.
It's only a try to get your data back.

Fiona

tibbletwin
Posts: 4
Joined: 21 Jun 2014, 17:26

Re: Found Partitions But Can't Recover Them

#7 Post by tibbletwin »

Sorry I didn't explain myself clearly. I don't have another disk to copy files to, but I can list my files just fine.
I've attached a screenshot of where I'm stuck at still. I've got two ntfs partitions marked 'P' since those are the partitions with my files. I can undelete one of those partitions, but not both. How do I get both partitions back?
Attachments
testdisk.jpg
testdisk.jpg (113.98 KiB) Viewed 4398 times

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