Rebuild BS - faster using sata than usb?

Using TestDisk to repair the filesystem
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Author
Shin
Posts: 7
Joined: 01 May 2015, 16:57

Rebuild BS - faster using sata than usb?

#1 Post by Shin »

Hi,
I have been trying to recover my files from one of my partitions (~350gb) in my 2.5 inch WD blue 750gb hdd but testdisk gave me the 'damaged filesystem' error. Since then (4 days ago) I have been trying to rebuild the boot sector after testdisk gave me the 'boot sector status: bad' and 'backup boot sector status: bad' messages. They have identical sizes nevertheless. Testdisk is still searching the mft after 100 hours and has only managed less than 2%. I am just wondering: should i continue to wait or should i connect the hdd to my desktop via sata instead of usb to speed up the process? Any advice would be welcomed! Thanks!

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

Re: Rebuild BS - faster using sata than usb?

#2 Post by Fiona »

Probably there should be another reason why it takes so long and it's unusual.
Either bad sectors and read errors of a heavily damaged file system can cause that testdisk hangs.
In case you can stop running RebuildBS.
I've no idea about your OS and and your current affected partition?

Fiona

Shin
Posts: 7
Joined: 01 May 2015, 16:57

Re: Rebuild BS - faster using sata than usb?

#3 Post by Shin »

Hi Fiona,
Thanks for the prompt reply.
Testdisk is moving, albeit very very slowly...
The WD blue is my lappie's hdd which was supposed to have 2 partitions, but after repeated attempts to re-install Window 7 on it, now has 4 partitions. The partition that I am trying to recover is the partition that i used to save my music, videos and photos and is non-bootable.
I'm running testdisk off a bootable disc from my desktop.
Would you be able to suggest any alternative to rebuild the BS or should i try to fix the bad sectors first? It appears that Testdisk is encountering some issue here. I've previously tried to use Photorec but after 3 to 4 days, it was still 100+ hours away from completion and Photorec actually copied multiple copies of many files (especially mp3s).
Any inputs would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Shin

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

Re: Rebuild BS - faster using sata than usb?

#4 Post by Fiona »

What kind of boot disk do you use?
Can you run a diagnose on a windows computer?
Can you check your disk using crystaldiskinfo?
http://crystalmark.info/software/Crysta ... dex-e.html
In case use the portable version, because the installer (exe) contains the adware Open Candy.
If you have no windows copmputer, did you try knoppix?

Fiona

Shin
Posts: 7
Joined: 01 May 2015, 16:57

Re: Rebuild BS - faster using sata than usb

#5 Post by Shin »

Hi Fiona,
I was using Testdisk off Hiren's boot cd.
Anyway after letting the wd blue hdd take a break, i managed to run it on the portable version of Testdisk on my desktop. This time round, the statuses of both the boot sector and the backup boot sector were ok. However when i tried to list the files, i encounter the 'filesystem may be damaged' message again.
May i know which command/tool are you referring to 'run a diagnose on a windows computer? Is it the chkdisk command?
I managed to run crystaldiskinfo and have attached a screenshot.
Is there any way testdisk can help me recover my files? Thanks.

Shin
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CrystalDiskInfo Screenshot
CrystalDiskInfo Screenshot
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Fiona
Posts: 2835
Joined: 18 Feb 2012, 17:19
Location: Ludwigsburg/Stuttgart - Germany

Re: Rebuild BS - faster using sata than usb?

#6 Post by Fiona »

Looks like that your disk should be replaced?
Can you have a try clone your disk?
Info:
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/Damaged_Hard_Disk
If you'd like to, you can use testdisk /Advanced / ImageCreation to create an image file to another healthy disk or partition.
You'll need enough available free space on it.
TestDisk and PhotRec can work with image files.
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/Media_Image
Chkdsk driveletter: /r would be a try to repair your file system and bad sectors.
But it can hang also.
Chkdsk is a try to repair a file system but I don't recommend running chkdsk to recover important files.

Fiona

Shin
Posts: 7
Joined: 01 May 2015, 16:57

Re: Rebuild BS - faster using sata than usb?

#7 Post by Shin »

Hi Fiona,
Is cloning the only way to recover all the data files in the partition? I'm trying to make enough space available in my 500gb external harddisk to accommodate the image file.
I tried chkdsk but it failed at the first stage with multiple errors 'file record segment unreadable'.

Shin

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

Re: Rebuild BS - faster using sata than usb?

#8 Post by Fiona »

I assume that testdisk hangs due to bad sectors.
That's why cloning to another healthy disk would be a good idea to try it.

Fiona

Shin
Posts: 7
Joined: 01 May 2015, 16:57

Re: Rebuild BS - faster using sata than usb?

#9 Post by Shin »

Hi Fiona,

After running testdisk for 4 full days to create an image of the damaged partition on my portable harddisk, i managed to create an image.dd file and tried to access it using testdisk. However when i tried to list the files in the image.dd file, testdisk returned me with the same 'filesystem may be damaged' message. Any clues why this is so?

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cgrenier
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Location: Le Perreux Sur Marne, France
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Re: Rebuild BS - faster using sata than usb?

#10 Post by cgrenier »

Open the image.dd file using TestDisk, in Advanced, choose Boot, RebuildBS, List.
If you can see your files, choose Write and confirm. You will be able to list and copy the files.
If it doesn't work, open the image.dd file using PhotoRec and search for your lost data on the whole space.
Good luck

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