Help understanding TeskDisk + whether disk is recoverable

[dkschofield]

Hi,

I had a windows 7 machine which on start-up said that there was no bootable drive, check cable etc. Having tried to remove and replace the HDD with no effect I have now moved on to trying to read the drive externally.

I dont have another windows computer so I now have the HDD hooked up via an external USB caddy to my Macbook Air.

I've downloaded and run TestDisk and I am a bit stumped about what it's telling me and whether the drive is physcially damaged or whether it's recoverable.

Here's what I get:

1. On the first screen it detects the drive but I get this:

Disk /dev/disk0 - 121GB / 113GiB (R0) (assume this is my Mac SSD)
Disk /dev/disk2 - 640 GB / 596 GB GiB (this is the right capacity of the broken drive)
Disk /dev/rdisk0 - 121 GB / 113 GiB (R0)
Disk /dev/rdisk1 - 120 GB / 111 GiB
Disk /dev/rdisk2 - 640 GB / 596 GiB


If I select the second one down in the above list, the partition table type selection screen detects the Intel partition which I select.

When I click "Analyse" I get this:

---------------------------

Disk /dev/disk2 - 640 GB / 596 GiB - 156282966 sectors
Current partition structure:
Partition Start End Size in sectors

> 1 P Windows RE(store) 2048 41945087 41943040

Warning: Bad starting sector (CHS and LBA don't match)
Invalid NTFS or EXFAT boot
2 * HPFS - NTFS 41945088 42149887 204800
2 * HPFS - NTFS 41945088 42149887 204800

Warning: Bad starting sector (CHS and LBA don't match)
Invalid NTFS or EXFAT boot
3 P HPFS - NTFS 42149888 1250260991 1208111104
3 P HPFS - NTFS 42149888 1250260991 1208111104

Warning: Bad starting sector (CHS and LBA don't match)

-------------------------------------



If I run a Quick Search, then I get this:


-----------------------------------



Disk /dev/disk2 - 640 GB / 596 GiB - 156282966 sectors



Warning: number of sectors per track mismatches 63 (NTFS) != 1 (HD)
Warning: number of bytes per sector mismatches 512 (NTFS) != 4096 (HD)
Warning: number of heads/cylinder mismatches 255 (NTFS) != 1 (HD)
Warning: number of sectors per track mismatches 63 (NTFS) != 1 (HD)
Warning: number of bytes per sector mismatches 512 (NTFS) != 4096 (HD)
HPFS - NTFS 256 5243135 5242880
Warning: number of heads/cylinder mismatches 255 (NTFS) != 1 (HD)
Warning: number of sectors per track mismatches 63 (NTFS) != 1 (HD)
Warning: number of bytes per sector mismatches 512 (NTFS) != 4096 (HD)
HPFS - NTFS 5217537 5243136 25600
Warning: number of heads/cylinder mismatches 255 (NTFS) != 1 (HD)
Warning: number of sectors per track mismatches 63 (NTFS) != 1 (HD)
Warning: number of bytes per sector mismatches 512 (NTFS) != 4096 (HD)
HPFS - NTFS 5243136 5268735 25600
Stop


---------------------------------------------


The drive looks like it's doing something - the light is flashing, whirring etc. but the screen on TD doesn't seem to be changing.

At this point I don't really understand anything it's telling me. I'm used to - at this point - getting the partition list and being able to copy files so this is a new one on me.

Can anyone tell me if this would suggest the drive is completely bricked and damaged or is this just something that needs a bit of re-configuring to get working again.


Thanks so much in advance for your help
Danielle

[cgrenier]

Try TestDisk, Advanced. For each NTFS partition, use Boot, RebuildBS, List. If you can see your files, choose Write and confirm.

[dkschofield]

Try TestDisk, Advanced. For each NTFS partition, use Boot, RebuildBS, List. If you can see your files, choose Write and confirm.

Hi

Thanks - I have gone to this option and after clicking RebuildBS nothing is happening - at least, the screen hasn't changed. Been a good 30-60 mins so far and nothing.

Should this take as long as this? Or should I try something else?

This is what is on the screen at the moment:




Disk /dev/disk4 - 640 GB / 596 GiB - 156282966 sectors
Partition Start End Size in sectors
2 * HPFS - NTFS 41945088 42149887 204800

Boot sector
Status: Bad

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.





Thanks
Danielle