Unable To Find *.xls as an Extension in qphotorec

Using PhotoRec to recover lost data
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baumgrenze
Posts: 11
Joined: 10 Feb 2019, 22:45

Unable To Find *.xls as an Extension in qphotorec

#1 Post by baumgrenze »

Have I done something wrong?

I opened qphotorec.exe and began setting up a search of a 2 GB data disk.

My first try, using the default File Formats setting of all extensions, got stuck at 25%, same sector number at 2 hours and 5 hours of operation. The hard drive is in a BlacX external SATA box. I had no difficulty running a search limited to *.jpg files a few days ago.

When I opened the File Formats dropdown I was surprised that I could not find xls as an extension. I would expect it to be between *.xfs and *.xm

Are Excel files recoverable?

https://imgur.com/a/vRV8OeT

thanks,
baumgrenze

recuperation
Posts: 2720
Joined: 04 Jan 2019, 09:48
Location: Hannover, Deutschland (Germany, Allemagne)

Re: Unable To Find *.xls as an Extension in qphotorec

#2 Post by recuperation »

Hello baumgrenze,
baumgrenze wrote: 20 Mar 2019, 06:25 Have I done something wrong?
No. 8-)
I opened qphotorec.exe and began setting up a search of a 2 GB data disk.

My first try, using the default File Formats setting of all extensions, got stuck at 25%, same sector number at 2 hours and 5 hours of operation. The hard drive is in a BlacX external SATA box. I had no difficulty running a search limited to *.jpg files a few days ago.
Dammage to files are not only caused by logical errors but by hardware errors like unreadable sectors, too.
It is always worth checking the health of the drive using a SMART-tool like smartmontools or CrystalDiskInfo before starting photorec.
Watch out for pending sectors! Especially in such cases you should duplicate the drive using a fault-tolerant tool like ddrescue.
Every access to a possibly dammaged hard drive may cause new broken sectors. Duplicating the drive minimizes the load for the drive.
When I opened the File Formats dropdown I was surprised that I could not find xls as an extension. I would expect it to be between *.xfs and *.xm

Are Excel files recoverable?
Yes, they are. They are hiding in the "doc"-Family.
Sometimes the entries represent more than one file format (zip).
There is a technical reason for that - might appear confusing.

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baumgrenze
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Re: Unable To Find *.xls as an Extension in qphotorec

#3 Post by baumgrenze »

Thank you for the valuable insights.

I am trying to follow up on Christian Greiner's suggestion that I also try TestDisk. I am working on gathering all the information I may need to ask for help in understanding the log files I've created and also snips of the TestDisk screens I took during the procedure.

Is it true that I need to upload images to an image server and include link(s) to insert images on this forum?

I have a guest arriving tomorrow and it may take a few days but I will return with a more complete reply.

thanks,
baumgrenze

recuperation
Posts: 2720
Joined: 04 Jan 2019, 09:48
Location: Hannover, Deutschland (Germany, Allemagne)

Re: Unable To Find *.xls as an Extension in qphotorec

#4 Post by recuperation »

Hello baumgrenze,
Is it true that I need to upload images to an image server and include link(s) to insert images on this forum?
no, that is not necessary. the direct upload is better.
For some reason the images in the starting post of user nordwind were not shown an the word "image" appeared instead.

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baumgrenze
Posts: 11
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Re: Unable To Find *.xls as an Extension in qphotorec

#5 Post by baumgrenze »

Perhaps this belongs in one of the TestDisk forum branches. If so, I can create a new thread there.

I did get beyond the 'stuck at 25% problem' but find that many files I'd hoped to find were not found.

I finally managed to make time to run an overnight deep search with the partition type set at Intel. I saved Snips of most of the screens I encountered, but I could not understand how to check for missing files and eventually 'Quit' my way out of the program. I cannot make sense of the log file, so I will paste it below. Does it suggest that this is possible?

thanks,
baumgrenze

This is the TestDisk Log File at 9:10 AM end of overnight TD

Wed Mar 27 18:48:03 2019
Command line: TestDisk

TestDisk 7.0, Data Recovery Utility, April 2015
Christophe GRENIER <grenier@cgsecurity.org>
http://www.cgsecurity.org
OS: Windows 7 (7601) SP1
Compiler: GCC 4.8, Cygwin 1007.34
Compilation date: 2015-04-18T13:01:55
ext2fs lib: 1.42.8, ntfs lib: 10:0:0, reiserfs lib: 0.3.1-rc8, ewf lib: 20120504, curses lib: ncurses 5.9
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(/dev/sda)=128035676160
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(/dev/sdb)=2000398934016
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(/dev/sdc)=1000204886016
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(/dev/sdd)=2000398934016
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\PhysicalDrive0)=128035676160
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\PhysicalDrive1)=2000398934016
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\PhysicalDrive2)=1000204886016
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\PhysicalDrive3)=2000398934016
filewin32_getfilesize(\\.\PhysicalDrive4) GetFileSize err Incorrect function.

filewin32_setfilepointer(\\.\PhysicalDrive4) SetFilePointer err Incorrect function.

Warning: can't get size for \\.\PhysicalDrive4
filewin32_getfilesize(\\.\PhysicalDrive5) GetFileSize err Incorrect function.

filewin32_setfilepointer(\\.\PhysicalDrive5) SetFilePointer err Incorrect function.

Warning: can't get size for \\.\PhysicalDrive5
filewin32_getfilesize(\\.\PhysicalDrive6) GetFileSize err Incorrect function.

filewin32_setfilepointer(\\.\PhysicalDrive6) SetFilePointer err Incorrect function.

Warning: can't get size for \\.\PhysicalDrive6
filewin32_getfilesize(\\.\PhysicalDrive7) GetFileSize err Incorrect function.

filewin32_setfilepointer(\\.\PhysicalDrive7) SetFilePointer err Incorrect function.

Warning: can't get size for \\.\PhysicalDrive7
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\C:)=127926079488
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\D:)=1000202043392
filewin32_getfilesize(\\.\E:) GetFileSize err Incorrect function.

filewin32_setfilepointer(\\.\E:) SetFilePointer err Incorrect function.

Warning: can't get size for \\.\E:
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\F:)=2000396746752
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\G:)=0
Warning: can't get size for \\.\G:
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\H:)=0
Warning: can't get size for \\.\H:
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\I:)=0
Warning: can't get size for \\.\I:
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\J:)=0
Warning: can't get size for \\.\J:
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\K:)=2000394649600
Hard disk list
Disk /dev/sda - 128 GB / 119 GiB - CHS 926184 30 9, sector size=512
Disk /dev/sdb - 2000 GB / 1863 GiB - CHS 243201 255 63, sector size=512
Disk /dev/sdc - 1000 GB / 931 GiB - CHS 121601 255 63, sector size=512
Disk /dev/sdd - 2000 GB / 1863 GiB - CHS 243201 255 63, sector size=512
Drive C: - 127 GB / 119 GiB - CHS 925391 30 9, sector size=512
Drive D: - 1000 GB / 931 GiB - CHS 121600 255 63, sector size=512
Drive F: - 2000 GB / 1863 GiB - CHS 243201 255 63, sector size=512
Drive K: - 2000 GB / 1863 GiB - CHS 243200 255 63, sector size=512

Partition table type (auto): None
Drive F: - 2000 GB / 1863 GiB
Partition table type: Intel

Analyse Drive F: - 2000 GB / 1863 GiB - CHS 243201 255 63
Geometry from i386 MBR: head=115 sector=52
BAD_RS LBA=1936269394 5382406
check_part_i386 1 type 4F: no test
BAD_RS LBA=1917848077 5967333
check_part_i386 2 type 73: no test
BAD_RS LBA=1818575915 5855017
check_part_i386 3 type 2B: no test
BAD_RS LBA=2844524554 5982593
check_part_i386 4 type 61: no test
Current partition structure:
1 * Sys=4F 120527 49 53 234813 237 34 1836016416

Bad relative sector.
2 * Sys=73 119380 132 62 153270 41 37 544437093

Bad relative sector.
3 * Sys=2B 113201 29 24 147074 114 59 544175136

Bad relative sector.
4 * SpeedStor 177063 118 26 177066 225 63 54974

Bad relative sector.
Only one partition must be bootable
Space conflict between the following two partitions
3 * Sys=2B 113201 29 24 147074 114 59 544175136
2 * Sys=73 119380 132 62 153270 41 37 544437093
Space conflict between the following two partitions
2 * Sys=73 119380 132 62 153270 41 37 544437093
1 * Sys=4F 120527 49 53 234813 237 34 1836016416
Space conflict between the following two partitions
1 * Sys=4F 120527 49 53 234813 237 34 1836016416
4 * SpeedStor 177063 118 26 177066 225 63 54974

search_part()
Drive F: - 2000 GB / 1863 GiB - CHS 243201 255 63
file_win32_pread(472,1,buffer,3907024895(243201/13/12)) read err: read after end of file
Search for partition aborted

Results

interface_write()

No partition found or selected for recovery

search_part()
Drive F: - 2000 GB / 1863 GiB - CHS 243201 255 63
file_win32_pread(472,1,buffer,3907024895(243201/13/12)) read err: read after end of file

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 Drive F: - 2000 GB / 1863 GiB - CHS 243201 255 63
Geometry from i386 MBR: head=115 sector=52
BAD_RS LBA=1936269394 5382406
check_part_i386 1 type 4F: no test
BAD_RS LBA=1917848077 5967333
check_part_i386 2 type 73: no test
BAD_RS LBA=1818575915 5855017
check_part_i386 3 type 2B: no test
BAD_RS LBA=2844524554 5982593
check_part_i386 4 type 61: no test
Current partition structure:
1 * Sys=4F 120527 49 53 234813 237 34 1836016416

Bad relative sector.
2 * Sys=73 119380 132 62 153270 41 37 544437093

Bad relative sector.
3 * Sys=2B 113201 29 24 147074 114 59 544175136

Bad relative sector.
4 * SpeedStor 177063 118 26 177066 225 63 54974

Bad relative sector.
Only one partition must be bootable
Space conflict between the following two partitions
3 * Sys=2B 113201 29 24 147074 114 59 544175136
2 * Sys=73 119380 132 62 153270 41 37 544437093
Space conflict between the following two partitions
2 * Sys=73 119380 132 62 153270 41 37 544437093
1 * Sys=4F 120527 49 53 234813 237 34 1836016416
Space conflict between the following two partitions
1 * Sys=4F 120527 49 53 234813 237 34 1836016416
4 * SpeedStor 177063 118 26 177066 225 63 54974

search_part()
Drive F: - 2000 GB / 1863 GiB - CHS 243201 255 63
file_win32_pread(472,1,buffer,3907024895(243201/13/12)) read err: read after end of file
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

Interface Advanced
Geometry from i386 MBR: head=115 sector=52
BAD_RS LBA=1936269394 5382406
check_part_i386 1 type 4F: no test
BAD_RS LBA=1917848077 5967333
check_part_i386 2 type 73: no test
BAD_RS LBA=1818575915 5855017
check_part_i386 3 type 2B: no test
BAD_RS LBA=2844524554 5982593
check_part_i386 4 type 61: no test
3 * Sys=2B 113201 29 24 147074 114 59 544175136
2 * Sys=73 119380 132 62 153270 41 37 544437093
1 * Sys=4F 120527 49 53 234813 237 34 1836016416
4 * SpeedStor 177063 118 26 177066 225 63 54974
No space left for the file image.

TestDisk exited normally.

recuperation
Posts: 2720
Joined: 04 Jan 2019, 09:48
Location: Hannover, Deutschland (Germany, Allemagne)

Re: Unable To Find *.xls as an Extension in qphotorec

#6 Post by recuperation »

Hello baumgrenze,

you are in the wrong forum.
You selected a German user name.
The forum menu states in clear German language what every forum is about:
index.php

Read here what TestDisk is for:
https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_DE

Read here what Photorec is for:
https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_herunterladen

Decide what you want to do and select the related forum.
baumgrenze wrote: 28 Mar 2019, 17:37 Perhaps this belongs in one of the TestDisk forum branches. If so, I can create a new thread there.

I did get beyond the 'stuck at 25% problem' but find that many files I'd hoped to find were not found.

I finally managed to make time to run an overnight deep search with the partition type set at Intel. I saved Snips of most of the screens I encountered, but I could not understand how to check for missing files and eventually 'Quit' my way out of the program. I cannot make sense of the log file, so I will paste it below. Does it suggest that this is possible?
Your log file is a protocol of a scan of your disk environment. Your "F:"-partition is broken.
By the way, there is no 2TB installed in your system. You pretended that in your inital posting.

User avatar
baumgrenze
Posts: 11
Joined: 10 Feb 2019, 22:45

Re: Unable To Find *.xls as an Extension in qphotorec

#7 Post by baumgrenze »

Thank you for your reply. In it you say:
"you are in the wrong forum.
You selected a German user name."


Things are not always what they seem. German is my second language; American English is primary. My father came from Schwabenland, arriving in early September 1929. Mom's family arrived from Europe between 1830 and 1865. Their roots were as Swiss Anabaptists (Mennonite/Amish) so even she and her family spoke only 'German' at home until she started school. Since I was born in 1940 at the start of WWII, I could not learn German as a small child. It was used by the adults as a 'code language' when they did not want us to understand. For many years when I was still young and spry I spent free time in the High Sierra Nevada of California, often above timberline, hence the sobriquet of 'Baumgrenze' and a sketch of Mt. Brewer (I made beer in the 1980's) as an avatar.

In your reply you say:
"Your log file is a protocol of a scan of your disk environment. Your "F:"-partition is broken.
By the way, there is no 2TB installed in your system. You pretended that in your inital posting."


When I ran PhotoRec I did manage to recover 35,190 files, a major victory. In another post, Christophe suggested also running TestDisk to see if I could recover the files with their names and dates. That would be a great help in sorting through the

What you say suggests that I should try partition recovery using TestDisk. It that a difficult process? What are the data loss risks involved?

I bought a copy of Macrium Reflect at the suggestion of users on sevenforums.com but I've never been confident that I actually created a reliable image file. If I want to image a whole 2TB disk so that I capture the 'lost information' that PhotoRec shows is there, I'd need yet another new 2TB drive to restore it to so I could see if it was the same as the one I've been working on, wouldn't I?

Regarding drive sizes, the linked image shows

https://imgur.com/a/LcIOPXq

why I said 2 TB drives. It also suggests that at least this partition creation tool (Mini Tool Partition Wizard) thinks the drive is fine. The most comprehensive hard drive checker I know, HWiNFO64, also shows no problems.

I look forward to you comments.

thanks,
baumgrenze

User avatar
baumgrenze
Posts: 11
Joined: 10 Feb 2019, 22:45

An Explanation For My Data Loss

#8 Post by baumgrenze »

I want to share this quickly. It is past my bedtime.

I think I see what caused my data loss. It started when I updated a 'dormant' copy of Windows 10 on a separate (usually disconnected) SDD. I'm still operating from a second SDD that is my Windows 7 system disk most of the time.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/win ... 53654ffb42

Christophe, have you seen any posts on your forums that discuss the data loss described in the link above? Does it sound to you like what happened to my data disk, F:?

thanks,
baumgreze

recuperation
Posts: 2720
Joined: 04 Jan 2019, 09:48
Location: Hannover, Deutschland (Germany, Allemagne)

Re: Unable To Find *.xls as an Extension in qphotorec

#9 Post by recuperation »

Continuation in the right forum:

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=8430&p=27219#p27219

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