WD Passport Elite - Recovering data from CHK

How to use TestDisk to recover lost partition
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Rohan
Posts: 2
Joined: 29 Jul 2012, 08:23

WD Passport Elite - Recovering data from CHK

#1 Post by Rohan »

Hi,

I have a WD Passport Elite 320 GB drive that suddenly stopped showing any data at all. On further search, I found the TestDisk software. After running TestDsk, it detected Intel/PC partition table type. Assuming it to be the correct value, I proceeded to analyze which is when it showed me:
==========================
Disk /dev/sdc - 320 GB / 298 GiB - CHS 38913 255 63
Current partition structure:
Partition Start End Size in sectors

1 P FAT32 LBA 0 1 1 38912 254 63 625137282 [My Passport]

Bad sector count.
No partition is bootable
===========================

I proceeded with a Quick search followed by a Deeper search. It then showed me one FAT32 partition.
1 * FAT32 LBA 0 1 1 38912 254 63 625137282 [My Passport]

I selected to list the files (option p) and all it showed me then was a FILE000 directory with all files under it as FILExxxx.CHK. If I open the drive from My Computer (I am on Windows XP, by the way), all I see are these CHK files. Is there any way to recover my data?

I would greatly appreciate any help since I have some really important data that I need to recover.

Thanks

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

Re: WD Passport Elite - Recovering data from CHK

#2 Post by Fiona »

Looks like that you were running chkdsk and chkdsk altered your files
First of all it might be a good idea to copy your found000 folder, using TestDisk, to another intact disk/partition.
At the bottom of the screen are all the commands.
Standard directory is your testdisk folder.
If you want to change ist, you can mark that two dots and press enter, you'll get one directory up.
To enter any folder, just check it and use your right arrow key on your keyboard.
Also, an idea would be to check TestDisk Undelete, does it list your files?
You'll find it under the menu Advanced.

If "Undelete" doesn't list any files, you can test CHK-Back to get your original files out of your chk files;
http://trcdatarecovery.com/articles/chk-back-release/

You shouldn't wite anything to your affected disk until your data are recovered.

Fiona

Rohan
Posts: 2
Joined: 29 Jul 2012, 08:23

Re: WD Passport Elite - Recovering data from CHK

#3 Post by Rohan »

Thanks Fiona!
I was able to use CHK-Back to identify my file types and at least recover a good number of them. Is there any way I can recover the file names as well? The problem is I have a large number of documents and audio/video clips and I would have to review each one and rename it. If there is some way to recover the file name, I think that would be a perfect and, I think, final solution to my problems.

Thanks again for taking the time to help me out. I am greatly indebted.

Rohan

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