corrupted partition size

How to use TestDisk to recover lost partition
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Author
maometto1
Posts: 8
Joined: 20 Jun 2022, 12:10

corrupted partition size

#1 Post by maometto1 »

Hello,
i use a very old pc with xp as OS.

I tried to resize my C:/ partition and my second ext4 partition with a windows partition program.
But... After reboot.... I was not able to load my XP because I got "operating system ot found" boot error so I ran my Hiren boot rescue cd and I found out my C:/ partition size was only 7 gb instead of original 20 gb.

My partition file system is Ntfs and the worst thing is I can not find my data anymore because my partition was resized to only 7 gb so I need to know:
1) where have my missing 13 gb data gone?
2) where and how can I recover these missing disappeared 13 gb ? ( full partition size was 20 gb)

I used Testdisk but it recover only the 7 gb partition I do not need but Testdisk also recover a 13 gb partition with boot sector backup but when I look for his files, Testdisk only says this 13 gb partition is damaged.

Also in this pc there is the other ext4 Linux partition with his file system damaged but I only need my C:/ windows partition to be recovered.
recuperation
Posts: 3026
Joined: 04 Jan 2019, 09:48
Location: Hannover, Deutschland (Germany, Allemagne)

Re: corrupted partition size

#2 Post by recuperation »

Insufficient problem description.
Here are some questions to give you an idea what matters. Not every question may apply in your case.

1.Which operating systems can be booted from your computer where the incident happened?
List them all!

2. Which version of Testdisk do you use?

3.Do you prevent/reduce write access to the failed drive/file system?
[Yes/no]

4. If yes, how is that done?

[ ] I removed the failed drive and connected it to another computer (not linux) as an external drive => risky
[ ] I am using a live linux from a USB stick on the machine with the broken drive => good
[ ] I am booting a linux system on a different system and connect the drive externally once the linux finished booting => good

5. Is the broken drive a drive where an operating system resides on or is it a data drive?

6. What technology is your disk (HDD, SDD, USB stick, Compact Flash card, SD card,...)?

7. What is the size of your disk?

8. Who is the maker of your failed drive?

9. What is the model?

10. Is the drive something you bought "naked" one or does it come with a housing and a connector for a computer (p.e. like "WD My Passort")?

11. If possible, provide a logfile from smartmontools!
Instructions:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=10910

12. What has been the partitioning scheme used on the failed drive (MBR (old partition table style), GPT, Superfloppy)

13. How many partitions have been on the broken drive, what was their size, what was their file system?

14. Is your drive visible in your operating system (Windows: Disk management, Linux use lsblk command, get information using hdparm command)

15. Is the partition scheme containing your partitions still visible?

14. Describe the supposed event when your system went from "OK" to "broken"!

15. Is your disk showing signs of failures such as
-clicking noises
-permanent reboot (spindel speed up followed by a stop)
-no spindel speed up

?

16. Do you use encryption, if yes, which one?

17. If you use encryption, what is the scope?

[ ] full drive
[ ] partition
[ ] file container
[ ] single files
maometto1
Posts: 8
Joined: 20 Jun 2022, 12:10

Re: corrupted partition size

#3 Post by maometto1 »

1.Which operating systems can be booted from your computer where the incident happened?
List them all!

None.
Before the incident I could boot windows xp pro and linux zorin on dual boot.



2. Which version of Testdisk do you use?

Version 6.14 inside hiren boot cd.



3.Do you prevent/reduce write access to the failed drive/file system?
[Yes/no]

No



5. Is the broken drive a drive where an operating system resides on or is it a data drive?

Right now there is no operating system in my drive because file system is damaged. Before the accident there were 2 operating system, windows xp pro and Linux Zorin on dual boot.



6. What technology is your disk (HDD, SDD, USB stick, Compact Flash card, SD card,...)?

Old disk hdd.



7. What is the size of your disk?

40 gb



8. Who is the maker of your failed drive?

Wester Digital



9. What is the model?

Wd400 caviar
Enhanced ide hard drive


10. Is the drive something you bought "naked" one or does it come with a housing and a connector for a computer (p.e. like "WD My Passort")?

Naked one



11. If possible, provide a logfile from smartmontools!
Instructions:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=10910

Later i will.



12. What has been the partitioning scheme used on the failed drive (MBR (old partition table style), GPT, Superfloppy)

Ms dos old partition table style



13. How many partitions have been on the broken drive, what was their size, what was their file system?

There were 2 partitions, ntfs partition was 20 gb size, ext4 partition was 20 gb size too.
File system were Ntfs for windows partition and ext4 for Linux Zorin partition.
I had also installed grub bootloader over windows bootloader.




14. Is your drive visible in your operating system (Windows: Disk management, Linux use lsblk command, get information using hdparm comman

No but through hiren boot cd I can see 2 damaged partitions.
Windows xp pro partition is only 7 gb size instead of 20 gb, does not know the reason....
Linux partition is 20 gb but not accessible because of file system damaged.



15. Is the partition scheme containing your partitions still visible?

Yes, it is still visible.




14. Describe the supposed event when your system went from "OK" to "broken"!

Well, I resized my Linux partition to make it smaller from 20 gb to 10 gb.
Then I set my windows partition to active and I installed a new bootloader manager through hiren boot cd because I could not boot anymore after linux partition resize.




15. Is your disk showing signs of failures such as
-clicking noises
-permanent reboot (spindel speed up followed by a stop)
-no spindel speed up

No, none.



16. Do you use encryption, if yes, which one?

No, none.
Last edited by maometto1 on 21 Jun 2022, 12:55, edited 1 time in total.
recuperation
Posts: 3026
Joined: 04 Jan 2019, 09:48
Location: Hannover, Deutschland (Germany, Allemagne)

Re: corrupted partition size

#4 Post by recuperation »

Which programm did you use to change the size of your partition?
Was the ext4 partition located behind or in front of the NTFS partition?
Did you try to resize or move the NTFS partition?
When changing the size of the ext4 partition, did you change the beginning or the end of the partition?
It would be nice if you could somehow visualize the changes you have undertaken.
maometto1
Posts: 8
Joined: 20 Jun 2022, 12:10

Re: corrupted partition size

#5 Post by maometto1 »

Which programm did you use to change the size of your partition?

NIUBI Partition Editor



Was the ext4 partition located behind or in front of the NTFS partition?

Ext4 partition was located behind ntfs partition






Did you try to resize or move the NTFS partition?

No I didn t


When changing the size of the ext4 partition, did you change the beginning or the end of the partition?

Only the end because it was 20 gb sized and I wanted to reduce it to 10 gb
recuperation
Posts: 3026
Joined: 04 Jan 2019, 09:48
Location: Hannover, Deutschland (Germany, Allemagne)

Re: corrupted partition size

#6 Post by recuperation »

Run Testdisk on your disk. Use "MBR" as partition table style even when "GPT" should be proposed.
Run an analysis. Use the "p"-key to look into the proposed partitions.
When being unsuccessful, continue with the deep search.
If your NTFS partition has not been overwritten Testdisk should find the backup boot sector of the original NTFS partition located roughly in the middle of the disk just before the ext4 partition started. See if the proposed partition list of the deep search operation contains your data (use the p-key as well).
maometto1
Posts: 8
Joined: 20 Jun 2022, 12:10

Re: corrupted partition size

#7 Post by maometto1 »

I have already done these procedures a lot of times.
Testdisk finds a ntfs partition of 13 gb with backup boot sector but when I type P to display its files I got this error:
Partition is corrupted or corrupted file system, no files found.
recuperation
Posts: 3026
Joined: 04 Jan 2019, 09:48
Location: Hannover, Deutschland (Germany, Allemagne)

Re: corrupted partition size

#8 Post by recuperation »

13 GB is not enough. There should be a partition with 20 GB. If you can't find it, your only chance is Photorec or some other (commercial) recovery software.
maometto1
Posts: 8
Joined: 20 Jun 2022, 12:10

Re: corrupted partition size

#9 Post by maometto1 »

There is no 20 gb partition during Testdisk deep search.

Can u explain why my windows C:/ partition became of only 7 gb size instead of 20 gb ?
Where are those missing 13 gb data?
recuperation
Posts: 3026
Joined: 04 Jan 2019, 09:48
Location: Hannover, Deutschland (Germany, Allemagne)

Re: corrupted partition size

#10 Post by recuperation »

maometto1 wrote: 21 Jun 2022, 16:15 There is no 20 gb partition during Testdisk deep search.

Can u explain why my windows C:/ partition became of only 7 gb size instead of 20 gb ?
Ask Niubi if you feel you did nothing wrong.
Where are those missing 13 gb data?
They are in the area of your disk which is not covered by your first partition anymore, assuming that they have not been overwritten.
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