Successful but RAID0 is still RAW in Windows

[Megalomac]

I followed the step-by-step, found my missing partition and could view all my files fine. Then saved the partition table. But upon reboot, the 2 - 2tb RAID0 partition was still listed as RAW in Windows. How can I recover this in Windows?

This first occurred because of a bios update. The type is correctly set as RAID in the bios (mb: p8z68-v pro/gen3), but on 1st reboot after bios upgrade, only one of the two drives were set as raid member disks. I deleted & recreated the raid disk and booted into windows as my boot disk is a separate ssd disk.

When using TestDisk, it defaulted to EFI GPT as the partition table type, but a quick search under that type took about 72 hours(!) and only found deleted partitions. I switched this to Intel, and it found the correct partition immediately. I can also copy the found files to my thumb drive. So everything *seems* correct; I just can't seem to fully recover.

[Fiona]

the 2 - 2tb

What's the size of your RAID0 exactly.
Intel MBR is limited to 2 TB (2,2TB).
For larger disks, EFI GPT should be used.

If your RAID is Intel MBR, than you have either a problem with your boot sector or file systeme is damaged.
Can you upload a screen from TestDisk after Analyse from your current partition structur?
Might be important to determine a boot sector diagnose.

Fiona

[Megalomac]

I have 2 - 2tb drives with 1 partition of 4000gb/3726gb with a NTFS file format. The screenshot below is after I ran analyze and chose the EFI GPT partition type. I don't know what those MS Reserved partitions are, but it's missing the partition I'm looking for with a name of "Data".

EFI GPT - Analyze.PNG (14.61 KiB) Viewed 13638 times

[Megalomac]

After 4 hours, here are the results (so far) of the quick search under EFI GPT:

EFI GPT - Quick Search.PNG (22.06 KiB) Viewed 13635 times

[cgrenier]

Run TestDisk, go in the Advanced menu, choose Boot and if available, BackupBS and confirm, otherwise try RebuildBS, List, Write and confirm if you can list your files.

[Megalomac]

When I choose the 4gb disk, then EFI GPT as the type, and finally Advanced, I see only 1 partition (1 P MS Reserved 34 262177 262144 [Microsoft reserved partition]. And the only options I see at the bottom are Type, Image Creation, and Quit.

To correct something I said earlier, this drive is not "raw" in windows, but simply 3725.90gb of "Unallocated" space. The partition "style" is GPT.

I did write to this drive once via TestDisk after originally choosing Intel as the type, and then updated the partition characteristics from * (boot) to P (Primary). I don't believe this had any impact however.

[Megalomac]

There is a RebuildBS option if I Analyze the disk as Intel and go into Advanced->Boot. I do find it odd that the partition is found as a type of Intel and I can list the files this way. EFI GPT isn't getting very far.

Intel - Adv - Boot.PNG (13.75 KiB) Viewed 13622 times

[Fiona]

If you choose Intel and TestDisk find a partition and you can list your data, would you copy/backup your data first?
Intel MBR supports Disks up to 2 TB (max 2.2 TB).
If you create larger partitions and you're using Intel, might cause loss of data.
That's why we tried to use EFI GPT and repair or rebuild your boot sector.
But if your disk appears on EFI GPT as unallocated, there will be no partition to diagnose your boot sector.
Might be a possibility to create a partition on EFIT GPT (same start, size and type as before) and have a boot sector diagnose.
If you have a backup, you would be able to copy your data back.

Please let me know.

Further Info will follow

[Megalomac]

Thanks, but I'm not really sure what you're asking. I don't currently have a backup of everything, but am picking up a 3tb external drive today and will try copying all my data over. At that point, I guess I could just create a new volume in windows and be done with it? I was really hoping I could avoid this scenario, but the important thing is to retrieve my data, and it looks like that'll work.

[Megalomac]

Nevermind...most files did not copy over as "No file found, filesystem may be damaged." Some did copy, but most failed. Running PhotoRec now, but with the amount of data I have, that's going to take a long time.

So, is my only hope now that PhotoRec can recover my missing files? No chance of recovering the file system?