Transcend JP V30/ 4GB thumb Drive Failure

How to use TestDisk to recover lost partition
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RangeRyder
Posts: 2
Joined: 20 Mar 2013, 17:04

Transcend JP V30/ 4GB thumb Drive Failure

#1 Post by RangeRyder »

Hello everyone:

The other day an associated handed me the subject thumb drive. He said had been using it for several years and the other day he plugged it into his computer and the computer said: "You need to format the disk in Drive J: before you can use it. Do you want to format it?" Not to say his heart skipped a beat....

He immediately contacted me, and actually cried: least to say... he had mission critical data on the thumb drive that was not backed up on any other device. :( Having trouble shoot many computer problems over the last 15 - 20 years, this was my first encounter of this type of problem. After scouring the internet (via Google), I found a couple of hours of reading material describing thumb drive failures. The most current listing, listed three programs, of witch "testdisk" was the most highly recommended. I went to the web site, and read and read, downloaded the software and proceeded to try it.

As it stood, I had four options, try three software programs and lastly... send it to a company for software recovery. Due to the sensitive nature of the data, my last option was not looked on favorably.

Before I start: I will run the program on a Window 7, I7 Quad Core computer.
• Inserting the thumb drive, I receive the dialog: "You need to format the disk in Drive J: before you can use it. Do you want to format it?" - I say no.
• I open Admin Tools, disk management: It tells me 3.74 GB RAW, Healthy Primary Partition. Used Space 0, Free Space 0.
• I start TESTDISK
---first screen - create a new log file - ENTER
---second screen - select a media - finds disk/dev/sdb - 4016 MB / 3830 MiB - Jetflash Transcend 4GB - select this and proceed.
---third screen- select partition table type - [Intel] intel/pc partition - hit enter
---fourth screen (it list jetflash drive and CHS 488 255 63 - sector size=512 - I select [Analyse] - hit enter
---fifth screen - Reports "Partition sector doesn't have endmark 0xaa55" - defaults to quick search - hit enter
---sixth screen - report no information options A: add partition, L: load backup or enter to continue - hit enter
---seventh screen - reports no partition found... it highlights >Deeper Search - hit enter
---eighth screen - report no information options A: add partition, L: load backup or enter to continue - hit enter
---nineth screen - reports no partition found... it highlights >[quit] - (return to main menu) - hit enter

At this point, I am open for suggestions :?: :shock: :?

After this not working I tried two other programs, for file recovery:
Asoftech\Data Recovery\adr.exe and iCare Data Recovery Software.exe
While both of these programs recognized the thumb drive, they found no files.

At this point, I am open for suggestions :?: :shock: :?
Lito
Posts: 83
Joined: 08 Sep 2012, 06:58

Re: Transcend JP V30/ 4GB thumb Drive Failure

#2 Post by Lito »

This page is the first in the Google search list, when you type "Partition sector doesn't have endmark 0xaa55" (without the quotation marks):
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/Data_Recovery_Examples

If the Backup Boot Sector is shown as OK you could copy it over the missing or bad Boot Sector in the disk.
The Boot Sector can also be Rebuilt. There are instructions in the page.

There is also very good advice by a TestDisk Team member in this page:

http://forum.cgsecurity.org/phpBB3/usb- ... -t462.html

The main tip here seems to be scanning for Partition table type None for diagnostic purposes.

More clues and ideas in this page:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1590694

Very helpful hints and tips, here:

http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?showtopic=34355

From here you can get a Linux Live CD (Knoppix based) or Trial Recovery software.
Please note that there is a warning in the site about the Live CD being "experimental":

http://www.runtime.org/data-recovery-live-cd.htm

It might be a good idea to have a similar USB drive to either make a clone or an image.

You could also run PhotoRec before anything else, to scan for data to save, just in case.

If runnning TestDisk from Windows, remember to run it As Administrator.
If running from Linux run it as Root.

If you have valuable data might be you can try commercial software like Ultimate Restorer:

http://www.restorer-ultimate.com/

They also offer a trial of their sofware.

Best of luck
jdotp
Posts: 4
Joined: 18 Feb 2013, 15:43

Re: Transcend JP V30/ 4GB thumb Drive Failure

#3 Post by jdotp »

I'am getting the exact same problem with my drive, and cannot access it nor format it either?

Jdot.
RangeRyder
Posts: 2
Joined: 20 Mar 2013, 17:04

Re: Transcend JP V30/ 4GB thumb Drive Failure

#4 Post by RangeRyder »

Here is a follow up on the problem:

I have tried two more programs, ""EaseUS\EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard\DRW.exe" & "ZAR\zar.exe"
Both programs found absolutely no data.... I had an opportunity to get more history on the thumb drive.
After downloading, the drive instructions from Transcend, it appears when this drive is purchased, it must be formatted before use.

• The user was backing up a file to the thumb drive, when the laptop executed a shutdown due to a Win 7 auto-update process. We all know the operating system, closes all files before shutdown(do we?).
• The user restarted the laptop, and when an attempt (the drive was still plugged in) to re-save the file... the computer report "you must format the drive." He attempted to format, but stopped when he read "all data will be lost."
--- I got the call.

I spent about a half hour with Transcend support in California, they ask me to try two recovery programs on their web site: "JetFlash Online Recovery" and "RecoveRx."
• The first program has an option to save data and "flash" the on-board controller chip. The software replied - format failure. :o
• They then asked me to try the second program, it failed to see the thumb drive. :shock:

I would like to note here they "recommended" I try TestDisk, when I told them I did this - they were surprised it did not fix the problem. :geek:

They recommended I send the drive to them, as it had a life time warranty, and they would try for data recovery (at no charge) with a support vendor.
jdotp
Posts: 4
Joined: 18 Feb 2013, 15:43

Re: Transcend JP V30/ 4GB thumb Drive Failure

#5 Post by jdotp »

I hate to say it, but I think thats what corrupted my driver. Windows 7 shutdown or went in to hibernation, next morning when I tried to check my USB driver, it threw up the 'Would you like to Format Driver :F".

Every since I havent been able to access or read it. Nothing works unfortunately.

Joe.
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