Recover from Diskpart "Clean" (not clean all)

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ngkh · #1 Post by **ngkh** » 02 Apr 2012, 19:11

I have a 120 gb HD consisting 8 gb PQSERVICE partition, 56 gb each of C: and D:. I wrongly issued a diskpart "clean" (not "clean all") and now only C: and D: are visible when I list disk and in windows disk management. I ran TestDisk and a message "Warning: the current no. of heads per cylinder is 255 but the correct value may be 128...."
Below is an image of the test result:

: TD.jpg (63.63 KiB) Viewed 13847 times

Please let me know what should I do next. Thanks.

#2 Post by **Fiona** » 02 Apr 2012, 19:33

I have a 120 gb HD consisting 8 gb PQSERVICE partition,

PQService-Partition often indicates a 2.5 inches HDD from a laptop or notebook.
If it's a 2.5 inch HDD please let me know.
Then, another geometry of 240 heads might be in case appropriate.

ngkh · #3 Post by **ngkh** » 02 Apr 2012, 19:47

Thanks for your lightning fast response. Yes it's a 2.5" Hitachi and my notebook is Acer Extensa 5620Z Vista Home Basic 32 bit with the "hidden" PQSERVICE" recovery partition factory preinstalled.

Some of the info about "clean" from http://www.sevenforums.com/general-disc ... -only.html

"Seems after all that diskpart clean (only NOT clean all) does not zero the sectors and only delete the partition table
but not the data. "

"That's correct. "Clean" only deletes the partitions, and marks the data as deleted, while "clean all" does that and a secure erase of the data on it."

"From what I understand, a "clean" actually zeroes out the first 1MB and the last 1MB of the entire drive (2048 sectors each).

Since the MBR and partition table live in sector 0 and the first partition usually begins at sector 63 (or sometimes 2048 in the case of Vista/7), the disk is effectively wiped out and reset to "uninitialized" condition. "

Hoping for the best solution from you! Thanks.

Fiona wrote:
I have a 120 gb HD consisting 8 gb PQSERVICE partition,
PQService-Partition often indicates a 2.5 inches HDD from a laptop or notebook.
If it's a 2.5 inch HDD please let me know.
Then, another geometry of 240 heads might be in case appropriate.

#4 Post by **Fiona** » 02 Apr 2012, 20:41

If something is overridden and the file system damaged, it'd be safe to use datarecovery software.
But in your case, can you repeat your diagnose using 240 heads per cylinder?
Probably TestDisk can find your right partition, using its backup of the boot sector?
Infos;
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/Menu_Geometry

Confirm in TestDisk through until you see the menu Analyse.
Your affected disk must be selected and partition table type Intel chosen.
Don't confirm at Analyse, but Geometry!
Check Heads.
Change the value to 240.
Press enter.
Check OK and hit enter to leave the menu.
Go to Analyse and repeat your Diagnose.
Upload a screen from Analyse (the current partition structur) and a screen from Quick Search (Result).

Further information will follow.
It's only a diagnose, you'll not change anything.

Vista/Win7 partitions are aligned on megabyte boundary and not Intel-Standard on Cylinder boundary.
Sometimes, it's necessary to use deeper search, that TestDisk finds Win7-partitions.

ngkh · #5 Post by **ngkh** » 02 Apr 2012, 21:55

This are the images you asked for:

Fiona wrote:If something is overridden and the file system damaged, it'd be safe to use datarecovery software.
But in your case, can you repeat your diagnose using 240 heads per cylinder?
Probably TestDisk can find your right partition, using its backup of the boot sector?
Infos;
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/Menu_Geometry

Confirm in TestDisk through until you see the menu Analyse.
Your affected disk must be selected and partition table type Intel chosen.
Don't confirm at Analyse, but Geometry!
Check Heads.
Change the value to 240.
Press enter.
Check OK and hit enter to leave the menu.
Go to Analyse and repeat your Diagnose.
Upload a screen from Analyse (the current partition structur) and a screen from Quick Search (Result).

Further information will follow.
It's only a diagnose, you'll not change anything.

Vista/Win7 partitions are aligned on megabyte boundary and not Intel-Standard on Cylinder boundary.
Sometimes, it's necessary to use deeper serach, that TestDisk finds Win7-partitions.

#6 Post by **Fiona** » 03 Apr 2012, 07:32

Using 240 heads provides another partition didn't found on 255 heads.
Did you check that partition pressing p to list your data?
As far as I've seen there is no PQMagic-partition.
Should it be 3 partitons, altogether?
Also, both partititions using the whole space from your disk.
In case, if there is still something wrong, please run Deeper Search on 240 heads.

ngkh · #7 Post by **ngkh** » 03 Apr 2012, 13:57

Re: Recover from Diskpart "Clean" (not clean all)
by Fiona » Today, 15:32

Using 240 heads provides another partition didn't found on 255 heads.
Did you check that partition pressing p to list your data?
As far as I've seen there is no PQMagic-partition.
Should it be 3 partitons, altogether?
Also, both partititions using the whole space from your disk.
In case, if there is still something wrong, please run Deeper Search on 240 heads.

FYI OS is Vista Home Basic which is at C:. and D: is empty. 8 gb PQSERVICE is the hidden partition which I wish to recover. You will notice Disk 0 displays only Vol 2 and 3, no Vol 0 or 1 which I think is where the missing PQSERVICE partition is. Images attached:

: Disk0.jpg (36.85 KiB) Viewed 13818 times

: Vol2&3.jpg (44.56 KiB) Viewed 13818 times

: 40HeadsDeeperSearch.jpg (65.21 KiB) Viewed 13818 times

#8 Post by **Fiona** » 06 Apr 2012, 18:53

Both partitions used your whole space.
PQMagic normally is the first partition?
If already another partition is using this space and containing data, that PQMagic-partition might be overriden?
Would it be possible that your current partition did overwrite your PQMagic partition?

ngkh · #9 Post by **ngkh** » 06 Apr 2012, 21:12

1st partition should be PQSERVICE, 2nd partition C: and 3rd partition D: According to Microsoft here : http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/libr ... s.10).aspx
Clean :
Removes any and all partition or volume formatting from the disk with focus. On master boot record (MBR) disks, only the MBR partitioning information and hidden sector information are overwritten. On GUID partition table (GPT) disks, the GPT partitioning information, including the Protective MBR, is overwritten; there is no hidden sector information.

More images for your investigation here if of use. The "Lost" FAT32 partition is the target. Please help me to dig it out in one piece from this mess if you can

: DiskMgmt.jpg (66.03 KiB) Viewed 13763 times

: EASEUS%20Partition%20Recovery%205_0_1ERROR.jpg (84.96 KiB) Viewed 13763 times

: DiskMgmt.jpg (66.03 KiB) Viewed 13763 times

#10 Post by **Fiona** » 08 Apr 2012, 14:27

You could repeat a diagnose switching off align partitio0ns in Options.
Set it from yes to no.
Repeat a diagnose using Quick and deeper search.
Might be possible that your partition gets displayed.
It's easily intended as a diagnose to see if this works.
Please don't use write.

Fiona