I've run the chkdsk /R /V and it froze on stage 4 of 5 at 10%.
I then re-ran it using chkdsk /F and got the message on stage 3 of 3 that "The second NTFS boot sector is unwriteable."
I am re-running TestDisk and this time it is running considerably slower. I can watch the counter increment one cylinder at a time or 3 to 8 cylinders per second.
Remy, please don't be rude by hijacking my issue. I am not using Windows 7 or Linux, so anything that might help you, will only prevent me from getting the help I requested in my own thread. Please start your own thread as you have several times.
External HDD switched from NTFS to RAW Topic is solved
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Before posting, please read https://www.cgsecurity.org/testdisk.pdf
When asking for technical support:
- Search for posts on the same topic before posting a new question.
- Give clear, specific information in the title of your post.
- Include as many details as you can, MOST POSTS WILL GET ONLY ONE OR TWO ANSWERS.
- Post a follow up with a "Thank you" or "This worked!"
- When you learn something, use that knowledge to HELP ANOTHER USER LATER.
Before posting, please read https://www.cgsecurity.org/testdisk.pdf
Re: External HDD switched from NTFS to RAW
I tried correcting the MBR's, but TestDisk will not write the backup boot sector. I get the attached window.
- Attachments
-
- TD MBR.jpg (45.72 KiB) Viewed 8453 times
Re: External HDD switched from NTFS to RAW
The screenshot with the drive was not my choice. It was the only thing there and that's what came up. The newest screenshot shows the drive. By the way, the disk has only 1 partition. I am using the entire disk for drive H: so for me the terms have been interchangeable.Fiona wrote:Might be important to get a screen from your disk selection.
You should run TestDisk as administrator.
Please let me know your OS?
Your disk should be also listed in your disk selection as Disk.
Your screen it's a drive.
A disk is mor precise that a drive.
I would only use your drive in an emergency case, if no disk is available.
The diagnose would be different.
Re: External HDD switched from NTFS to RAW
I've tried attaching the log file, but TXT and LOG extensions are not allowed for attachments. Also, for some reason, the text in the file is all on one line. It is not broken up like the ones I've seen posted here.
How do I get the log file to post here like everyone elses?
How do I get the log file to post here like everyone elses?
Re: External HDD switched from NTFS to RAW
As far as I know *.txt-extensions should be allowed.
But if you use Vista/Win7 it's not as easy, because extensions are hidden.
You can also copy past the content.
At the moment I don't recommend to use Org BS.
Please run Rebuild BS.
It's rather a try to get your files listed and you can copy your data to another intact drive or partition.
If a partition appears as RAW and the backup of the boot sector is bad, indicates often that the file system is damaged.
In case Rebuild BS is a try to list data and copy/backup them.
Fiona
But if you use Vista/Win7 it's not as easy, because extensions are hidden.
You can also copy past the content.
At the moment I don't recommend to use Org BS.
Please run Rebuild BS.
It's rather a try to get your files listed and you can copy your data to another intact drive or partition.
If a partition appears as RAW and the backup of the boot sector is bad, indicates often that the file system is damaged.
In case Rebuild BS is a try to list data and copy/backup them.
Fiona
Re: External HDD switched from NTFS to RAW
Thanks Fiona. You helped me get the files back earlier. I copied them to another drive. At this point, I'm trying to figure out if the hard drive is still useable. Should I just reformat the disk or should I Rebuild BS? I don't know what the BS is. Should I scrap the disk altogether?
If I can fix the file system without having to copy the files back, that would be a bonus, but not if there's the risk of file loss later. It was all data, no programs, so copying is easy.
If I can fix the file system without having to copy the files back, that would be a bonus, but not if there's the risk of file loss later. It was all data, no programs, so copying is easy.
Re: External HDD switched from NTFS to RAW
I had received an error that said something like being unable to write to the second boot sector. Is there a way to rewrite the MBR and repartition then reformat the entire disk using your TestDisk?
Re: External HDD switched from NTFS to RAW
Can someone please help me? I've tried what Fiona said. It will not rebuild the backup boot sector. I already have the data from the drive.
Is there any way to salvage this drive?
Can I rewrite the MFT and MBR?
Can I create new boot sectors without trying to write to the current ones?
Can I make the disk as if I bought it and need to start by partitioning and formatting it?
Is there any way to salvage this drive?
Can I rewrite the MFT and MBR?
Can I create new boot sectors without trying to write to the current ones?
Can I make the disk as if I bought it and need to start by partitioning and formatting it?
Re: External HDD switched from NTFS to RAW
I've tried rebuilding the boot sector and now I'm getting conflicting results. Before the rebuild, the sectors are not identical, but afterward, TestDisk says they are. Yet when I run it again, they are not identical. Here is my log file:
I've attached screenshots of before and after the rebuild. I would attach a third image showing what happens when I re-run the software, but it is the same as the "Advanced_Boot.jpg" image.
Code: Select all
Sun Apr 22 17:08:55 2012
Command line: TestDisk
TestDisk 6.14-WIP, Data Recovery Utility, April 2012
Christophe GRENIER <grenier@cgsecurity.org>
http://www.cgsecurity.org
OS: Windows Vista (6002) SP2
Compiler: GCC 4.6, Cygwin 1007.9
Compilation date: 2012-04-14T19:52:14
ext2fs lib: 1.41.8, ntfs lib: 10:0:0, reiserfs lib: 0.3.1-rc8, ewf lib: 20100226
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(/dev/sda)=163928604672
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(/dev/sdb)=500107862016
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(/dev/sdc)=200049647616
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\PhysicalDrive0)=163928604672
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\PhysicalDrive1)=500107862016
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\PhysicalDrive2)=200049647616
filewin32_getfilesize(\\.\PhysicalDrive3) GetFileSize err Incorrect function.
filewin32_setfilepointer(\\.\PhysicalDrive3) SetFilePointer err Incorrect function.
Warning: can't get size for \\.\PhysicalDrive3
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\C:)=376420336640
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\D:)=16310697984
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\E:)=163925934080
filewin32_getfilesize(\\.\F:) GetFileSize err Incorrect function.
filewin32_setfilepointer(\\.\F:) SetFilePointer err Incorrect function.
Warning: can't get size for \\.\F:
filewin32_getfilesize(\\.\G:) GetFileSize err Incorrect function.
filewin32_setfilepointer(\\.\G:) SetFilePointer err Incorrect function.
Warning: can't get size for \\.\G:
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\H:)=200055227904
disk_get_size_win32 IOCTL_DISK_GET_LENGTH_INFO(\\.\J:)=0
Warning: can't get size for \\.\J:
filewin32_getfilesize(\\.\P:) GetFileSize err Incorrect function.
filewin32_setfilepointer(\\.\P:) SetFilePointer err Incorrect function.
Warning: can't get size for \\.\P:
Hard disk list
Disk /dev/sda - 163 GB / 152 GiB - CHS 19929 255 63, sector size=512 - Maxtor 6Y160L0, S/N:3459413353514531202020202020202020202020, FW:YAR41BW0
Disk /dev/sdb - 500 GB / 465 GiB - CHS 60801 255 63, sector size=512 - WDC WD5000AAKS-22TMA0, S/N:2020202057202d44435750413257313439343731, FW:12.01C01
Disk /dev/sdc - 200 GB / 186 GiB - CHS 24321 255 63, sector size=512 - WDC WD20 CALL1059642, FW:2D08
Partition table type (auto): Intel
Disk /dev/sdc - 200 GB / 186 GiB - WDC WD20 CALL1059642
Partition table type: Intel
Interface Advanced
Geometry from i386 MBR: head=255 sector=63
NTFS at 0/1/1
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=255 nbr=2
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=8 nbr=1
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=16 nbr=1
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=32 nbr=1
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=64 nbr=1
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=128 nbr=1
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=240 nbr=1
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=255 nbr=2
1 * HPFS - NTFS 0 1 1 24321 254 63 390732867 [HARDDISK_H]
NTFS, 200 GB / 186 GiB
ntfs_boot_sector
1 * HPFS - NTFS 0 1 1 24321 254 63 390732867 [HARDDISK_H]
NTFS, 200 GB / 186 GiB
NTFS at 0/1/1
file_pread(6,1,buffer,390732929(24321/254/63)) lseek err Invalid argument
filesystem size 390732867 1
sectors_per_cluster 8 0
mft_lcn 786432 0
mftmirr_lcn 6305508 0
clusters_per_mft_record -10 0
clusters_per_index_record 1 0
Boot sector
Status: OK
Backup boot sector
ntfs_boot_sector: Can't read backup boot sector.
Status: Bad
Sectors are not identical.
A valid NTFS Boot sector must be present in order to access
any data; even if the partition is not bootable.
rebuild_NTFS_BS
mft at 6291456, seq=1, main=0 res=1
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 786432
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 6305508
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster 8
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 786432
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 6305508
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024
ntfs_find_mft: index_block_size 4096
Extrapolated boot sector and current boot sector are identical.
filesystem size 390732867
sectors_per_cluster 8
mft_lcn 786432
mftmirr_lcn 6305508
clusters_per_mft_record -10
clusters_per_index_record 1
NTFS filesystem need to be repaired.
Directory /
5 dr-xr-xr-x 0 0 0 22-Apr-2012 17:07 .
5 dr-xr-xr-x 0 0 0 22-Apr-2012 17:07 ..
4642 dr-xr-xr-x 0 0 0 4-Sep-2010 07:16 $RECYCLE.BIN
784 dr-xr-xr-x 0 0 0 2-May-2010 12:13 Adobe Downloads
27 dr-xr-xr-x 0 0 0 2-May-2010 11:29 ANDYSMAIN
1434 -r--r--r-- 0 0 151 25-Dec-2011 13:45 AutoRun.inf
445 dr-xr-xr-x 0 0 0 2-May-2010 12:02 CS3 Torrents
794 dr-xr-xr-x 0 0 0 25-Mar-2012 22:51 Movies
990 dr-xr-xr-x 0 0 0 25-Dec-2011 13:46 My RoboForm Data
482 dr-xr-xr-x 0 0 0 2-May-2010 12:12 OLD STUFF
1005 -r--r--r-- 0 0 3146232 25-Dec-2011 13:45 PortableRoboForm.exe
1002 dr-xr-xr-x 0 0 0 25-Dec-2011 13:45 RoboForm
795 dr-xr-xr-x 0 0 0 22-Apr-2012 14:49 System Volume Information
792 dr-xr-xr-x 0 0 0 9-Apr-2011 17:05 WordPerfect Office X4
filesystem size 390732867
sectors_per_cluster 8
mft_lcn 786432
mftmirr_lcn 6305508
clusters_per_mft_record -10
clusters_per_index_record 1
ntfs_boot_sector
1 * HPFS - NTFS 0 1 1 24321 254 63 390732867 [HARDDISK_H]
NTFS, 200 GB / 186 GiB
NTFS at 0/1/1
file_pread(6,1,buffer,390732929(24321/254/63)) lseek err Invalid argument
filesystem size 390732867 1
sectors_per_cluster 8 0
mft_lcn 786432 0
mftmirr_lcn 6305508 0
clusters_per_mft_record -10 0
clusters_per_index_record 1 0
Boot sector
Status: OK
Backup boot sector
ntfs_boot_sector: Can't read backup boot sector.
Status: Bad
Sectors are not identical.
A valid NTFS Boot sector must be present in order to access
any data; even if the partition is not bootable.
ntfs_boot_sector
1 * HPFS - NTFS 0 1 1 24321 254 63 390732867 [HARDDISK_H]
NTFS, 200 GB / 186 GiB
NTFS at 0/1/1
filesystem size 390732867 1
sectors_per_cluster 8 0
mft_lcn 786432 0
mftmirr_lcn 6305508 0
clusters_per_mft_record -10 0
clusters_per_index_record 1 0
Boot sector
Status: OK
Backup boot sector
ntfs_boot_sector: Can't read backup boot sector.
Status: Bad
Sectors are not identical.
A valid NTFS Boot sector must be present in order to access
any data; even if the partition is not bootable.
rebuild_NTFS_BS
mft at 6291456, seq=1, main=0 res=1
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 786432
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 6305508
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster 8
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 786432
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 6305508
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024
ntfs_find_mft: index_block_size 4096
Extrapolated boot sector and current boot sector are identical.
filesystem size 390732867
sectors_per_cluster 8
mft_lcn 786432
mftmirr_lcn 6305508
clusters_per_mft_record -10
clusters_per_index_record 1
ntfs_boot_sector
1 * HPFS - NTFS 0 1 1 24321 254 63 390732867 [HARDDISK_H]
NTFS, 200 GB / 186 GiB
NTFS at 0/1/1
file_pread(6,1,buffer,390732929(24321/254/63)) lseek err Invalid argument
filesystem size 390732867 1
sectors_per_cluster 8 0
mft_lcn 786432 0
mftmirr_lcn 6305508 0
clusters_per_mft_record -10 0
clusters_per_index_record 1 0
Boot sector
Status: OK
Backup boot sector
ntfs_boot_sector: Can't read backup boot sector.
Status: Bad
Sectors are not identical.
A valid NTFS Boot sector must be present in order to access
any data; even if the partition is not bootable.
TestDisk exited normally.
- Attachments
-
- Before the rebuild
- Advanced_Boot.jpg (44.89 KiB) Viewed 8420 times
-
- After the rebuild
- Advanced_Boot_Rebuild BS.jpg (42.73 KiB) Viewed 8420 times
Re: External HDD switched from NTFS to RAW
Hi, else if it's only for knowledge purpose that you continue trying repairing this disk, ir will be quickest and safest to format it with a low-level tool (look on the disk's brand site) and verify for it's health.
Then, a quick format to create a filesystem and it will be usable again.
Then, a quick format to create a filesystem and it will be usable again.