Unable to rebulid boot sector - can't find any partitions

How to use TestDisk to recover lost partition
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barneywalker
Posts: 2
Joined: 21 Jun 2014, 08:01

Unable to rebulid boot sector - can't find any partitions

#1 Post by barneywalker »

I'm trying to recover my PC after it stopped booting with a "no operating system found message"

I can't find any partitions and can't recover the boot sector. It looks pretty terminal - am I reading this right. Any other ideas? It seems odd it can go this wrong after working perfectly well.

Hard disk list
Disk /dev/sda - 500 GB / 465 GiB - CHS 60801 255 63, sector size=512 - ATA ST3500630AS
Disk /dev/sdb - 500 GB / 465 GiB - CHS 60801 255 63, sector size=512 - ATA ST3500630AS
Disk /dev/sdc - 500 GB / 465 GiB - CHS 60801 255 63, sector size=512 - ATA ST3500630AS
Disk /dev/mapper/isw_chjahbbhhh_Volume0 - 1500 GB / 1397 GiB - CHS 2930304000 1 1, sector size=512
Disk /dev/mapper/isw_chjahbbhhh_Volume01 - 1500 GB / 1397 GiB - CHS 2930298880 1 1, sector size=512
Disk /dev/sr1 - 564 MB / 538 MiB - CHS 275748 1 1 (RO), sector size=2048 - SONY DVD-ROM DDU1615

Partition table type (auto): Intel
Disk /dev/sda - 500 GB / 465 GiB - ATA ST3500630AS
Partition table type: Intel

Analyse Disk /dev/sda - 500 GB / 465 GiB - CHS 60801 255 63
Geometry from i386 MBR: head=255 sector=63
check_part_i386 failed for partition type 07
Current partition structure:
Invalid NTFS or EXFAT boot
1 * HPFS - NTFS 0 32 33 182402 203 9 2930298880
1 * HPFS - NTFS 0 32 33 182402 203 9 2930298880
Computes LBA from CHS for Disk /dev/sda - 500 GB / 465 GiB - CHS 60802 255 63
Allow partial last cylinder : Yes
search_vista_part: 1

search_part()
Disk /dev/sda - 500 GB / 465 GiB - CHS 60802 255 63

Results

interface_write()

No partition found or selected for recovery

search_part()
Disk /dev/sda - 500 GB / 465 GiB - CHS 60802 255 63

Results

interface_write()

No partition found or selected for recovery
simulate write!

write_mbr_i386: starting...
write_all_log_i386: starting...
No extended partition

Interface Advanced
Geometry from i386 MBR: head=255 sector=63
check_part_i386 failed for partition type 07
1 * HPFS - NTFS 0 32 33 182402 203 9 2930298880

ntfs_boot_sector
1 * HPFS - NTFS 0 32 33 182402 203 9 2930298880
filesystem size 662041453937111260 1
sectors_per_cluster 7 0
mft_lcn 72680198 0
mftmirr_lcn 806760787 0
clusters_per_mft_record 4 0
clusters_per_index_record 69 0
Boot sector
Status: Bad

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.
Partition table type (auto): Intel
Disk /dev/sdb - 500 GB / 465 GiB - ATA ST3500630AS
Partition table type: Intel

Analyse Disk /dev/sdb - 500 GB / 465 GiB - CHS 60801 255 63
Current partition structure:

Partition sector doesn't have the endmark 0xAA55
Ask the user for vista mode
Allow partial last cylinder : No
search_vista_part: 0

search_part()
Disk /dev/sdb - 500 GB / 465 GiB - CHS 60801 255 63
Search for partition aborted

Results

interface_write()

No partition found or selected for recovery
simulate write!

write_mbr_i386: starting...
Store new MBR code
write_all_log_i386: starting...
No extended partition
Partition table type (auto): Intel
Disk /dev/sdc - 500 GB / 465 GiB - ATA ST3500630AS
Partition table type: Intel

Analyse Disk /dev/sdc - 500 GB / 465 GiB - CHS 60801 255 63
Current partition structure:

Partition sector doesn't have the endmark 0xAA55
Ask the user for vista mode
Allow partial last cylinder : No
search_vista_part: 0

search_part()
Disk /dev/sdc - 500 GB / 465 GiB - CHS 60801 255 63
Search for partition aborted

Results

interface_write()

No partition found or selected for recovery
simulate write!

Analyse Disk /dev/sda - 500 GB / 465 GiB - CHS 60802 255 63
Geometry from i386 MBR: head=255 sector=63
check_part_i386 failed for partition type 07
Current partition structure:
Invalid NTFS or EXFAT boot
1 * HPFS - NTFS 0 32 33 182402 203 9 2930298880
1 * HPFS - NTFS 0 32 33 182402 203 9 2930298880
Allow partial last cylinder : Yes
search_vista_part: 1

search_part()
Disk /dev/sda - 500 GB / 465 GiB - CHS 60802 255 63
Search for partition aborted

Results

interface_write()

No partition found or selected for recovery
simulate write!

write_mbr_i386: starting...
write_all_log_i386: starting...
No extended partition

Interface Advanced
Geometry from i386 MBR: head=255 sector=63
check_part_i386 failed for partition type 07
1 * HPFS - NTFS 0 32 33 182402 203 9 2930298880

ntfs_boot_sector
1 * HPFS - NTFS 0 32 33 182402 203 9 2930298880
filesystem size 662041453937111260 1
sectors_per_cluster 7 0
mft_lcn 72680198 0
mftmirr_lcn 806760787 0
clusters_per_mft_record 4 0
clusters_per_index_record 69 0
Boot sector
Status: Bad

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 43257018, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 2058
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 5162
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 43258074, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 2058
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 5162
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 488381944, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 786432
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 183143679
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 490820736, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 786432
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 183143679
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 499695648, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 786432
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 183143679
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 551578296, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 786432
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 183143679
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 560587426, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 2058
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 5162
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 560692320, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 786432
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 183143679
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 580024736, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 786432
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 183143679
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 604154784, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 786432
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 183143679
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 607554688, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 786432
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 183143679
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 610615264, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 786432
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 183143679
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 614955298, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 2058
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 5162
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 614956354, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 2058
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 5162
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 616152450, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 2058
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 5162
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 616153506, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 2058
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 5162
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 616276800, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 786432
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 183143679
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 618195224, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 786432
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 183143679
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 624746968, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 786432
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 183143679
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 637093146, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 2058
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 5162
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 641803000, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 786432
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 183143679
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 648231330, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 2058
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 5162
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 648232386, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 2058
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 5162
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 648355872, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 786432
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 183143679
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 651820384, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 786432
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 183143679
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 655886976, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 786432
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 183143679
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 663433504, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 786432
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 183143679
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 665856824, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 786432
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 183143679
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 668775192, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 786432
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 183143679
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 670449728, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 786432
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 183143679
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 671172352, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 786432
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 183143679
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 674709816, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 786432
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 183143679
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 674788928, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 786432
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 183143679
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 675055072, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 786432
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 183143679
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 678790202, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 2058
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 5162
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

mft at 678791258, seq=1, main=0 res=1
read_mft_info failed
ntfs_find_mft: sectors_per_cluster invalid
ntfs_find_mft: mft_lcn 2058
ntfs_find_mft: mftmirr_lcn 5162
ntfs_find_mft: mft_record_size 1024

Failed to rebuild NTFS boot sector.

ntfs_boot_sector
1 * HPFS - NTFS 0 32 33 182402 203 9 2930298880
filesystem size 662041453937111260 1
sectors_per_cluster 7 0
mft_lcn 72680198 0
mftmirr_lcn 806760787 0
clusters_per_mft_record 4 0
clusters_per_index_record 69 0
Boot sector
Status: Bad

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.
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User avatar
Fiona
Posts: 2835
Joined: 18 Feb 2012, 17:19
Location: Ludwigsburg/Stuttgart - Germany

Re: Unable to rebulid boot sector - can't find any partition

#2 Post by Fiona »

The size of your current partition in your partition table is about three time as big as the available space of your disk.
Your partition has 182402 cylinder and your disk has 60802 cylinder only.
That's why rebuilding a boot sector and anything else on your partition doesn't work!
Please don't change or modify something if you're not sure.
Can you run TestDisk and "Deeper Search" to have a look if a backup of your boot sector will be found?
The backup of a boot sector should be located at the end of your NTFS-Partition.
If testdisk finds your correct partition using the backup of a boot secor, and lists your files, you can recover it.

Fiona
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barneywalker
Posts: 2
Joined: 21 Jun 2014, 08:01

Re: Unable to rebulid boot sector - can't find any partition

#3 Post by barneywalker »

Thanks Fiona. Inadvertently you solved it for me!! The partition three times the size of the disk was the clue that got me thinking. The pc has three hard disks that came configured as a RAID array. My BIOS settings got wiped somehow and went back to default values - including SATA configured as AHCI. I updated back to RAID and the box booted up fine. Should have checked it first. Thanks for the help.
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