How to recover disk that reports wrong size

Using PhotoRec to recover lost data
Forum rules
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
Locked
Message
Author
josko
Posts: 3
Joined: 18 Jul 2014, 13:10

How to recover disk that reports wrong size

#1 Post by josko »

Hello,

I have always used Testdisk/Photorec for severely dammaged filesystems, but now I got disk which reports
that it is 76MB in size (it is 320GB Seagate ST320613AS hard drive).

What I have tried:

1, Put it into USB to SATA box and hooking to macbook -> reports 76MB size both in Disk Utility and Testdisk

2, Put it into desktop computer, boot linux from usb flash and Testdisk and other utilities reports 76MB

3, In desktop computer booted UBCD and run SeaTools which as well detected it as ST320613AS drive with 76MB capacity. It had utility to set count of LBA sectors but it woudn't allow me to set it higher than equivalent o 76MB capacity...

4, used dd on Mac to make raw copy of drive but as expected it only copied 76MB :roll:

Of course Testdisk detects that there is start of NTFS partition (even tells me that disk seems too small - of course when it is ~320G partition).
To me it seems as hard drive's firmware is corrupted is there any way to temporaly override size of drive to recover lost partition or data with either Testdisk and Photorec?
Top
User avatar
Fiona
Posts: 2835
Joined: 18 Feb 2012, 17:19
Location: Ludwigsburg/Stuttgart - Germany

Re: How to recover disk that reports wrong size

#2 Post by Fiona »

Did you check for a firmware upgrade?
Today, some of the HDD manufacturer providing diagnose tools which are able to set capacity back.
Might be an option like SetMax etc..
But only if you have a firmware problem?
Otherwise you can check this topic here:
http://forum.cgsecurity.org/phpBB3/mism ... n-t32.html
Your disk should be plugged internally.
Use it at your own risk.

Fiona
Top
josko
Posts: 3
Joined: 18 Jul 2014, 13:10

Re: How to recover disk that reports wrong size

#3 Post by josko »

Hello,

Thank you for your help.

I actually tried firmware upgrade but it said that it is for different version of firmware (that disk is SD11 it was for SD22 and others and on Seagate page when I did search for FW updrade by serial number it didn't show up any).

Also I tried SeaTools (which is vendor diagnosis tool) but it couldn't let me SetMax to higher value as 76MB...

Per your suggestion in linked thread I have tried HDD capacity restore tool but it doesn't seem to work..

So my best bet would be hdat2?
Top
User avatar
Fiona
Posts: 2835
Joined: 18 Feb 2012, 17:19
Location: Ludwigsburg/Stuttgart - Germany

Re: How to recover disk that reports wrong size

#4 Post by Fiona »

If you'd like to test hdat2:
There are two otions, like SetMax and something like delete HPA (host protected area).

Fiona
Top
josko
Posts: 3
Joined: 18 Jul 2014, 13:10

Re: How to recover disk that reports wrong size

#5 Post by josko »

Hdat2 doesn't allow me to set LBA higher than 142448 sectors (72.93MB) it just says nothing to restore and if I type higher LBA value manually it just beeps and doest nothing..

Is there any way to force it to change value?

--
Bruno
Top
Locked

Return to “File recovery”