Destination folder confusion

Using PhotoRec to recover lost data
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oblina
Posts: 3
Joined: 27 Apr 2012, 09:29

Destination folder confusion

#1 Post by oblina »

Hi, please bear with me, I hope I explain myself properly. During a windows 7 update, something went horribly wrong.
The upshot is all my partitions except one has gone, including the entire OS partition. The one partition remaining has now expanded to the size of the HD. I have tried to save it using TestDisk, to no avail, so now Im trying to save my missing files using PhotoRec.
My problem is, I cant work out how to save the found files to my external HD. (as now the remaining partition is the entire HD, I cant save back to there).

I did read on this forum something about not being able to save to a NTFS and needing a different type of boot disc?
Could someone please explain, using very small words, how I save my files to my external HD? :?
Thank you.
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Fiona
Posts: 2835
Joined: 18 Feb 2012, 17:19
Location: Ludwigsburg/Stuttgart - Germany

Re: Destination folder confusion

#2 Post by Fiona »

Do you use a boot disk?
If yes, what kind of?
It sounds like your external disk is NTFS formatted?

Fiona
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oblina
Posts: 3
Joined: 27 Apr 2012, 09:29

Re: Destination folder confusion

#3 Post by oblina »

I used a TestDisk boot disc. Yes, I think the external HD is NTFS formatted.
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Fiona
Posts: 2835
Joined: 18 Feb 2012, 17:19
Location: Ludwigsburg/Stuttgart - Germany

Re: Destination folder confusion

#4 Post by Fiona »

Do you use a boot disk?
Did you create a floppy?
As far as I know, TestDisk is available through distributions of Boot-CD's like here;
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Livecd
There is only one TestDisk Boot-CD available through a german news magazine computerbase.

TestDisk/PhotoRec for DOS doesn't copy data to NTFS because DOS doesn't support NTFS.
If you'd like to copy to NTFS you can test a Linux LivCD which has NTFS write support enabled.
I'm not as much a linux tech savvy either, but I assume Ubuntu should have write access to NTFS?
But also a possibility is, to create a windows live CD;
http://mintywhite.com/windows-7/7custom ... 7-live-cd/
So it would be possible to copy TestDisk for windows to your external disk and run PhotoRec from there.

I've no idea, why Testdisk doesn't find anything in your case.
If you'd like to get it diagnosed you can make some photos with your camera and upload it here?
Should be low resolution photo.
I'd need a photo from Analyse and Quick Search first.
Easily to have a try, why TestDisk doesn't find anything?

Fiona
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oblina
Posts: 3
Joined: 27 Apr 2012, 09:29

Re: Destination folder confusion

#5 Post by oblina »

I have used a couple of different Live Boot disks from that list, but none have found the files I am looking for.
Thank you for trying to help, but I think Im going to have to admit defeat, accept the loss of the files,
and re-install windows. :cry:
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