Hi Fiona,Fiona wrote:Partition read error often indicate some problems with bad sectors.
Can you check your disk using CrystalDiskInfo?
http://crystalmark.info/download/index-e.html
Please use the portable version without ads.
Your current partition structure (partition table) displayed a read error.If you have no partition in your partition table, I wonder how TestDisk lists one under Advanced?Current partition structure:
Partition Start End Size in sectors
Partition: Read error
Watch here:Looks like that's only an unformatted partition?1 * HPFS - NTFS 0 32 33 60797 59 62 976705536
A partition only has no filesystem nor boot sector.
Only formatting creates a boot sector and file system , on NTFS would be a MFT.
That's why a message appears like:This message means, that your boot sector is bad (not valid) or you have no boot sector.Boot sector
ntfs_boot_sector: Can't read boot sector.
Status: Bad
Backup boot sector
ntfs_boot_sector: Can't read backup boot sector.
Status: Bad
Sectors are identical.
Also, "can't read boot sector" can make aware of a bad sector?
Until yet, formatting should be avoided, because it'll override your lost file system.
Datarecovery software would be an idea.
PhotoRec could help.
Info will follow.
But bad sectors can cause that datarecovery software will hang, reading bad sectors.
If you have not as many bad sectors, cloning might help?
First of all, crystaldiskinfo would be important.
Don't remove your disk out of its enclosure.
Fiona
I ran crystaldiskinfo and it doesn't recognize the ext HD I am trying to repair. It only sees the C:\ drive. So I could not use it.
Right now, I am still running "Rebuild boot sector" for over 13 hours. Isn't this the first step? The LED on the drive is flashing, indicating activity. But I have no idea how long this Rebuild will take. Should I just let it continue?