Help me get my files back.

[CU]

I have XP on partition C and files on partition D. Well we just moved and I finally go to set up my computer and XP starts to load but fails with "Reboot and Select proper Boot device or Insert Boot Media in selected Boot device and press a key." I boot into the recover console and type chkdsk and everything is OK. Then I type fixmbr and fixboot. Actually I typed fixmbr c:\ because it didn't seem to do anything. After doing some reading those seemed to be commands to run to fix this. Any way it still gives me the same error, plus now the recover console cannot find c:\windows and when I go to do a repair install it shows the whole HD as unpartitioned. What happened? How can I get my files back short of a recovery company? What killed my partition table?

 

[CU]

I found GetMyDataBack and Active@UNDELETE. Has anyone used one these or something similar? Is there free software that will do the same thing?

 

[Ranulf]

You might look at the programs that come with the UBCD ISO.

http://www.ubcd4win.com/contents.htm

Data Rescue PC has worked well for me in the past but it costs money beyond basic diagnostic IIRC.

 

[CU]

FileRecovery on UBCD4Win sounds like it would work. Anyone try it. Also everything seems to be for recovering files. Anyway to just put the partition info back?

 

[Intexity]

don't know about getMYdataback, but getdataback is a tried and true program for recovering files

 

[CU]

I ran testdisk from ubcd4win but it didn't find any partitions. Help.

 

[websurfermom]

If your files were deleted, nothing short of a recovery company can get to them. Thus it wouldn't hurt to reinstall XP with your install disk. If they weren't deleted, see if you can get to them with a boot disk and copy them to an online backup, like Mozy. In any case, your Windows files can be reinstalled, reconfigured the way you want them and updated with the Windows updates. How did you get partitions in the first place? Didn't the XP install disk put them there? Or did you do it yourself? At this point, take the option that seems to fit your needs best.

 

[CU]

That is just it unless fixmbr or fixboot can delete the files they should be there. I cannot get to them with a boot disk. After running the above commands the disk appears unformat and unpartitioned so nothing sees them. I think I created the partitions through the windows installer years ago. I just don't see how fixmbr and fixboot deleted the partition tables and I really don't think they deleted the files.

 

[Gunbuster]

Run Getdataback from a live CD\Dub2.0\BarPE\MiniPE environment. Be sure to have another intenal or USB HDD hooked up so you can copy the files over once the Getdataback scan finds them. http://www.runtime.org/

websurfermom: To be blunt: you are on crack. he totally CAN recover the files himself.

 

[jrjiri]

I have XP on partition C and files on partition D. Well we just moved and I finally go to set up my computer and XP starts to load but fails with "Reboot and Select proper Boot device or Insert Boot Media in selected Boot device and press a key." I boot into the recover console and type chkdsk and everything is OK. Then I type fixmbr and fixboot. Actually I typed fixmbr c:\ because it didn't seem to do anything. After doing some reading those seemed to be commands to run to fix this. Any way it still gives me the same error, plus now the recover console cannot find c:\windows and when I go to do a repair install it shows the whole HD as unpartitioned. What happened? How can I get my files back short of a recovery company? What killed my partition table?

Used another primary drive and set your other drive to slave. You should be able to copy any important data and save it. That is the only way to go. Good luck.

 

[daveybrat]

I've had testdisk recover corrupt paritions many times successfully. If it does not find a backup MBR, you can always try writing a new MBR with testdisk and then reboot.

 

[CU]

Well I finally got back to working on this drive. Setting the drive up as slave will not work. It is seen as completely unpartitioned. Did the partitions your recovery with testdisk show up in the analyse menu? I guess I could try using it to write a mbr.

 

[AFurryReptile]

Booting a LiveCD like Knoppix might let you see what's on the drive. Then just back it all up to a working drive.

 

[CU]

I have tried different tools on the regular UBCD, but it always shows nothing is there. Not sure if a LiveCD would help. How would it see the data?

I told testdisk to write a mbr on the first sector, but that did help. Still want boot and it still cannot find any old partitions.

I think I may put it in a working system and try some of the non free tools on it.

 

[CU]

Maybe testdisk doesn't have the right chs for my drive which is a Seagate ST3200822A. It has chs as 22232 255 63 and sector size as 512 and the size listed as 182Gig.

 

[CU]

After looking on Seagate's site I cannot find the correct chs values that would make the 390,721,968 sectors it should have.

 

[CU]

Weird HD Tune on the UBCD4Win shows it as QT1200820A 182Gig drive. But that is not the model number on the drive plus it is a 200gig drive. The windows disk manage from the CD also shows that model number. When google that number or search Seagate's site nothing comes up.

 

[CU]

The bios shows that number also, where does it come from? I thought it would be the model number.

 

[Gunbuster]

Not to beat a dead horse or anything but: GETDATABACK http://www.runtime.org/

"Download the trial version and recover your files. You can preview your data to be sure it actually works. If you like the results you do not need run the program again. Purchase the license key and enter it into the open program. Then copy everything you need!"

P.S. Stop messing with chs values and set it back to auto in the bios

 

[daveybrat]

Not to beat a dead horse or anything but: GETDATABACK http://www.runtime.org/

"Download the trial version and recover your files. You can preview your data to be sure it actually works. If you like the results you do not need run the program again. Purchase the license key and enter it into the open program. Then copy everything you need!"

P.S. Stop messing with chs values and set it back to auto in the bios

Getdataback is a great program. I have the Fat and NTFS version of the program and it works very well.