Partition Lost ..os Lost..help Me...

m-jeri · 24-10-2008, 08:59 AM

Sorry if I am screaming but I have to.this is wat happened.

Last night I tried to install xp and vista.

I couldn't find my sp2 disc so I used another xp sp3 slip streamed disc, which also have some othr apps in it too.

I selected and formatted only one partition as ntfs. I am sure coz I did it a million times.the installation over and I clicked my comp and I can't find my last 3 50gb partitions. They are showing as a single 145gb free space.wat happened ?????..

I tried to use acronis disc director 10 to recovervthem,if I can. Bur aftr installation when I click the i con in desktop or start menu it just runs as a pgrm. I can't see any window. I tried opening a no. Of instance but no use.help me please.

During the xp pre-install format the other partitions were correct.

Now I am yet to try the acronis disc director boot disc, hope works.

Then I installed vista. And I have no dual boot menu. Wat is that?..

1. I observed tht at the os post-loading ther shows a mbr error or gdlr something .dunno it changes fast and I see a dualboot like menu for a sec.but it goes on to xp

2.I see a bootsect.bak file in vistapartition. I opened it. It says as read disc error, boot disc error somethings like tht.

3.I can't run the disc director here too.like before.

Please help me...those partitions have lOts of family..frnds...college photos..and loads others..it was not backed up..... Thinking it was in another partition.....but....

I haven't formatted it or anything ..please help me .....

Jerin.

ondemandemails · 24-10-2008, 10:53 AM

well ur post is bit confusing, try running fdisk /mbr or fixmbr command from xp cd. that may cure the problem. if not reflect the changes here.

m-jeri · 24-10-2008, 11:10 AM

^^

abt my post...what is confusing dear?? ... my first priority is the data recovery??how????

rhitwick · 24-10-2008, 11:38 AM

First of all, don't panic, calm down.

1>have u any Live CD of any linux distro??
If yes check ur windows partition from the Linux distro. If it shows then take backup.

2>If possible take ur HDD to ur frnd's place, connect in slave and check the partitions there.

Quote:

I tried to use acronis disc director 10 to recovervthem,if I can. Bur aftr installation when I click the i con in desktop or start menu it just runs as a pgrm. I can't see any window. I tried opening a no. Of instance but no use.help me please.

During the xp pre-install format the other partitions were correct.

Now I am yet to try the acronis disc director boot disc, hope works.

Then I installed vista. And I have no dual boot menu. Wat is that?..

1. I observed tht at the os post-loading ther shows a mbr error or gdlr something .dunno it changes fast and I see a dualboot like menu for a sec.but it goes on to xp

2.I see a bootsect.bak file in vistapartition. I opened it. It says as read disc error, boot disc error somethings like tht.

3.I can't run the disc director here too.like before.

I couldn't get this part, can u plz elaborate more?

[consolation]
1>May be ur data are gone, if u've selected full format in NTFS then its a bit tough (i'm not saying impossible) to recover them.
2>If possible try "Recover My Files", this is very good.
3>Aristotle once told that everyone gets a chance to be philosopher in their life; wen ur favourite vase is broken, like a philosopher u console urself that time has come for it.

Its ur time to be a philosopher

[/consolation]

m-jeri · 24-10-2008, 11:44 AM

...i have ubuntu live CD.... i havent used it...

1. After i couldnt get the partitions from My comp..i tried to use acronis disc director..coz i once recovered partitions from a old maxtor 40 gb once..
I installed the application.but i cannot run it. its in the task manager process list but no window.

2.After all this fiasco...i tried to install vista as a dual boot... i did..then it just boots staright to vista.. no dual boot options... but i do see some kinda dual boot screen for a instant..

i need the data..its very imp to me..

No i only selected 1 un partitioned space to format. a 25 gb...and it only formatted that..only that format window was shown....

rhitwick · 24-10-2008, 12:57 PM

1. Try Ubantu.
2. Try ur frnd's PC

I've not used Vista but in XP we can increase or decrease the timeout of the boot screen.
In XP d procedure is

Right Click on MyComp->Properties->Advanced->settings button on Startup&Recovery section->In the next screen u'll get d choice to decrease or increase the boot screen timeout.

Try "Recover My Files", I've used it to recover data from formatted partition too.

thewisecrab · 24-10-2008, 01:13 PM

1) Try to access the partitions using any Live Distro (You were going to download Mint, from what I can recall in the OSS thread) Boot it and see if you can atleast see your data
If you can then you are lucky.

Use a pen drive to quickly backup crucial data (a few round trips to your friends house shouldnt hurt)
Then, go forward with further partitioning the HDD [this too after confirming the first step is successful]
2)If this is not successful, then take the HDD to your friends house and connect it as slave [as rhitwick said] and run a data recovery soft from your friend's PC on it. It should find all the data from the "hidden" partition and thus recovery should be possible.
(will get the recovery soft is a few minutes as I'll have to use google )
3) Remain calm.

Here you go
1)http://www.stellarinfo.com/ [highly recommended, but paid]
2)http://www.raymond.cc/blog/archives/...n-license-key/ [also nice]
3)http://www.pcinspector.de/Sites/file...htm?language=1 [free]

m-jeri · 24-10-2008, 01:20 PM

ok.. tonight and tmrw..this is my job....

pray for me....

.... i hope it works...

thewisecrab · 24-10-2008, 01:42 PM

Which Method are you using? How much data is to be recovered? Which soft are you using?

m-jeri · 24-10-2008, 02:11 PM

1. i will first try to create a hirens boot cd or acronis boot cd and try if its detecting the partitions..

2. if yes..then il get a temp hdd and install xp and acronis in it and try that.

3. or.. from step 1..i try to recover it to a external disc if detected...

this is what i am going to try...

thewisecrab · 24-10-2008, 02:15 PM

Good luck and all the best

m-jeri · 27-10-2008, 08:51 AM

Hi...

Last friday night

I was running vista and i didnt had nero for vista...so..

.. i installed XP..then Acronis disc director 10 and recovered all my partitions...just 30 mts and couple of click.... hehhee

thnx everyone for pitching in...esp rithwick and wisecrab... +1

Jerin