All data on a 1TB drive unreadable

Grombo · Post by **Grombo** » 30 May 2009, 08:30

i have 3 hdd.
they were shown as they are below before any problems occured.
C:\ - 80gb IDE
D:\ - 320gb SATA
H:\ - 1TB SATA

i was trying to remove the 320gb SATA and use it as a boot device on another pc. I accidentally removed the 1TB(SATA) instead and replaced it where it was. After removing the intended drive(SATA 320gb) i realised it was a master drive and i decided it was all to much effort for the rewards so i put everything back as it was. After booting, the 1TB SATA showed up as F:\ instead of H:\ and when i tried to explore it, it prompts me to format it.

Is there any way to recover the data on the 1TB SATA drive?

Post by **bad_brain** » 30 May 2009, 09:04

hmm...let's first set the drive letter back to H:
start->run->diskmgmt.msc

change the drive letter and see if you can find any problems there...

Grombo · Post by **Grombo** » 30 May 2009, 09:38

it says its a RAW file system and has a capacity of 32mb if that helps. ill set it to H: then get back to you

EDIT: changed the letter, no difference. other than the letter of course. restarting now
EDIT: no good, same problem. it still wants me to format.
the main thing i'd like to know here is if its possible for me to restore my hdd to the way it was or not so i can rebuild my collection sooner or not

Post by **bad_brain** » 30 May 2009, 12:32

yes, sure, it is.
get "Get Data Back for NTFS" from the downloads, you will be able to restore most files with it (just .txt ones can be problematic sometimes).
but you need a different partition to save the restored data to...

Post by **DNR** » 30 May 2009, 13:25

maybe BB can confirm: What happened is the HDD lost its paths because they were dictated by another HDD? Would the answer to recovering those paths be on another HDD? The HDD should be readable, the files are there, but I think the HDD that is trying to access that HDD can't find the FAT/NTFS data?

Confusing, I never seen a problem like that with a hot/cold swap.

DNR

Post by **floodhound2** » 30 May 2009, 15:24

You can recover the data by downloading a recover data program. PM me for a specific one that has features others have to well *cough* for. Forgive me I am drunk but the message apples.

I got the tools fools

Grombo · Post by **Grombo** » 30 May 2009, 18:44

i tried the get back data for nfts but my computer only recognizes 32mb of the drive

Post by **bad_brain** » 31 May 2009, 04:00

hm, damn....you could try it with PhotoRec, best on a live CD.
the Ubuntu Rescue Live CD has PhotoRec on board for example:
http://ubuntu-rescue-remix.org/

Grombo · Post by **Grombo** » 31 May 2009, 04:20

what i have just done is delete the 32mb partition, and formatted the whole thing. it took less than a second and appeared as a completely blank hdd. i'm using the GetDataBack for NTFS right now. its on 91%

if this doesnt work i'll try your method bad brain

Post by **bad_brain** » 31 May 2009, 04:52

good idea, now you can read the HDD from XP and there is no need for raw mode....getdataback should be able to recover the data successfully now.
if the results is not really satisfying enable the "recover lost files" option too, but beware, it'll also recover a lot of rubbish that you have deleted ages ago then...

Grombo · Post by **Grombo** » 31 May 2009, 05:33

what do you mean?
is it possible for it to recover more than 1TB?
i had filled around 800gb already

Grombo · Post by **Grombo** » 31 May 2009, 06:19

some of the recovered files are in 6 digit giberish folders. e.g. [002821]
some are as though the hdd is as it was. why is this?

Pong18 · Post by **Pong18** » 31 May 2009, 06:25

files that show garbage data are probably damaged(overwritten), or corrupted recovered files. files that show such characteristics are beyond recovery(unless you work for the cia or maybe the nsa or some other forensic agency) via normal means.

Post by **floodhound2** » 31 May 2009, 08:21

You should have waited I was setting up my ftp to give you a program that would have taken care of your problem. Well good luck and please post your results.

Post by **bad_brain** » 31 May 2009, 09:36

Grombo wrote:some of the recovered files are in 6 digit giberish folders. e.g. [002821]
some are as though the hdd is as it was. why is this?

those are "lost" files/folders were no name could be restored anymore, as pong said they usually have been (partially) overwritten once already or they have been deleted by the user earlier...it's also possible they have been moved to the other HDD earlier. the data is simply there but the header information isn't....