I want to make sure I proceed correctly in this scenario....user had an IDE
drive in a Wn2K Pro box......wanted to have it available in his
server..........he removed it and installed it in the server on an IDE
channel...it is set to cable select....when booting, errors were detected
and the chkdsk utility ran and completed without issue............he then
opened disk manager and was prompted to write a signature to the
disk......he did ! ! The only option available now to access the drive
data is to format it............any suggestion about recovering the data?
NTFS utilities? TIA

Ken ...

Writing a disk signature would not cause the drive to be unreadable. The
disk sig is held in the MBR and is simply a way for the OS to keep track of
the physical drive. I am a bit concerned that something happened either
before he moved the drive or during CHKDSK.

The first suggestion would be to run a quick read-only chkdsk on the drive
from within the OS. The drive gets a letter, correct? Run CHKDSK X:
(presuming X: was the drive letter). What does CHKDSK come back with?

If you do get a drive letter, open up My Computer, right click on the drive
and push EVERYONE FULL CONTROL down the entire drive. Permissions can cause
some odd errors.

As a last resort, pop it back into the Windows 2000 Pro machine and see if
he can see the data.

Hope this helps.

--
Britten Martin [MSFT]
(E-Mail Removed)



"Ken F" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I want to make sure I proceed correctly in this scenario....user had an
IDE
> drive in a Wn2K Pro box......wanted to have it available in his
> server..........he removed it and installed it in the server on an IDE
> channel...it is set to cable select....when booting, errors were detected
> and the chkdsk utility ran and completed without issue............he then
> opened disk manager and was prompted to write a signature to the
> disk......he did ! ! The only option available now to access the drive
> data is to format it............any suggestion about recovering the data?
> NTFS utilities? TIA
>
>

Thanks Britten.........the CHKDSK G: returns "The type of file system is
RAW"


"Britten Martin [MSFT]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Ken ...
>
> Writing a disk signature would not cause the drive to be unreadable. The
> disk sig is held in the MBR and is simply a way for the OS to keep track
of
> the physical drive. I am a bit concerned that something happened either
> before he moved the drive or during CHKDSK.
>
> The first suggestion would be to run a quick read-only chkdsk on the drive
> from within the OS. The drive gets a letter, correct? Run CHKDSK X:
> (presuming X: was the drive letter). What does CHKDSK come back with?
>
> If you do get a drive letter, open up My Computer, right click on the
drive
> and push EVERYONE FULL CONTROL down the entire drive. Permissions can
cause
> some odd errors.
>
> As a last resort, pop it back into the Windows 2000 Pro machine and see if
> he can see the data.
>
> Hope this helps.
>
> --
> Britten Martin [MSFT]
> (E-Mail Removed)
>
>
>
> "Ken F" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > I want to make sure I proceed correctly in this scenario....user had an
> IDE
> > drive in a Wn2K Pro box......wanted to have it available in his
> > server..........he removed it and installed it in the server on an IDE
> > channel...it is set to cable select....when booting, errors were
detected
> > and the chkdsk utility ran and completed without issue............he
then
> > opened disk manager and was prompted to write a signature to the
> > disk......he did ! ! The only option available now to access the
drive
> > data is to format it............any suggestion about recovering the
data?
> > NTFS utilities? TIA
> >
> >
>
>

Ken ...

RAW typically lets you know that the bootsector has been deleted or
corrupted.

I would try putting it back in the Windows 2000 Pro machine. If prompted,
choose to IMPORT.

Beyond that, if you are familar with the tool, you could certainly use Disk
Probe to examine the bootsector. If it is NTFS, there is a chance you could
copy over the backup bootsector.

153973 Recovering NTFS Boot Sector on NTFS Partitions
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=153973

--
Britten Martin [MSFT]
(E-Mail Removed)



"Ken F" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Thanks Britten.........the CHKDSK G: returns "The type of file system is
> RAW"
>
>
> "Britten Martin [MSFT]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Ken ...
> >
> > Writing a disk signature would not cause the drive to be unreadable.
The
> > disk sig is held in the MBR and is simply a way for the OS to keep track
> of
> > the physical drive. I am a bit concerned that something happened either
> > before he moved the drive or during CHKDSK.
> >
> > The first suggestion would be to run a quick read-only chkdsk on the
drive
> > from within the OS. The drive gets a letter, correct? Run CHKDSK X:
> > (presuming X: was the drive letter). What does CHKDSK come back with?
> >
> > If you do get a drive letter, open up My Computer, right click on the
> drive
> > and push EVERYONE FULL CONTROL down the entire drive. Permissions can
> cause
> > some odd errors.
> >
> > As a last resort, pop it back into the Windows 2000 Pro machine and see
if
> > he can see the data.
> >
> > Hope this helps.
> >
> > --
> > Britten Martin [MSFT]
> > (E-Mail Removed)
> >
> >
> >
> > "Ken F" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > > I want to make sure I proceed correctly in this scenario....user had
an
> > IDE
> > > drive in a Wn2K Pro box......wanted to have it available in his
> > > server..........he removed it and installed it in the server on an IDE
> > > channel...it is set to cable select....when booting, errors were
> detected
> > > and the chkdsk utility ran and completed without issue............he
> then
> > > opened disk manager and was prompted to write a signature to the
> > > disk......he did ! ! The only option available now to access the
> drive
> > > data is to format it............any suggestion about recovering the
> data?
> > > NTFS utilities? TIA
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

Thanks again Britten......I am 1/2 step ahead of ya.....I put the drive back
in the W2KPro box.......the thing is, it was just a data drive.....the
W2KPro machine booted without incident...it assigns the disk a drive
letter......if I run CHKDSK against the drive, I get the same
error......type of file system is RAW.......the guy must have done something
else to this while it was in the server (from disk management).....he swears
he did not approve a "format" command........it seems that would be true
otherwise I would be seeing some type of access......it was previously NTFS.
Any other ideas before I resign to telling him it is gone?


"Britten Martin [MSFT]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Ken ...
>
> RAW typically lets you know that the bootsector has been deleted or
> corrupted.
>
> I would try putting it back in the Windows 2000 Pro machine. If prompted,
> choose to IMPORT.
>
> Beyond that, if you are familar with the tool, you could certainly use
Disk
> Probe to examine the bootsector. If it is NTFS, there is a chance you
could
> copy over the backup bootsector.
>
> 153973 Recovering NTFS Boot Sector on NTFS Partitions
> http://support.microsoft.com/?id=153973
>
> --
> Britten Martin [MSFT]
> (E-Mail Removed)
>
>
>
> "Ken F" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Thanks Britten.........the CHKDSK G: returns "The type of file system is
> > RAW"
> >
> >
> > "Britten Martin [MSFT]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > > Ken ...
> > >
> > > Writing a disk signature would not cause the drive to be unreadable.
> The
> > > disk sig is held in the MBR and is simply a way for the OS to keep
track
> > of
> > > the physical drive. I am a bit concerned that something happened
either
> > > before he moved the drive or during CHKDSK.
> > >
> > > The first suggestion would be to run a quick read-only chkdsk on the
> drive
> > > from within the OS. The drive gets a letter, correct? Run CHKDSK X:
> > > (presuming X: was the drive letter). What does CHKDSK come back with?
> > >
> > > If you do get a drive letter, open up My Computer, right click on the
> > drive
> > > and push EVERYONE FULL CONTROL down the entire drive. Permissions can
> > cause
> > > some odd errors.
> > >
> > > As a last resort, pop it back into the Windows 2000 Pro machine and
see
> if
> > > he can see the data.
> > >
> > > Hope this helps.
> > >
> > > --
> > > Britten Martin [MSFT]
> > > (E-Mail Removed)
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > "Ken F" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > > news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > > > I want to make sure I proceed correctly in this scenario....user had
> an
> > > IDE
> > > > drive in a Wn2K Pro box......wanted to have it available in his
> > > > server..........he removed it and installed it in the server on an
IDE
> > > > channel...it is set to cable select....when booting, errors were
> > detected
> > > > and the chkdsk utility ran and completed without issue............he
> > then
> > > > opened disk manager and was prompted to write a signature to the
> > > > disk......he did ! ! The only option available now to access the
> > drive
> > > > data is to format it............any suggestion about recovering the
> > data?
> > > > NTFS utilities? TIA
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

Just noticed something with Partition Magic..............this was formerly a
Dell drive, so it has a 7MB utility partition........I am still showing that
the drive is 07 (Hex) Unformatted


"Ken F" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Thanks again Britten......I am 1/2 step ahead of ya.....I put the drive
back
> in the W2KPro box.......the thing is, it was just a data drive.....the
> W2KPro machine booted without incident...it assigns the disk a drive
> letter......if I run CHKDSK against the drive, I get the same
> error......type of file system is RAW.......the guy must have done
something
> else to this while it was in the server (from disk management).....he
swears
> he did not approve a "format" command........it seems that would be true
> otherwise I would be seeing some type of access......it was previously
NTFS.
> Any other ideas before I resign to telling him it is gone?
>
>
> "Britten Martin [MSFT]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Ken ...
> >
> > RAW typically lets you know that the bootsector has been deleted or
> > corrupted.
> >
> > I would try putting it back in the Windows 2000 Pro machine. If
prompted,
> > choose to IMPORT.
> >
> > Beyond that, if you are familar with the tool, you could certainly use
> Disk
> > Probe to examine the bootsector. If it is NTFS, there is a chance you
> could
> > copy over the backup bootsector.
> >
> > 153973 Recovering NTFS Boot Sector on NTFS Partitions
> > http://support.microsoft.com/?id=153973
> >
> > --
> > Britten Martin [MSFT]
> > (E-Mail Removed)
> >
> >
> >
> > "Ken F" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> > > Thanks Britten.........the CHKDSK G: returns "The type of file system
is
> > > RAW"
> > >
> > >
> > > "Britten Martin [MSFT]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
message
> > > news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > > > Ken ...
> > > >
> > > > Writing a disk signature would not cause the drive to be unreadable.
> > The
> > > > disk sig is held in the MBR and is simply a way for the OS to keep
> track
> > > of
> > > > the physical drive. I am a bit concerned that something happened
> either
> > > > before he moved the drive or during CHKDSK.
> > > >
> > > > The first suggestion would be to run a quick read-only chkdsk on the
> > drive
> > > > from within the OS. The drive gets a letter, correct? Run CHKDSK
X:
> > > > (presuming X: was the drive letter). What does CHKDSK come back
with?
> > > >
> > > > If you do get a drive letter, open up My Computer, right click on
the
> > > drive
> > > > and push EVERYONE FULL CONTROL down the entire drive. Permissions
can
> > > cause
> > > > some odd errors.
> > > >
> > > > As a last resort, pop it back into the Windows 2000 Pro machine and
> see
> > if
> > > > he can see the data.
> > > >
> > > > Hope this helps.
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Britten Martin [MSFT]
> > > > (E-Mail Removed)
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > "Ken F" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > > > news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > > > > I want to make sure I proceed correctly in this scenario....user
had
> > an
> > > > IDE
> > > > > drive in a Wn2K Pro box......wanted to have it available in his
> > > > > server..........he removed it and installed it in the server on an
> IDE
> > > > > channel...it is set to cable select....when booting, errors were
> > > detected
> > > > > and the chkdsk utility ran and completed without
issue............he
> > > then
> > > > > opened disk manager and was prompted to write a signature to the
> > > > > disk......he did ! ! The only option available now to access
the
> > > drive
> > > > > data is to format it............any suggestion about recovering
the
> > > data?
> > > > > NTFS utilities? TIA
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

Ken ...

You *MAY* be able to get the data back using the steps outlined in the
article I sent you ...

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=153973

It sounds like the drive was formatted. You may need to rebuild it
completely. There are 3rd party disaster recovery companies that may be
able to assist with this. Microsoft Support is not in the business of doing
this, but if you called Support for Windows 2000 Server, you may get an
engineer who is comfortable with Disk Probe enough to rebuild your partition
table and check your bootsector.


--
Britten Martin [MSFT]
(E-Mail Removed)



"Ken F" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Just noticed something with Partition Magic..............this was formerly
a
> Dell drive, so it has a 7MB utility partition........I am still showing
that
> the drive is 07 (Hex) Unformatted
>
>
> "Ken F" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Thanks again Britten......I am 1/2 step ahead of ya.....I put the drive
> back
> > in the W2KPro box.......the thing is, it was just a data drive.....the
> > W2KPro machine booted without incident...it assigns the disk a drive
> > letter......if I run CHKDSK against the drive, I get the same
> > error......type of file system is RAW.......the guy must have done
> something
> > else to this while it was in the server (from disk management).....he
> swears
> > he did not approve a "format" command........it seems that would be true
> > otherwise I would be seeing some type of access......it was previously
> NTFS.
> > Any other ideas before I resign to telling him it is gone?
> >
> >
> > "Britten Martin [MSFT]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > > Ken ...
> > >
> > > RAW typically lets you know that the bootsector has been deleted or
> > > corrupted.
> > >
> > > I would try putting it back in the Windows 2000 Pro machine. If
> prompted,
> > > choose to IMPORT.
> > >
> > > Beyond that, if you are familar with the tool, you could certainly use
> > Disk
> > > Probe to examine the bootsector. If it is NTFS, there is a chance you
> > could
> > > copy over the backup bootsector.
> > >
> > > 153973 Recovering NTFS Boot Sector on NTFS Partitions
> > > http://support.microsoft.com/?id=153973
> > >
> > > --
> > > Britten Martin [MSFT]
> > > (E-Mail Removed)
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > "Ken F" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > > news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> > > > Thanks Britten.........the CHKDSK G: returns "The type of file
system
> is
> > > > RAW"
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > "Britten Martin [MSFT]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
> message
> > > > news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > > > > Ken ...
> > > > >
> > > > > Writing a disk signature would not cause the drive to be
unreadable.
> > > The
> > > > > disk sig is held in the MBR and is simply a way for the OS to keep
> > track
> > > > of
> > > > > the physical drive. I am a bit concerned that something happened
> > either
> > > > > before he moved the drive or during CHKDSK.
> > > > >
> > > > > The first suggestion would be to run a quick read-only chkdsk on
the
> > > drive
> > > > > from within the OS. The drive gets a letter, correct? Run CHKDSK
> X:
> > > > > (presuming X: was the drive letter). What does CHKDSK come back
> with?
> > > > >
> > > > > If you do get a drive letter, open up My Computer, right click on
> the
> > > > drive
> > > > > and push EVERYONE FULL CONTROL down the entire drive. Permissions
> can
> > > > cause
> > > > > some odd errors.
> > > > >
> > > > > As a last resort, pop it back into the Windows 2000 Pro machine
and
> > see
> > > if
> > > > > he can see the data.
> > > > >
> > > > > Hope this helps.
> > > > >
> > > > > --
> > > > > Britten Martin [MSFT]
> > > > > (E-Mail Removed)
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > "Ken F" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > > > > news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > > > > > I want to make sure I proceed correctly in this scenario....user
> had
> > > an
> > > > > IDE
> > > > > > drive in a Wn2K Pro box......wanted to have it available in his
> > > > > > server..........he removed it and installed it in the server on
an
> > IDE
> > > > > > channel...it is set to cable select....when booting, errors were
> > > > detected
> > > > > > and the chkdsk utility ran and completed without
> issue............he
> > > > then
> > > > > > opened disk manager and was prompted to write a signature to the
> > > > > > disk......he did ! ! The only option available now to access
> the
> > > > drive
> > > > > > data is to format it............any suggestion about recovering
> the
> > > > data?
> > > > > > NTFS utilities? TIA
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>