Utils to Fix Hard Drive Partition Table Errors?

K

kenitholson

Recently posted that was given a HD that capacity listed by DOS was
very different from what it should be.
http://groups.google.com/group/alt....hread/cd4ec287f87df371/0e4f93ac19d4faad?hl=en

After a number of DLs and tests found that the problem is not Bad
Sectors but Partition Table Info.

This has been a Real Learning Experience and I now know a lot more
about Partition Table Errors than ever wanted to. Here is one listing
of possible errors
http://www.fedu.uec.ac.jp/ZzzThai/winth_jp/FIPSDOCS/errors.txt

Considering my inexperience would prefer a util of any OS, and possibly
even prefer a Unix because have read that some Windows malware will
corrupt the Partition Table. So far I have only found TestDisk that
might do this. http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk I tried chkdsk
/f but nothing was fixed.

If necessary to input the correct info manually where do I get the
correct info? Am guessing I would need to check Western Digital's
docs for it. This is what I have been able to find out. Gen Specs
http://www.westerndigital.com/en/products/legacy/Legacy.asp?r=3

Manually read about using DOS Debug
http://groups.google.com/group/alt....on+table+errors&rnum=6&hl=en#eb47a44b387917af
but the process seems complex for a beginner.

DO you want to restore an existing partition table? Or repair one that
has a
problem and will not allow you to fdisk the drive. This script will
allow
you to clear the partition sector. After that you can repair the MBR if
you
want. Utilities can do this too. I like debug so here is the way to do
it
A:\>DEBUG
- f 200 L200 0
- a 100
xxxx:0100 mov ax,301 (ignore segment:blush:ffset values at left)
xxxx:0103 mov bx,200
xxxx:0106 mov cx,1
xxxx:0109 mov dx,0080
xxxx:010C int 13
xxxx:010E int 3
xxxx:010F (Press ENTER an extra time here)
- d 100 LF
xxxx:0100 B8 01 03 BB 00 02 B9 01-00 BA 80 00 CD 13 CC
(make sure that hex values match above line before proceeding)
(if values do not match, type Q and start over)
- g=100
(ignore register display)
- q (quits back to DOS)


Am open to all suggestions!

Thanks

Ken
 
J

jmatt

Am open to all suggestions!
Click to expand...

I use this every day Ken to get a HD really clean.

WIPE OUT
http://www.lurkhere.com/~nicefiles/index.html
http://www.lurkhere.com/~nicefiles/wipeout.zip
Freeware.
WIPE OUT: as the name implies, this utility will absolutely WIPE your
hard drive. For those times when an industrial strength cleaner is
needed to remove any pesky files Fdisk may have left behind. A readme
file is included in the zip file. WARNING...WIPE OUT will remove ALL
data from the Hard Drive.

DIRECTIONS

1- Unzip file
2- Copy WIPEOUT to a Win9x boot disk
3- Boot with Win9x disk, make sure the bios is set to boot from floppy
1st.
4- At the A:\> type "wipeout c: /nq /np" (no quotes)
/nq = no queries - you will not be asked if you are sure.
/np = no partitions - this will overwrite the MBR

Press Enter.

Now run fdisk to set up partitions.
http://fdisk.radified.com/
When done, reboot & format.
 
F

Franklin

After a number of DLs and tests found that the problem is not
Bad Sectors but Partition Table Info.

This has been a Real Learning Experience and I now know a lot
more about Partition Table Errors than ever wanted to. Here is
one listing of possible errors
Click to expand...

Go slow, so slow! Are you clear in your own mind that there are
two sets of data for partition tables for each partitions. There
is the Master Partition Table for the whole hard drive which
contains upto four entries to define the start and end of each
partition and then there is the PT at the beginning of each
partition whic defines all sors of itms about that specific
partition.

http://www.fedu.uec.ac.jp/ZzzThai/winth_jp/FIPSDOCS/errors.txt

Considering my inexperience would prefer a util of any OS, and
possibly even prefer a Unix because have read that some Windows
malware will corrupt the Partition Table. So far I have only
found TestDisk that might do this.
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk I tried chkdsk /f but
nothing was fixed.
Click to expand...

That /f was valuable because checkdsk ensures the integrity of
files and it will ensure file integrity even if it means losing
data. The /f means not to actually do anything.
 
A

Al Klein

Am open to all suggestions!
Click to expand...

What belongs in the partition table depends on how the disk is
partitioned. One large partition of the entire disk? Four
partitions, using the 4 native slots? More partitions using some
proprietary (even if open format) method?

If it's one huge partition, the bios should give you the information
yo need, or the manufacturer's site may have something.

Suggestion: copy down the partition information while the drive is
still good (maybe when first installing it).
 
D

David

Go slow, so slow! Are you clear in your own mind that there are
two sets of data for partition tables for each partitions. There
is the Master Partition Table for the whole hard drive which
contains upto four entries to define the start and end of each
partition and then there is the PT at the beginning of each
partition whic defines all sors of itms about that specific
partition.



That /f was valuable because checkdsk ensures the integrity of
files and it will ensure file integrity even if it means losing
data. The /f means not to actually do anything.
Click to expand...

/f actually means fix. Without that switch nothing will happen other
than a report being generated.

Unless M$ are moving the goalposts again.
 
A

Anonymous

Ken,
Am open to all suggestions!

Thanks
Click to expand...

Darik's Boot and Nuke http://dban.sourceforge.net/

Load DBAN onto a floppy disk, install that dead HD into a computer,
start that computer with the floppy, type autonuke or gutmann at the
prompt, and press enter. DBAN will burn off the data, the formatting,
the partition, everything will be gone. When DBAN is finished, use
FDISK or some other partition program to create and format the drive
and you're back in business.
 
F

Franklin

That /f was valuable because checkdsk ensures the integrity of

/f actually means fix. Without that switch nothing will happen
other than a report being generated.

Unless M$ are moving the goalposts again.
Click to expand...


My error! It's me that got it back to front. In truth I hardly ever
use CHKDSK (or any of the line commands for disk oprtations such as
FDISK).
 
D

David

My error! It's me that got it back to front. In truth I hardly ever
use CHKDSK (or any of the line commands for disk oprtations such as
FDISK).
Click to expand...

I had to check. I would not have been surprised if M$ had changed
things.
 
J

jmatt

Al said:
Use FDisk. Partition the drive starting one track higher than before.
Presto!, no old data on your partition.
Click to expand...

Thanks Al, must admit I'm not familar with > one track higher than
before.
Fdisk no problem, but I only use the 1 partition now.
 
K

kenitholson

Al,

Thanks for the tip but it is over my head! How do I start one track
higher?

Ken
 
K

kenitholson

Everyone,

Maybe I have not really stated my question very well.

I have used KillDisk and others to wipe the HD. Did not realize that
there was a lot of residual Linux and other NonDOS info in Partition
Table which now seems really messed up, may even have some type of
virus or malware there, because std DOS FDISK will not even work.

Is there an Partition Table Util that will wipe out all this crud and
allow me to start over with No Partitions? I am not interested in
recovering data on any partitions.

Thanks

Ken
 
L

Lou

Everyone,

Maybe I have not really stated my question very well.

I have used KillDisk and others to wipe the HD. Did not realize that
there was a lot of residual Linux and other NonDOS info in Partition
Table which now seems really messed up, may even have some type of
virus or malware there, because std DOS FDISK will not even work.

Is there an Partition Table Util that will wipe out all this crud and
allow me to start over with No Partitions? I am not interested in
recovering data on any partitions.

Thanks

Ken
Click to expand...

format the drive
 
K

kenitholson

L...

I must have been tired when first posted this problem! Noticed that
while I mentioned the error message for chkdsk forgot to mention that
for FDISK and Format.

FDISK error reading fixed disk

Format required parameter missing

The FDISK and Format error messages have not changed after using
KillDisk and other Utils.
 
K

kenitholson

j....

Tried Wipeout but when used wipeout c: /nq got error message unable to
read C's boot sector.

Any ideas why?

Thanks again, Wipeout probably works fine if the HD is not messed up!

Ken
 
K

kenitholson

Anonymous,

Checked and DBaN has a good reputation. Downloaded and made Floppy.
It ran OK and when done used MS FDISK and still got the original error
message error reading fixed disk.
 
K

kenitholson

Anonymous,

Checked and DBaN has a good reputation. Downloaded and made Floppy.
It ran OK and when done used MS FDISK and still got the original error
message error reading fixed disk.

Ken
 

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