Create Raw Copy

[baumgrenze]

I have the impression that there exists under XP Pro the possibility
of creating a 'raw copy' of a compromised SATA NTFS hard drive on
which I deleted the single partition.

I have yet to construct a search strategy that will lead me to
instructions for doing so.

Can anyone provide a link, XP Help terms to search, or other guidance?

I have a second hard drive of the same size onto which I can create
the raw copy.

I want to do this so that I don't lose the information on the
original, compromised drive while trying to use recovery software
like, Partition Table Doctor, GetBackData NTFS, or Bootmaster
Partition Recovery (or any other straightforward utility someone can
vouch for.)

Thanks,

baumgrenze

 

[Big Al]

I have the impression that there exists under XP Pro the possibility
of creating a 'raw copy' of a compromised SATA NTFS hard drive on
which I deleted the single partition.

I have yet to construct a search strategy that will lead me to
instructions for doing so.

Can anyone provide a link, XP Help terms to search, or other guidance?

I have a second hard drive of the same size onto which I can create
the raw copy.

I want to do this so that I don't lose the information on the
original, compromised drive while trying to use recovery software
like, Partition Table Doctor, GetBackData NTFS, or Bootmaster
Partition Recovery (or any other straightforward utility someone can
vouch for.)

Thanks,

baumgrenze

The only think I can come up with is Acronis True Image clone. Its a
bit by bit copy of the data. Its not files and folders. So maybe
that's what you call raw?! It even copies the boot info etc. Total copy.

 

[db.·.. >]

base on my perspective of
your question:

the problem is that if
the current o.s. is corrupted
than imaging it/making a copy
of it is not worthwhile to
restore. you would simply
be restoring a dysfunctional
system onto a cleaned disk.

fortunately, since you have an
identical disk, then i would simply
install an o.s. on it and avoid
the mistakes that corrupted
your other o.s. or disk.

most of the time, the o.s. or
disk becomes corrupted as a
result of non microsoft
software installed by a
user and "not" by the windows
operating system, itself.

after you install the new
o.s. and no other software
it will be perfectly functional.

on the other hand if you had simply
tied up that additional disk
a clone, images or archive, then
it would serve little benefit
at this time.

after you log into your new
o.s. you should then transfer
all your personal files from
the old drive onto the new one.

then it is because you now
have a functional operating system
and not an image, you can
work on the other disk or
dysfunctional o.s. with
peace of mind.

nothing wrong with having two
o.s.'s especially on two separate
disks. one will always serve as
a backup, i.e., a functional o.s. and
not just a backup file/archive.

 

[smlunatick]

I have the impression that there exists under XP Pro the possibility
of creating a 'raw copy' of a compromised SATA NTFS hard drive on
which I deleted the single partition.

I have yet to construct a search strategy that will lead me to
instructions for doing so.

Can anyone provide a link, XP Help terms to search, or other guidance?

I have a second hard drive of the same size onto which I can create
the raw copy.

I want to do this so that I don't lose the information on the
original, compromised drive while trying to use recovery software
like, Partition Table Doctor, GetBackData NTFS, or Bootmaster
Partition Recovery (or any other straightforward utility someone can
vouch for.)

Thanks,

baumgrenze

XP has no built-in tool. I'm alsoorking on a currupted drive (IDE)
and File Scavenger hrlp me to work on recovering files

Recover your files, to a working different drive, before attempting to
recover the partition.

 

[baumgrenze]

Thank you everyone for your input.

As I look at my post, I see that I was "too brief" and left out
significant details.

The disk in question is the 500 GB storage disk on my computer. My OS
(XP Pro SP2) and my programs are all on a pair of 74 GB disks in a
RAID 0 array. I am running the computer in question. None of my
programs is configured to write to the storage disk; I move things
there manually. The disk was defragmented the night before I
inadvertently deleted the partition information on it. I was working
on cleaning up a temporarily installed disk from an earlier computer
which had a complex partition arrangement on it. I was using XP's
Computer Management (Local)>Storage>Disk Management and missed seeing
that I'd somehow changed disks in the interface.

I've taken a quick look using Partition Table Doctor and I can see the
missing root level folders when I use the "Browse>RootFiles" menu, so
I think the data is OK.

As I said, I'm interested in feedback from real users who have
recovered from this error.

Thanks,

baumgrenze

 

[Big Al]

Thank you everyone for your input.

As I look at my post, I see that I was "too brief" and left out
significant details.

The disk in question is the 500 GB storage disk on my computer. My OS
(XP Pro SP2) and my programs are all on a pair of 74 GB disks in a
RAID 0 array. I am running the computer in question. None of my
programs is configured to write to the storage disk; I move things
there manually. The disk was defragmented the night before I
inadvertently deleted the partition information on it. I was working
on cleaning up a temporarily installed disk from an earlier computer
which had a complex partition arrangement on it. I was using XP's
Computer Management (Local)>Storage>Disk Management and missed seeing
that I'd somehow changed disks in the interface.

I've taken a quick look using Partition Table Doctor and I can see the
missing root level folders when I use the "Browse>RootFiles" menu, so
I think the data is OK.

As I said, I'm interested in feedback from real users who have
recovered from this error.

Thanks,

baumgrenze

I'm still not clear, but you want to recover data from a drive that
functions but has just lost its directory? (to put it in different
terms? )
If so there are a lot of programs like NTFSUndelete that I have used.
However this is NTFS. And a friend of mine bought for 60$ a undelete
program when he screwed his fat and lost photos. It worked for him.
There are so many, I would just google for undelete or recovery.
Getdataback was the program he used. They come in different versions
(then) FAT/NTFS.