i've lost all my data while trying to make a partition

[andreib]

Hi!
Yesterday I installed a Linux distribution on my laptop, in order to have
both Windows XP (Service Pack 3) and Linux as operating systems. After
installing Linux, I left 15 GB of free space to use them as a the D:
partition for Windows (C: is the partition where I had program files and all
my documents, some of them important).

So, I use the Windows XP CD to boot my computer and, when I get to edit
partitions, I saw 15 GB unpartitioned space. That was ok. But, unfortunately
when I wanted to make it D: ...NTFS..., at the next step... there were 60 GB
of unpartitioned space!!! (the capacity of my hard disk minus 15 GB).

Nothing happened, no noise from the computer as it was working on something,
no question asked ("Do you want to lose everything you did in the past X
years on your computer?")... it was instantly, not even a second...
therefore, I suppose the data is there, but the thing that says the computer
where to find the paritions is broken. When I restarted the computer and
ejected the Windows Boot CD there was nothing to boot from. Neither Linux,
nor WinXp... it's so meaningless...

Can I have all my data back?
Thank you in advance.
PS: I should repeat that I think the data is still there... there was no
formatting or something like that. PSS: sorry for spelling errors

 

[Malke]

Hi!
Yesterday I installed a Linux distribution on my laptop, in order to have
both Windows XP (Service Pack 3) and Linux as operating systems. After
installing Linux, I left 15 GB of free space to use them as a the D:
partition for Windows (C: is the partition where I had program files and
all my documents, some of them important).

So, I use the Windows XP CD to boot my computer and, when I get to edit
partitions, I saw 15 GB unpartitioned space. That was ok. But,
unfortunately when I wanted to make it D: ...NTFS..., at the next step...
there were 60 GB of unpartitioned space!!! (the capacity of my hard disk
minus 15 GB).

Nothing happened, no noise from the computer as it was working on
something, no question asked ("Do you want to lose everything you did in
the past X years on your computer?")... it was instantly, not even a
second... therefore, I suppose the data is there, but the thing that says
the computer where to find the paritions is broken. When I restarted the
computer and ejected the Windows Boot CD there was nothing to boot from.
Neither Linux, nor WinXp... it's so meaningless...

Can I have all my data back?
Thank you in advance.
PS: I should repeat that I think the data is still there... there was no
formatting or something like that. PSS: sorry for spelling errors

And you thought making some major changes to your disk structure without
first backing up your data was A Good Thing?! Obviously not. Either restore
your data from previous backups or you can try data recovery software. I
like R-Studio (http://www.r-tt.com) which is not free, but some people have
had success with the free Recuva. Most commercial data recovery software
will allow you to try before you buy to see if it will recover the data. If
it will, you buy it. If it won't, send the drive to a professional data
recovery company. This will be quite expensive, $500-3,500. I use Drive
Savers (www.drivesavers.com) but there are others.

Malke

 

[Peter]

Hi!
Yesterday I installed a Linux distribution on my laptop, in order to have
both Windows XP (Service Pack 3) and Linux as operating systems. After
installing Linux, I left 15 GB of free space to use them as a the D:
partition for Windows (C: is the partition where I had program files and all
my documents, some of them important).

So, I use the Windows XP CD to boot my computer and, when I get to edit
partitions, I saw 15 GB unpartitioned space. That was ok. But, unfortunately
when I wanted to make it D: ...NTFS..., at the next step... there were 60 GB
of unpartitioned space!!! (the capacity of my hard disk minus 15 GB).

Nothing happened, no noise from the computer as it was working on something,
no question asked ("Do you want to lose everything you did in the past X
years on your computer?")... it was instantly, not even a second...
therefore, I suppose the data is there, but the thing that says the computer
where to find the paritions is broken. When I restarted the computer and
ejected the Windows Boot CD there was nothing to boot from. Neither Linux,
nor WinXp... it's so meaningless...

Can I have all my data back?
Thank you in advance.
PS: I should repeat that I think the data is still there... there was no
formatting or something like that. PSS: sorry for spelling errors

Back up is a computer user's best friend. Shut down and pull out the
plug to your computer and then pull out the hard drive and install it as
a slave on another computer and copy your data and, this time, MAKE A
BACK UP!

Peter

 

[Mike Hall - MVP]

Hi!
Yesterday I installed a Linux distribution on my laptop, in order to have
both Windows XP (Service Pack 3) and Linux as operating systems. After
installing Linux, I left 15 GB of free space to use them as a the D:
partition for Windows (C: is the partition where I had program files and
all
my documents, some of them important).

So, I use the Windows XP CD to boot my computer and, when I get to edit
partitions, I saw 15 GB unpartitioned space. That was ok. But,
unfortunately
when I wanted to make it D: ...NTFS..., at the next step... there were 60
GB
of unpartitioned space!!! (the capacity of my hard disk minus 15 GB).

Nothing happened, no noise from the computer as it was working on
something,
no question asked ("Do you want to lose everything you did in the past X
years on your computer?")... it was instantly, not even a second...
therefore, I suppose the data is there, but the thing that says the
computer
where to find the paritions is broken. When I restarted the computer and
ejected the Windows Boot CD there was nothing to boot from. Neither Linux,
nor WinXp... it's so meaningless...

Can I have all my data back?
Thank you in advance.
PS: I should repeat that I think the data is still there... there was no
formatting or something like that. PSS: sorry for spelling errors

Remove the drive and install it into another computer as a slave. Ensure
that there is enough space on the host computer primary drive to save
anything that a file recovery program can get back.

You can then use a file recovery program. The best ones cost $$$$$, and
there is no guarantee that you will get all of your stuff back.

Free ones can work ok but you may have to use more than one as some seem
better at retrieving certain types of files than others.

The more passes a file recovery program makes, the less chance there is that
you will get your files back, so try to get it right first time..

The file retrieval process can take hours to complete..

 

[andreib]

Thank you... I'll try to use those recovery softwares after reinstalling XP,
thus I suppose formatting drives will reduce drastically the chances to
recover something. Or install linux in a small place (a few GB) and then try
to recover the hard drive somehow...

I usually back-up data on DVD-s, but I didn't do this since a few months...
Anyway, I was not exageratting with the fact that Windows Installation
software does not have basic question like: "Do you want to lose everything
you did in the past X years on your computer?" Windows Installer lacks a lot
of things...

Have a good day!

 

[Bill Yanaire, ESQ]

Not a problem. Just reinstall your OS then take your DATA BACKUP and copy
back to the hard drive.

 

[John John - MVP]

I know that this is like closing the barn door after the horse has
bolted but doing partition work without a backup is an invitation for
trouble! It's bad enough not having any backups at all but not having
one before doing disk work is extremely bad!

You can try TestDisk and see if it can recover the partition:
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk

John

 

[Daave]

Not a problem. Just reinstall your OS then take your DATA BACKUP and
copy back to the hard drive.

Who are you talking to?

 

[Malke]

Thank you... I'll try to use those recovery softwares after reinstalling
XP, thus I suppose formatting drives will reduce drastically the chances
to recover something. Or install linux in a small place (a few GB) and
then try to recover the hard drive somehow...

I usually back-up data on DVD-s, but I didn't do this since a few
months...

Anyway, I was not exageratting with the fact that Windows
Installation software does not have basic question like: "Do you want to
lose everything you did in the past X years on your computer?" Windows
Installer lacks a lot of things...

Neither does Linux or other operating systems. You just messed up and you
know it. Don't reinstall XP or you will ruin your already slim chance of
retrieving the files.

Do as Mike Hall suggested and pull the drive, put it in a working computer,
and run recovery software on it from there.

Malke

 

[Twayne]

Hi!
Yesterday I installed a Linux distribution on my laptop, in order to
have both Windows XP (Service Pack 3) and Linux as operating systems.
After installing Linux, I left 15 GB of free space to use them as a
the D: partition for Windows (C: is the partition where I had program
files and all my documents, some of them important).

So, I use the Windows XP CD to boot my computer and, when I get to
edit partitions, I saw 15 GB unpartitioned space. That was ok. But,
unfortunately when I wanted to make it D: ...NTFS..., at the next
step... there were 60 GB of unpartitioned space!!! (the capacity of
my hard disk minus 15 GB).

Nothing happened, no noise from the computer as it was working on
something, no question asked ("Do you want to lose everything you did
in the past X years on your computer?")... it was instantly, not even
a second... therefore, I suppose the data is there, but the thing
that says the computer where to find the paritions is broken. When I
restarted the computer and ejected the Windows Boot CD there was
nothing to boot from. Neither Linux, nor WinXp... it's so
meaningless...

Can I have all my data back?
Thank you in advance.
PS: I should repeat that I think the data is still there... there was
no formatting or something like that. PSS: sorry for spelling errors

Do NOT use that drive anymore if it contains important data you haven't
backed up! Every disk write increases the chances of the data being
over-written; it won't take long to lose it all.

Putting the drive in another computer to get the files off it as
mentioned already is a good plan. But, do NOT write to it! Only read
from it!

If you know Linux, you could always use another computer to download a
bootable CD like Knoppix, and boot from the CD to view and recover your
files. Or have someone make a bootable CD for you. But ONLY write your
files to a DVD or another hard drive or the like; NOT to the messed up
drive! Only READ from the drive. If you don't have another drive to
write to, then you're stuck with installing your drive in another
machine that can read your assumed NTFS file system, meaning not WIN98
families; they are FAT format only and don't understand NTFS.

There are many no-install Linux bootable CDs and DVDs out there; Knopix
just happens to be the one I played with at one time.

HTH,

Twayne`

 

[tech-pro.net]

Thank you... I'll try to use thoserecoverysoftwares after reinstalling XP,
thus I suppose formatting drives will reduce drastically the chances to
recover something. Or install linux in a small place (a few GB) and then try
to recover the hard drive somehow...

I usually back-updataon DVD-s, but I didn't do this since a few months...
Anyway, I was not exageratting with the fact that Windows Installation
software does not have basic question like: "Do you want to lose everything
you did in the past X years on your computer?" Windows Installer lacks a lot
of things...

Have a good day!

The Partition Table Doctor Boot CD http://www.tech-pro.net/partition-table-doctor-boot-cd.html
is very often able to repair the damage done by partitioning errors so
you can get all your data back intact. Use another PC to download the
image and burn the CD, then boot the damaged PC from the disc and
repair the partition table.

Julian Moss
Tech-Pro.net