Main partition lost

[Guest]

60 GB WD HD -- divided into three partitions. WindowsXP Pro won't load.
Looked at partitions with ERD commander 5 and with recovery console using
MAP. Main partition size is there but no NTFS showing -- rather is listed as
RAW. Had all backed up but backup drive (which was new) seems to have failed
at same time as it cannot be accessed at all. Second and third partitions
seem OK. Needless to say I am "unhappy"!! Anything that can be done to
restore the NTFS so files can be recovered?

 

[Text Stephen]

This is just an idea, so hold on yet. Boot from the Windows XP CD-ROM. When
it arrives at the main screen select 'r' for the Recovery Console. If
prompted select which OS you want to log onto by typing in the number then
type in the admin password.

THEN

At the prompt type:

fixmbr

and hit Enter

Answer yes and it should fix any mbr problem .. then type in:

fixboot

and hit Enter

Answer yes and that should fix any bootsector corruption.

 

[Guest]

Will this destroy the second and third partions if I do this? Started fixmbr
and got a warning regarding this.

 

[beb]

No, and while you are at it run a chkdsk /r for recovery console.

 

[Guest]

Fantastic -- back up and running. Backup drive has completely failed but
main drive seems fine. Thanks everyone!

 

[Gerry Cornell]

Dan

What does HD Tune say about backup drive?

Try HD Tune (freeware). Download and run it and see what it turns up.
http://www.hdtune.com/

Select the Info tabs and place the cursor on C:\ under Drive letter
and then double click the two page icon ( copy to
Clipboard ) and copy into a further message.

Select the Health tab and then double click the two page icon ( copy to
Clipboard ) and copy into a further message.

Also do a full surface scan with HD Tune.

What did you use to backup?


--

Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England

Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Dan Conrad]

Acronis True Image -- on one partition -- other had some data files. I
will give the hdtune a try -- but drive sounded fine

 

[Plato]

60 GB WD HD -- divided into three partitions. WindowsXP Pro won't load.

http://www.theeldergeek.com/bare_bones_troubleshooting_installation.htm

 

[Dan Conrad]

Acronis True Image -- on one partition -- other had some data files. I
will give the hdtune a try -- but drive sounded fine

I cannot get bios to recognize the drive any longer -- if you put the
second drive in the slave position, then both the primary and secondary
are not recognized on the auto setting in bios -- asus motherboard
P4s333. Any suggestions?

 

[coal_brona]

Hi,

You should not think all of your data will be lost in case of
re-formatting. I suppose using data recovery tools to bring back lost
data. Among them I can pose out Active@ Undelete and Uneraser (for
DOS). These are really awesome utilities, they never failed me before,
that should really help you.

http://www.active-undelete.com/

http://www.uneraser.com/