NTFS file header lost

[Blue Rabbit]

I need HELP!

Yesterday I have pluged my external harddisk (two partitions with
NTFS) to another computer and my primary drive on the ext harddisk was
lost! I can see the drive still there but the file system is "unknown"
thus all my data in it are lost! I don't want to format it as those
data are vry important but I also don't know what to do...

I have used Drive Image 7 to backup and able to keep an image of it...
but it is still no way to read the content!

Any help is appreciated, any successfull example will be much much
greatful because I really hate to lose any of the files. I heard some
of file recovery software actually write back some info to the drive
while trying to recovery and cause any "permanent" damage. That is why
I still dare no to do any recovery yet.

Thanks.

 

[Grant]

I need HELP!

Yesterday I have pluged my external harddisk (two partitions with
NTFS) to another computer and my primary drive on the ext harddisk was
lost! I can see the drive still there but the file system is "unknown"
thus all my data in it are lost! I don't want to format it as those
data are vry important but I also don't know what to do...

Ouch...your partition table is likely corrupted. I have had that happen before.

I have used Drive Image 7 to backup and able to keep an image of it...
but it is still no way to read the content!

Once you have a full (bit by bit) backup of the drive, you can try any recovery
software you want, and just restore the image when you are done. I personally
recommend Norton Ghost, since I know it can do a bit by bit backup.

Any help is appreciated, any successfull example will be much much
greatful because I really hate to lose any of the files. I heard some
of file recovery software actually write back some info to the drive
while trying to recovery and cause any "permanent" damage. That is why
I still dare no to do any recovery yet.

Thanks.

I believe the last time I had that happen (this was on a FAT32 partition, BTW),
I used a direct disk editor to rewrite the partition table manually...but I
forget the exact procedure. I'll see if I can remember it in the morning and
help you out if nobody else has yet. But make sure you back up the drive fully
before doing anything, so you can start over if need be.

 

[Blue Rabbit]

Ouch...your partition table is likely corrupted. I have had that happen before.


Once you have a full (bit by bit) backup of the drive, you can try any recovery
software you want, and just restore the image when you are done. I personally
recommend Norton Ghost, since I know it can do a bit by bit backup.


I believe the last time I had that happen (this was on a FAT32 partition, BTW),
I used a direct disk editor to rewrite the partition table manually...but I
forget the exact procedure. I'll see if I can remember it in the morning and
help you out if nobody else has yet. But make sure you back up the drive fully
before doing anything, so you can start over if need be.

Thank you very much. I have recovered my ext harddisk by running
c:\Chkdsk g: /f

 

[Alex Nichol]

Ouch...your partition table is likely corrupted. I have had that happen before.

If that is it, an approach (which can't do any harm) is to get the
download of BootIT NG, from http://www.BootitNG.com ($35 shareware - 30
day full functional trial so use it)

Put it in its own folder, expand the zip there, and run bootitng.exe to
make a bootable floppy.

Boot that, cancel Install, entering Maintenance, click Partition Work.

Select the drive concerned on the left (probably HD1) and look for
partitions in the center. If you see it but not as HPFS/NTFS,
highlight, take Properties, change the type to that in the top scrolling
box and OK.

Other possibility is that the Hidden bit is set - if you are shown it as
HPFS/NTFS take the properties and if there is an UnHide, click that and
OK