partition problem

  • Thread starter Thread starter justamailman
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justamailman

I have just lost my data on my data disk while converting NTFS to FAT32
using BootitNG . The only thing left are a few AVG antivirus files. Getting
the error that the disk was improperly unmounted . Now is there a way the
get them back . I do have a back up but it is missing two weeks of new data.
.. I am using XP PRO. I have tried to repair with no success, tries chhdsk no
success. Had to reinstall PRO fresh . My C drive was window xp pro and my E
drive{now D ) was data only lost both drive in the process Please help
 
justamailman said:
I have just lost my data on my data disk while converting NTFS to FAT32
using BootitNG . The only thing left are a few AVG antivirus files. Getting
the error that the disk was improperly unmounted . Now is there a way the
get them back . I do have a back up but it is missing two weeks of new
data. . I am using XP PRO. I have tried to repair with no success, tries
chhdsk no success. Had to reinstall PRO fresh . My C drive was window xp
pro and my E drive{now D ) was data only lost both drive in the process
Please help
Click to expand...
I think that the really silly thing is converting an NTFS volume back to the
old obsolete FAT32 FS.
You should have backed up all your data. No sympathy here.
Regards Mike.
 
There was a purpose here I have to install win98 to be able to finish a job
that was started in win98 but I have not quit yet . In order for WIN 98 to
be install it needs to be FAT32
 
justamailman said:
I have just lost my data on my data disk while converting NTFS to FAT32
using BootitNG . The only thing left are a few AVG antivirus files. Getting
the error that the disk was improperly unmounted . Now is there a way the
get them back . I do have a back up but it is missing two weeks of new data.
. I am using XP PRO. I have tried to repair with no success, tries chhdsk no
success. Had to reinstall PRO fresh . My C drive was window xp pro and my E
drive{now D ) was data only lost both drive in the process Please help
Click to expand...

I do not think that there is any way you can retrieve
your lost data. You may have to consider the experience
as a harsh lesson for this rule: Before performing any
partition manipulation, back up the whole disk. It's
probably what the BootNG manual says too.
 
There are a number of programs, some free, that can search a disk for files,
and in some cases recover them.

The primary question is the disk really still FAST32, or really almost NTFS,
or some indeterminate mixture of the two?

In any event, try the following (free) and hope that it can "see" some files
on the partition:

http://www.pcinspector.de/file_recovery/UK/welcome.htm

Be sure to install on the good partition, not the one you are attempting to
recover !

If that fails to find the files, try doing a Google search on "file
recovery". You get many hits. Most share-ware recovery recovery software
has a preview mode to show you what they think that they can recovery. Some
will even permit the recovery of a few small file, to convince you that the
software really works. Note that some software works only on FAT32 and some
only on NTFS and some on both. Read the FAQ or info.

Also, if you have a Norton Utilities CD, that can do some file recovery on
partions that it recognizes as FAT32. It will not work on NTFS.

Good luck.
 
Wonderful program you gave me here, I have found most of it, except it seems
all the documents & settings content
where would be all my emails messages in incredimail which I wanted to
transfer to Outlook . I will keep looking and trying . They were probably on
my C partition of the drive because I kept only from My documents on the E
partition (now D) after the reinstall of Win xp Pro. Since I had to reformat
does that mean they are gone forever or are still there underneath the
surface if I could say.
Also what is there in what is call System Volume information folder. Thanks
so much for that site It is a treasure.
 
justamailman said:
There was a purpose here I have to install win98 to be able to finish
a job that was started in win98 but I have not quit yet . In order
for WIN 98 to be install it needs to be FAT32
Click to expand...


No it didn't. What you needed to install Windows 98 was a FAT32 *partition*
The entire drive didn't have to be FAT32
 
Is there a purpose to install the program folder on a separate partition
than the OS like some do . As I understand they need to be connected to the
registry which as I understand again is with the OS partition. If someone
would loose the OS one, their programs would still have to be reloaded. Am I
right here or I need to learn more...
 
You have a point but

it canserve as a remonder of what you have installed.
Restring settings is easier, since it can be copied from that directory.
Have done it before, worked for me.
 
wow how do you reconnect them together I thought it was not possible. That
is why I did not bother separating my programs on a separate partition . But
just after crashing and the long process of reinstalling all of them I wish
I could save that time if it is not too deep technically.
 
I see no point in having applications installed on a
drive other than the system drive. Having it there
makes it easy to image / restore a partition. If you
have it on two drives then things get messy.
 
Back again now ready to put my personal files and settings on the second
partition. What is the best way to do it , where do I split it, at what
level . What is the most common way to do it. Do I move the Document and
setting folder or the next step down only my personal folder and all what is
inside. I hope it is not too confusing
 
BTW I need only a data partition , I won't install WIN 98 anymore. What do
most expert do.
Do they keep OS and program files on one partition and the rest on the
other.
As I understand one would save an ISO image of the first partition to be
safe and a back up of the second which can be done on a regular basis.
Am I right or there is better way. Just learning here
 
You cannot easily move the "Documents and Settings" folder.
Instead I recommend this:
- Move "My Documents" to drive D:, by right-clicking it
and changing its properties.
- Move your EMail files to drive D:. Ask in the appropriate
newsgroup (Outlook? Outlook Express) if unsure how
to do this.
- Create a folder D:\Software for the various applications
and drivers you download from the Internet.
 
now you got me curious for sure . what do you mean by moving "my documents"
by right cliking and changing his properties. I have been there and I don't
see what I can do there but I am willing to follow safely advice.
 
Ok let me explain what happened
I did go to my document but through the long process My computer>C
drive>documents and setting>Gilles> than right clic on my documents and that
option was not available . But directly to it from start menu it is. In fact
I never understand why windows has it build that way when you first intalled
, kind of two my documents folder containing the same data, a bit confusing
to say the least. Why one has a little extra to his icon etc. Still have not
learned that yet. But I will do it that way
First will moved my document folder to the new partition than redirect the
futur data as you mention. Please explain me why it is different thanks
again for your helpfulness.
 
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