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Thread ID: 59829 2005-07-14 03:08:00 FAT32 Partition Corrupt Dannz (1668) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
371953 2005-07-14 03:08:00 Hi people
My main partition on my hard drive is corrupt.

How can i recover the data on it as some of it is irreplaceable
Dannz (1668)
371954 2005-07-14 03:14:00 Don't try starting it up again
Hook it to another machine as slave and see if you can access the data
If you can't you will have to try a file recovery program (still hooked up as a slave)
If the data is "truly irreplaceable" then don't do anything with it, package it off to
www.computer-forensics.co.nz (http:)

What OS is on it?
What messages are you getting that you know the partition is corrupt?

PS. Irreplaceable data should of course already be backed up somewhere (but you didn't want to hear that)
bartsdadhomer (80)
371955 2005-07-14 03:16:00 I tried it as a slave to my Windows 2003 server, all the files/folders showed but i was told they were corrupt.

I ran CheckDisk and was told that every file was invalid

Can anyone suggest a file recovery program?
Dannz (1668)
371956 2005-07-14 03:17:00 Look in your original thread. Don't try to acess the drive with anything that will write to it like scandisk or checkdisk. The drive manufacturers diagnostic utility or tools utility disc may have a migration tool, pop a new/good drive in and use the tool to shift your data across or image the disc using a bootable disc with an imaging utility.

Do Not Use Anything That Will Write To The Drive

Edit:


I ran CheckDisk and was told that every file was invalid

****e, too late. Image it, copy it to another drive and work on the image. Use file recovery software like PC Inspector File Recovery to attempt recovery.

Was there any odd noises or errors before the boot problems started? If the partition or fat is the problem, chances are all your data is fine. The problem is, you've scanned using a programme that writes to disc, so the information could now be tainted. Sorry.
Murray P (44)
371957 2005-07-14 03:21:00 I dont really have another HDD big enough to get all my data off, and i cant afford to buy a new one, is there any specfic software that would be able to recover only certain files? Dannz (1668)
371958 2005-07-14 03:27:00 Most recovery software allows you to recover individual files . If the fat or file headers are damaged, you may have to sift through it cluster by cluster because there may be no files names to go by .

As imaging is out of the question then, you'll have to take the risk of working directly with the drive . Install the software on your 2003 machine with the drive hooked up . Firstly, get as much junk off the 2oo3 one to create space .

Forget trying to recover system files, get your data off first .

Link to PC Inspector File Recovery ( . pcinspector . de/file_recovery/uk/welcome . htm" target="_blank">www . pcinspector . de)

Good luck .
Murray P (44)
371959 2005-07-14 03:31:00 what software could i use? Dannz (1668)
371960 2005-07-14 03:37:00 Look at the link above or the other thread. The one above is probably the easier to use.

BTW, if you want to take a risk after getting the most important stuff off. Try recovering an image or the rest of the data to another partition on the same drive. If the drive dies on you, you will lose it, of course, but, if the corruption is software or malware based, deleting, recreating and formatting and reloading Windows on the partition is a more than viable option. You need to establish the cause though, as you've already used checkdisk, what did it say about the surface of the disc, any bad sectors?
Murray P (44)
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