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Question

Accidentally "formatted" running drive using Fat32Formatter

Mar 30, 2016 2:38PM PDT

Hello everyone!


I know someone posted a very similar case some years ago but I still haven't found a solution - so I opened the topic.

I currently have the folowing problem and I hope someone could help me:

I wanted to format a microSD card using Fat32Formatter.

Accidentaly - the wrong drive was selected (my running SSD Drive with Windows) and after i clicked "initialize drive" the Laptop crashed: Bluescreen etc.

Restarting the PC doesn't help - no drive is found.

In my experience "initializing drive" doesn' format it, but it makes the drive space "unallocated"

Someone posted in another Forum that he managed to get his system back running with testdisk after the same problem so here I am.

Assuming I just have to create a partition Table, I created a bootable USB.

Testdisk doesn't find any recoverable partitions in the quick search, but in the Deeper search.
I actually have only one partition and testdisk is finding more that one and I am not sure which one to select.

so I just tryied it :writing the partition table. I tryied this procedure a couple of times but now I get annother error:

I don't get the error 'no drive found "
when starting, the Windows Bluescreen is reporting that windows needs to be repaired and I would need to insert the Windows CD/USB in order to start the Windows repair process.

So - before I make any more damaged I figured maybe someone can give me some usefull advice: maybe which partition to select or if it would be OK to start the Windows Repair process.

Also: Just started Gparted.
at first Gparted showed the hole ssd-drive als unallocated( 240gb)
an now I get:
/dev/sda1/-------------NTFS-------------System------------1,46GB------------boot
/dev/sda2/-------------NTFS-------------tI3136300B-------211.66GB----------no flag
unallocated-------------unallocated--------------------------10.44GB

I was using Windows 10 Pro 64 bit (didn't even write down the windowskey after the update from windows7)
I am using testdisk with the Gparted Live Bootable USB

meanwhile I have uploaded some photos of the current situation (Step by step through testdisk) - beacuse I haven't been able to find and upload the log file

https://picload.org/image/wplpcrd/img_2 ... 214733.jpg
https://picload.org/image/wplpcca/img_2 ... 214906.jpg
https://picload.org/image/wplpccl/img_2 ... 214926.jpg
https://picload.org/image/wplpcci/img_2 ... 215021.jpg
https://picload.org/image/wplpccw/img_2 ... 215156.jpg
https://picload.org/image/wplpcir/img_2 ... 215209.jpg
https://picload.org/image/wplpcia/img_2 ... 215458.jpg
https://picload.org/image/wplpcil/img_2 ... 215504.jpg
https://picload.org/image/wplpcii/img_2 ... 215508.jpg
https://picload.org/image/wplpciw/img_2 ... 215511.jpg
https://picload.org/image/wplpcpr/img_2 ... 215515.jpg
https://picload.org/image/wplpcpa/img_2 ... 215518.jpg

after a tipp I got I tryied to rebuild the BS
Boot- rebuild BS - List

after the rebuild BS I get the followings message for both partitions:

Boot Sector OK
Backup boot sector: OK
Sectors are identical

unfortunately I am not getting any further - I don't want to mess it up and lose my data...so I would be very very gratefull if someone has some advice !!!

Thanks in advance!

Discussion is locked

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Answer
The first step is to clone such a drive, work on clones.
Mar 30, 2016 3:31PM PDT
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good idea
Mar 31, 2016 4:17AM PDT

didn't occur to me with the cloning but it makes sense!
Thanks for the tipp

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Answer
Ok so you don't have a win7 install disc,
Mar 30, 2016 6:18PM PDT

what about the key, do you have that? Was win10 activated...you remember? I am not going to tell you how to fix the problem, because I don't know, but I would try this if it is my computer. I would go and buy another Hdd and install win10 on it hopefully MS would find the information on their computer and activate the laptop without win7. But if win10 hasn't been activated yet...then I am sorry.

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Here's a thing about W10. I tested this and it worked.
Mar 30, 2016 6:27PM PDT

W10's key and activation is very different than what we learned long ago. I have my W10 media (I used both methods of the Media Creation Kit as well as the create the restore media in W10) and I was able to wipe a drive, boot the media created by either method and install W10.

A few drivers (understatement) and one app to turn on the WiFi and W10 activated without me putting in a key.

Why this is, is out there. It has to do with Microsoft using a hardware hash and checking that for activation. No more keys. And a lot less calls to support.

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windows
Mar 31, 2016 4:19AM PDT

thanks!
At least I don't have to worry about win10 now....
Just about my data :\
I'll keep you guys posted if I figure it out...

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win10
Mar 31, 2016 4:18AM PDT

Win10 was already activated, unfortunately I didn't wrote down the new key..hope it works somehow
But first I am still hoping on getting the boot sector working and recuperate my data

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It's tied to the computer
Mar 31, 2016 8:57AM PDT

Just use the W10 ISO which you can download from Microsoft and reinstall it on top of the old install. If you are using a Linux DVD, open it's file manager and should be able to find and move your personal data off the drive to backup.

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linux or ubuntu
Mar 31, 2016 1:16PM PDT

oh yeah, thats also a good tip.
I am not using a linux dvd, but I hear there is something la a boot Linux DVD or Ubuntu. could just save my files if they are readable....then just reinstall. thanks
I didn't get the time to try it out but i'll keep you posted!