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General discussion

Possible Partition Problem on External Hard Drive

Nov 13, 2006 8:28AM PST

Hello everyone.

I'm currently living in Japan and picked up a 160gig Logitec (not Logitech) external USB 2.0 Hard drive.

I had some operating system trouble a few weeks ago, and had to roll back the registry. After doing this, I could not properly mount the external hard drive. I guessed it was some problem with drivers within the XP environment - since I could see the drive and all of it's data from DOS.

Here is where I made a fatal error. The external drive's software is written in Japanese and I think I accidentlly ran some application. It may have altered partition information on the external disk.

It was time from a spring clean anyway - so I wiped my internal hard drive and reinstalled XP.

When I pluged in the external drive, I didn't see anything on it.

Using TestDisk and PhotoRec I know that the files are still on the drive. I don't know much about hard drives - but it appears as if all of my old data has been moved into an Extended Drive. There is a new logical drive called NO LABEL - this is what XP sees.

Can anyone suggest some techniques or software for fixing my problem? I can use PhotoRec to recover files, but it renames them, and does not recognise all file extensions. Can anyone recommend Partition Table Doctor?

Thanks in advance,
Sweating in Japan.

Discussion is locked

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For XP, very proper.
Nov 13, 2006 8:34AM PST

XP (note no SP1 or SP2) doesn't have the chops (code) to handle drives over 127GB (read http://www.48bitlba.com as to why.) Also a new install often omits motherboard drivers.

In closing, use only the rear USB 2.0 ports.

Bob

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already using
Nov 13, 2006 9:30AM PST

Thanks, but I'm using SP2 and yes I'm already using the rear USB 2.0 port.

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Be sure to include such details in the future.
Nov 13, 2006 10:07AM PST

It saves a turn and now I suggest you try the drive in another machine.

You'll still want to reveal what you did for motherboard drivers.

Bob

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More info....
Nov 13, 2006 7:03PM PST

Regarding my external drive: i use it to back-up data. It is non-bootable. I would love to salvage it in tack as the naming of files and order is quite important to me.

I have managed to collect the following information:
PARTITION TABLE DOCTOR

L#1163458234 Disk / dev/sdb - 160 GB / 149 GiB - CHS 19457 255 63
1 : start= 16065, size=312560640, Id=0F, E
5 : start= 16128, size=312560577, Id=0B, L


TESTDISK

Disk /dev/sdb - 160 GB / 149 GiB - CHS 19457 255 63
Current partition structure:

Partition Start End Size in sectors
2 E extended LBA 1 0 1 19456 254 63 312560640

No partition is bootbale

5 L FAT32 1 1 1 19456 254 63 312560577 [NO NAME]


E=Extended Drive
L=Logical Drive

Any ideas?

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OUCH! FAT32 is too unstable for USB use.
Nov 13, 2006 9:13PM PST

I used to not write such but after a few years of constant loses it's come down to this. If you want to lose files on an external drive, leave it in FAT32. Your choice and I will not debate it.

-> Look up ZERO ASSUMPTION RECOVERY.

The demo is free and it will tell you what it will do. After that it's strictly an economic decision if your files are worth saving.

Some have to lose it a few times before they get off the FAT32.

Bob

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RE: 'Some have to lose it a few times before they get
Nov 13, 2006 9:42PM PST

off the FAT32' AND ESTABLISH A BACKUP ROUTINE. Those who haven't will experience it sometime and suffer accordingly.

VAPCMD

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You want a real data bomb? Try this combo...
Nov 13, 2006 10:13PM PST

Windows (any shipping version), Firewire and FAT32.

Boot up, unplug the firewire cable and stand back.

Sometimes I wish such combos were disallowed or had some big red button that said "Hey, it's your data?"

Bob