Older HD is no longer showing its partitions, why? 1

[javierdlm001]

And most importantly, how could I get them to show again, if anything just for a quick visit to copy contents over to newer HD?

A few days ago my older HD just stop showing in Win Explorer. The Seagate Utilities do see it. And it passed all the tests I found in the utility program.
However when using Ubuntu's "Disk Utility" program its test results showed it has some bad sectors:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-33raPAi4CMI/TlPisrux29I/AAAAAAAAAIc/OSBvHzhvIto/badsectors.png

I hope you can see the image above. If not, let me know please.

Any recovery program anyone can recommend?
Or should I still run any other tests?

My specs: Win7 HP, 4GB ram, AMD Phenom 9550 Quad-Core, 32bit, EVGA Nvidia Nforce 730a mainboard,

Thanks guys,

JDL

 

[DrB0b]

I would download Ultimate Boot CD and run Maxtor Powermax's Advanced Test, yes Im aware it isnt a Maxtor brand. If it passes that test and a couple passes of it's Burn in test, the drive is physically fine. I would then format and repartion.

Before the above, I would try to get the data off first in case it is physically bad. GetDataBack NTFS demo might have enough to get you all your files(been awhile since Ive used it).

http://www.runtime.org/data-recovery-software.htm

Also I believe the Ubuntu Live CD can recover data:

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/wind...backup-files-from-your-dead-windows-computer/

"Silence is golden, duct tape is silver...

 

[vacunita]

GetDataback is a great piece of software. However the demo has limits so no it won;t recover your files, You'll need to buy the full version for that.

However the demo will let you see what it can recover, and if its enough for you, you can then buy the full version to go ahead and recover if warranted.

Other than that, it looks like the bad sectors affected the partition table killing off the partition information.







----------------------------------
Phil AKA Vacunita
----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

Behind the Web, Tips and Tricks for Web Development.

http://behindtheweb.blogspot.com/

 

[BadBigBen]

you could also attempt data recovery using free software, such as that from Piriform: Recuva -

http://www.piriform.com/download

or Convar PCInspector -

http://www.pcinspector.de/Default.htm?language=1

both should be free...

though I agree that GetDataBack is much better...

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[javierdlm001]

Thank you so much for your helpful replies guys
I think I may have made matters worst
By letting Windows 7 Backup & Restore program use the older HD to place backup files. I hadn't realized yet that I could no longer see the missing partitions.
Will it be harder to make any recovery now?
GetBackData is running as I type this, it seems it'll take a while...
JDL

 

[vacunita]

How is it doing that, I though you couldn't see any partitions? No partitions means Windows can't use the drive.

If you created a new one, and wrote stuff onto it, it may have overwritten part of what was there, so you may get unrecoverable files, or just rubbish files if it can't put them together.

How much would be lost is impossible to say.




----------------------------------
Phil AKA Vacunita
----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

Behind the Web, Tips and Tricks for Web Development.

http://behindtheweb.blogspot.com/

 

[javierdlm001]

I know, somehow it lost the partitions information, and they all ended up being merged into one.
I have already started getting used to the idea that I won't see those files again. Oh well!
From now on I'll be backing up more often.

JDL

 

[rclarke250]

You may want to look into easus partition recovery, I've had some pretty good luck getting back deleted and formatted over partitions.

 

[javierdlm001]

Thank you rclarke250, I'll give it a try then!

JDL

 

[goombawaho]

Rules for data recovery:
1. Never write files to the affected disk to preserve files
2. Don't wait - the drive could be failing and time could be limited.

 

[javierdlm001]

Easus PR did the job just fine!
Thank you so much for the suggestion rclarke250


JDL

 

[rclarke250]

Glad it worked for you.