Any actual free partition recovery software out there?

[Udgnim]

Avira flagged a data drive of mine as having the 'BOO/Whistler.A' boot sector virus. I stupidly let Avira do its thing and now my data drive is no longer seen in Windows Explorer.

Is there any actual free partition recovery software that I can use to recover the partition on my data drive? Thanks.

 

[RaiderJ]

Clonezilla? It's free, can copy drives and/or partitions. Not sure if it will do what you need, but worth a shot.

 

[FishAk]

Test Disk.

Actually, Hiren's Boot CD v14 has several recovery tools on it including DiskGenius 3.2, PartitionRecovery 1.0 Smart Partition Recovery 3.3, and TestDisk 6.12. It also has Parted Magic with a few partition tools included.

 

[boochi]

Hiren's Boot CD is "illegal"

 

[Old Hippie]

I stupidly let Avira do its thing and now my data drive is no longer seen in Windows Explorer.

I'm not sure that any partition recovery program will be effective when a virus/Avira renders a "C" drive invisible to windows explorer.

Good Luck!

 

[FishAk]

Hiren's Boot CD is "illegal"

I suppose that depends on what country you are in.

The tools on Hiren's disk are freeware, so you could just make your own bootable disk with those tools if you know how.

 

[wirednuts]

have you tried system restore yet? you do have system restore enabled dont you?

 

[Udgnim]

Test Disk.

Actually, Hiren's Boot CD v14 has several recovery tools on it including DiskGenius 3.2, PartitionRecovery 1.0 Smart Partition Recovery 3.3, and TestDisk 6.12. It also has Parted Magic with a few partition tools included.

thanks I used Test Disk

I'm not sure if I went about it in the most efficient steps though.

I basically copied the files on the drive Windows Explorer couldn't see to a different drive with Test Disk, partitioned/formatted the drive in Disk Management, and copied the files back into the drive after format was complete.

instead of formatting the drive though, I probably should have just set up a partition after copying the files to a different drive, then tried using Test Disk's "MBR Code" option to see if that would do anything.

 

[Blain]

Hiren's Boot CD is "illegal"

Are you talking about the current or older versions?

 

[Ratman6161]

thanks I used Test Disk

I'm not sure if I went about it in the most efficient steps though.

I basically copied the files on the drive Windows Explorer couldn't see to a different drive with Test Disk, partitioned/formatted the drive in Disk Management, and copied the files back into the drive after format was complete.

instead of formatting the drive though, I probably should have just set up a partition after copying the files to a different drive, then tried using Test Disk's "MBR Code" option to see if that would do anything.

Ummm....I suppose you already tried going into the windows disk manager (right click computer, select manage, then go to disk manager) and seeing if it just needed to have a drive letter assigned?

 

[Old Hippie]

I basically copied the files on the drive Windows Explorer couldn't see to a different drive with Test Disk, partitioned/formatted the drive in Disk Management, and copied the files back into the drive after format was complete.

And it worked...right?

If so....NICE JOB