Oh no! XP deleted the partition on my HD!

[McPhreak]

I tried making the switch on my computer from 2k to XP and told it to install XP on my D drive, but instead, it deleted the partition on my C drive...is there ANY hope of recovering my backup data on my C drive? Please someone say yes (and really mean it)!

 

[minendo]

I could be wrong, but I think once you delete a partition everything is gone.

 

[yomega]

Actually it is possible to retrieve data from a lost partition, but I'm not sure if you can restore the partition. There are several programs out there to do this. Now if only I could remember their names.

I'll see if I can find what programs to use.

P.S. it is even possible to retrieve *some* data even after a full format. (I think)

 

[McPhreak]

<< Actually it is possible to retrieve data from a lost partition, but I'm not sure if you can restore the partition. There are several programs out there to do this. Now if only I could remember their names.

I'll see if I can find what programs to use.

P.S. it is even possible to retrieve *some* data even after a full format. (I think) >>



I don't care about restoring the partition. I just need the data. If you can find software for me, PLEASE let me know. Thanks!

 

[CdnMade]

this is sorta funny cause i posted the same question look down about 5 posts

 

[McPhreak]

Ok. I did a quick Google search and for anyone that's interested, I'm using a program called "GetDataBack" and so far it seems like it's successfully retrieving my lost data. I'll let everyone who's interesting in knowing how it all turns out...

 

[McPhreak]

<< this is sorta funny cause i posted the same question look down about 5 posts >>



That's my bad. In all my spazzing out, I didn't check the boards closely enough...

 

[Zuidera]

umn sue microsoft?
switch to linux?
stay away from XP / ME?

but seriously now if you could recreate the same partition
ie all available disk space (hope you didnt have any free space B4)

otherwise get searching on google

tr progarms like partstar & specifically partbeta (in the hope that XP hasnt truly got rid of you C part, by creating a new one in its place after deleting it) if its installed on C already then you are truly screwed.

This is not the first time I have heard of this happening...

Linux (LM8.1) & 98lite rocks.

 

[CdnMade]

<< Ok. I did a quick Google search and for anyone that's interested, I'm using a program called "GetDataBack" and so far it seems like it's successfully retrieving my lost data. I'll let everyone who's interesting in knowing how it all turns out... >>



Man if this works please tell us.Also did you try going into fdisk and if you did , did it still show a c: drive or was it some unknown partition.

I still have not found anything that will work for me.

 

[McPhreak]

Ok. Just finished using GetDataBack and I must say I am completely impressed. I'd say I was able to recover about 95% of my "lost" data. The only problems that I've so far encountered are about half of the saved digital photos I took with my camera are screwy (color is all distorted and such) and some of the folders in the HD lost their names (since I was using this HD as a backup, a quick look inside the folders told me exactly what it was thankfully). I've tried playing some recovered movies and music and so far they all play perfectly.

For anyone wanting to know the extent of my lost data, when I tried to install XP on my D: drive, Windows told me that the format of the drive (FAT32) was not recognized and that I need to basically remove everything so that I can repartition. So I did so thinking it was my D: drive when in fact, it was my C: drive. When I tried looking at my C: Drive through a bootup disk, I couldn't even see it so I'm assuming the partition was erased. Luckily, Windows didn't try writing anything or form a partition over the HD or I might have some larger problems. Apparently, GetDataBack claims they can recover data that's even been partitioned over, but I don't need to find out. I hope this helps anybody else who's lost their data.

 

[CdnMade]

do you have a link for where you found it?

 

[DerProfi]

Sue Microsoft?? How about read the friggin' manual before installing a new operating system. Then again, that assumes this was a legal copy with documentation, though...and not to besmirch the reputation of the original poster but somehow I doubt that's the case 🙂

Glad to hear you're data seems to be recoverable, though. There's nothing like a disaster to make you realize that "Hey, maybe backups are a good idea after all!" About 2 months ago I lost 100GB of misc. downloads I had on a new WD drive that failed, so I feel for you my brutha.

As for data recovery services, some of them are quite impressive. A few years back when I managed a tech support group, we sent quite a few drives to Ontrack for data recovery. The only one they never successfully recovered for me was a laptop drive where the platter had actually cracked in half and was rattling around inside the hd case.