How do you recover a deleted partition on a hard drive?

MatTheCat · Nov 15, 2011, 11:55 PM

I was putting together my mothers new PC (mainly my old components) and decided that her hardrives were a mess and that I was going to merge the partitions.

On one the drives, I deleted and formatted partition B, and tried to merge it with partition A, simply by extending partition A to encompass the remaining capacity on the physical drive. Much to my horror however, the end result was that the whole of the physical drive was rendered into 500GB of 'Unallocated Space'.

There was lots of very important files on that hard-drive and losing them would be totally out of the question.

Does anyone know how to go about recovering a deleted partition?

lilhasselhoffer · Nov 16, 2011, 12:12 AM

1) Make sure to disconnect the drive. The system using the "unallocated" sectors as a paging file will bork your data. Once reconnected make sure paging is off on that disk.
2) Follow the linked instructions from MS:http://support.microsoft.com/kb/245725
3) Use google in the future

* Instructions apply to newer OSs, not just the one listed.

MatTheCat · Nov 16, 2011, 01:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lilhasselhoffer

1) Make sure to disconnect the drive. The system using the "unallocated" sectors as a paging file will bork your data. Once reconnected make sure paging is off on that disk.
2) Follow the linked instructions from MS:http://support.microsoft.com/kb/245725
3) Use google in the future

* Instructions apply to newer OSs, not just the one listed.

I did use google and the products of my google search took me to a freeware program....and when I tried to run it, several windows popped up declaring incompatibility and my mothers PC spzzed up and after that, Windows wouldnt come on.....she is probably still sitting reinstalling windows on it as I type.

lilhasselhoffer · Nov 16, 2011, 01:35 AM

Then a general tip. Use the search term, followed by msdn. Ie "recovering deleted partition, msdn." The MSDN is the Microsoft Developers Network, and they have 99% of the usefull answers whenever you have a windows related question.

Additionally, free programs are russian roulette. Always check twice before pulling the trigger.

Neuromancer · Nov 16, 2011, 03:41 AM

I have used a few not free solutions. Most recently GetDataBack for NTFS, and it is the first software I have tried that retains folder and file naming conventions. Worked EXCELLENt for me.

It is also extremely simple to use.

there may be good freeware solutions but I am not aware of them

Nov 16, 2011, 03:55 AM

Is this an internal or external drive? If it is external on a USB connection, disconnect, count to 5, reconnect. I get this error all of the time with an external USB3 dock.

Otherwise, I would reboot. Unless this was the boot drive, Windows shouldn't have lost track of the the first partition - not completely. I could be wrong about that but I don't think so. Do a cold boot if necessary.

In the worst case, check out GetDataBack for NTFS. I think this is still the premier recovery tool, but my information is dated. They have a free demo. Hopefully that will tell you if it can help before you buy it.

FYI, I'm assuming that when you say "A" you mean partition 0 and "B" is partition 1.

Drone · Nov 16, 2011, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MatTheCat

Does anyone know how to go about recovering a deleted partition?

http://findandmount.com/

It's called partition find and mount. Freeware.

Speaking for myself:

I've tried this thing 4 or 5 times. It worked.

95Viper · Nov 16, 2011, 10:36 AM

Try this, it works... it is open source...
TestDisk, Data Recovery

Quote from site:

Quote:

TestDisk is powerful free data recovery software! It was primarily designed to help recover lost partitions and/or make non-booting disks bootable again when these symptoms are caused by faulty software, certain types of viruses or human error (such as accidentally deleting a Partition Table). Partition table recovery using TestDisk is really easy.

TestDisk can
Fix partition table, recover deleted partition
Recover FAT32 boot sector from its backup
Rebuild FAT12/FAT16/FAT32 boot sector
Fix FAT tables
Rebuild NTFS boot sector
Recover NTFS boot sector from its backup
Fix MFT using MFT mirror
Locate ext2/ext3/ext4 Backup SuperBlock
Undelete files from FAT, exFAT, NTFS and ext2 filesystem
Copy files from deleted FAT, exFAT, NTFS and ext2/ext3/ext4 partitions.

DanTheBanjoman · Nov 16, 2011, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lilhasselhoffer

1) Make sure to disconnect the drive. The system using the "unallocated" sectors as a paging file will bork your data. .

Since when can you use unallocated space for a paging file?

GaryLocke · Nov 17, 2011, 09:12 AM

Yeah,deleting a partition dosen't mean that this partition is gone for good.Only the partition table is deleted and you can recover deleted partiion with partition recovery software.I had succeed to do so before.

lilhasselhoffer · Nov 17, 2011, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanTheBanjoman

Since when can you use unallocated space for a paging file?

It was my, perhaps incorrect understanding, that the OP wanted to make on large partition out of two. I had assumed that, with the attempt to destroy then reallocate the extra partition, the OP might have formatted it into one drive as much as they might have had completely unallocated space.

Fearing this, I recommended the most cautious route. Caution may not have been explicitly necessary, as such what I recommended was not correct. On the other hand, I've dealt with people that have said one thing out of ignorance and meant another. Unless you're in the room with the person, I've found that unnecessary caution is generally the best way to go.

qubit · Nov 17, 2011, 09:36 AM

I can't believe you tried this without making a backup first. Playing around with partitioning tools is dangerous and you need to know what you're doing. Practice on a spare HD first in future.

You've had some good suggestions for data recovery here, but there's no guarantee you'll get it back, good luck. And make those backups next time.

scaminatrix · Nov 22, 2011, 12:09 PM

No-one's mentioned Recuva? I've used it for this exact scenario many times. Well, I haven't deleted partitions; but windows has randomly said to me "this partition is not format. Format it now?" on a prefectly working HDD.

You can download the free version of Recuva from here. Recuva is made by the same guys that make CCleaner.

You have to activate and format the partition first, so it's usable, and therefore "readable". Just do a quick format on it and then run Recuva. Easy as that.

linoliveira · Nov 22, 2011, 10:34 PM

One more program i find very useful is Handy Recovery. This thing can recover files from a Disk that you deleted partitions and done some very bad shit on it. I used this program many times for some friends and it never let me down yet :b

Jetster · Dec 2, 2011, 10:16 AM

Anyone still use Spinrite6

scaminatrix · Dec 2, 2011, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jetster

Anyone still use Spinrite6

I use Spinrite, don't know what version number though. AFAIK it just sorts bad sectors, it doesn't recover deleted data but I could be wrong.

Nov 15, 2011, 11:55 PM	#1
MatTheCat Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 844 (0.47/day) Thanks: 171 Thanked 130 Times in 98 Posts System Specs	How do you recover a deleted partition on a hard drive? I was putting together my mothers new PC (mainly my old components) and decided that her hardrives were a mess and that I was going to merge the partitions. On one the drives, I deleted and formatted partition B, and tried to merge it with partition A, simply by extending partition A to encompass the remaining capacity on the physical drive. Much to my horror however, the end result was that the whole of the physical drive was rendered into 500GB of 'Unallocated Space'. There was lots of very important files on that hard-drive and losing them would be totally out of the question. Does anyone know how to go about recovering a deleted partition?

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Nov 16, 2011, 12:12 AM	#2
lilhasselhoffer Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: East Coast, USA Posts: 1,152 (1.48/day) Thanks: 107 Thanked 655 Times in 381 Posts System Specs	1) Make sure to disconnect the drive. The system using the "unallocated" sectors as a paging file will bork your data. Once reconnected make sure paging is off on that disk. 2) Follow the linked instructions from MS:http://support.microsoft.com/kb/245725 3) Use google in the future * Instructions apply to newer OSs, not just the one listed. __________________ You haven't seen anything until you've seen this. pokes computer Wow! I didn't know the blue screen of death could get a blue screen of death.

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Nov 16, 2011, 01:35 AM	#4
lilhasselhoffer Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: East Coast, USA Posts: 1,152 (1.48/day) Thanks: 107 Thanked 655 Times in 381 Posts System Specs	Then a general tip. Use the search term, followed by msdn. Ie "recovering deleted partition, msdn." The MSDN is the Microsoft Developers Network, and they have 99% of the usefull answers whenever you have a windows related question. Additionally, free programs are russian roulette. Always check twice before pulling the trigger. __________________ You haven't seen anything until you've seen this. pokes computer Wow! I didn't know the blue screen of death could get a blue screen of death.

Nov 16, 2011, 03:41 AM	#5
Neuromancer Join Date: May 2008 Location: South Jersey Posts: 376 (0.21/day) Thanks: 66 Thanked 66 Times in 61 Posts	I have used a few not free solutions. Most recently GetDataBack for NTFS, and it is the first software I have tried that retains folder and file naming conventions. Worked EXCELLENt for me. It is also extremely simple to use. there may be good freeware solutions but I am not aware of them

Nov 16, 2011, 03:55 AM	#6
twilyth Guest Posts: n/a (0/day)	Is this an internal or external drive? If it is external on a USB connection, disconnect, count to 5, reconnect. I get this error all of the time with an external USB3 dock. Otherwise, I would reboot. Unless this was the boot drive, Windows shouldn't have lost track of the the first partition - not completely. I could be wrong about that but I don't think so. Do a cold boot if necessary. In the worst case, check out GetDataBack for NTFS. I think this is still the premier recovery tool, but my information is dated. They have a free demo. Hopefully that will tell you if it can help before you buy it. FYI, I'm assuming that when you say "A" you mean partition 0 and "B" is partition 1.

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Nov 17, 2011, 09:12 AM	#10
GaryLocke Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: New York Posts: 8 (0.01/day) Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Yeah,deleting a partition dosen't mean that this partition is gone for good.Only the partition table is deleted and you can recover deleted partiion with partition recovery software.I had succeed to do so before.

Nov 17, 2011, 09:36 AM	#12
qubit Overclocked quantum bit Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Quantumville UK Posts: 8,640 (4.34/day) Thanks: 4,169 Thanked 3,301 Times in 1,941 Posts System Specs	I can't believe you tried this without making a backup first. Playing around with partitioning tools is dangerous and you need to know what you're doing. Practice on a spare HD first in future. You've had some good suggestions for data recovery here, but there's no guarantee you'll get it back, good luck. And make those backups next time. __________________ Siggie in the post. Last edited by qubit; Nov 17, 2011 at 10:03 AM.

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Nov 22, 2011, 12:09 PM	#13
scaminatrix Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: By the Channel Tunnel, Kent, England Posts: 2,432 (2.07/day) Thanks: 1,834 Thanked 802 Times in 672 Posts System Specs	No-one's mentioned Recuva? I've used it for this exact scenario many times. Well, I haven't deleted partitions; but windows has randomly said to me "this partition is not format. Format it now?" on a prefectly working HDD. You can download the free version of Recuva from here. Recuva is made by the same guys that make CCleaner. You have to activate and format the partition first, so it's usable, and therefore "readable". Just do a quick format on it and then run Recuva. Easy as that. __________________ MKMods Tribute Rig - the Power of the Community HeatWare Did I make the 2,000,000th post? If an 8 Core can hit 6Ghz with an H100 i'll post pictures of my hot fiance - Pestilence Every day I come to this site, I am reminded why I come to this site every day!!! - Iggster

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Nov 22, 2011, 10:34 PM	#14
linoliveira Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Portugal Posts: 119 (0.19/day) Thanks: 43 Thanked 21 Times in 18 Posts System Specs	One more program i find very useful is Handy Recovery. This thing can recover files from a Disk that you deleted partitions and done some very bad shit on it. I used this program many times for some friends and it never let me down yet :b

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Dec 2, 2011, 10:16 AM	#15
Jetster Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 2,848 (2.34/day) Thanks: 922 Thanked 849 Times in 623 Posts System Specs	Anyone still use Spinrite6

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