Look for filename in drive without valid MBR

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bob Simon
  • Start date Start date
B

Bob Simon

I had three partitions on a drive that had a hardware failure and now
can't be read by Windows. The only files I really care about are
*.tax. What utility will let me search for them and copy to a working
drive?
 
I had three partitions on a drive that had a hardware failure and now
can't be read by Windows.  The only files I really care about are
*.tax.  What utility will let me search for them and copy to a working
drive?
Click to expand...

The answer does depend on if the drive is still accessible logically.
If the drive has become corrupted, but can be seen by a PC as a
physical drive, then recovery is probably possible. If the drive
cannot be seen by a PC (typically using a USB caddy) then you will
require specialised data recovery company.

For software recovery there are many possible programs, but the one I
have developed, www.cnwrecovery.com does have a file filter to enable
select of files by extension, such as .tax as you require. The free
demo will indicate if recovery is possible. It will also reconstruct
MBR if required.

All recovery programs should always be used with the 'duff' drive as a
slave or external drive to a working PC.

Michael
 
The answer does depend on if the drive is still accessible logically.
If the drive has become corrupted, but can be seen by a PC as a
physical drive, then recovery is probably possible. If the drive
cannot be seen by a PC (typically using a USB caddy) then you will
require specialised data recovery company.

For software recovery there are many possible programs, but the one I
have developed, www.cnwrecovery.com does have a file filter to enable
select of files by extension, such as .tax as you require. The free
demo will indicate if recovery is possible. It will also reconstruct
MBR if required.

All recovery programs should always be used with the 'duff' drive as a
slave or external drive to a working PC.

Michael
Click to expand...

The physical media test reports: Too many errors have been detected
for the Wizard to run. Create disk image

Should I do this? If so, why and where should I put it?
 
The answer does depend on if the drive is still accessible logically.
If the drive has become corrupted, but can be seen by a PC as a
physical drive, then recovery is probably possible. If the drive
cannot be seen by a PC (typically using a USB caddy) then you will
require specialised data recovery company.

For software recovery there are many possible programs, but the one I
have developed, www.cnwrecovery.com does have a file filter to enable
select of files by extension, such as .tax as you require. The free
demo will indicate if recovery is possible. It will also reconstruct
MBR if required.

All recovery programs should always be used with the 'duff' drive as a
slave or external drive to a working PC.

Michael
Click to expand...

Please ignore previous reply.

I can't image my bad drive until I buy a larger drive to hold the
image. In the mean time, I analysed the partitions and searched for
previous partions. Type xx non resident was found twice and the scan
is only around 20% complete. What does this mean?
 
Previously Bob Simon said:
On Sat, 5 Jan 2008 15:28:50 -0800 (PST), "(e-mail address removed)"
Click to expand...
Please ignore previous reply.
Click to expand...
I can't image my bad drive until I buy a larger drive to hold the
image. In the mean time, I analysed the partitions and searched for
previous partions. Type xx non resident was found twice and the scan
is only around 20% complete. What does this mean?
Click to expand...

Operating the drive before imaging it is a very bad idea,
since it may suffer additional damage. Waif for the new drive,
imagie the old one. And then start messing around. Not before.

Arno
 
Please ignore previous reply.

I can't image my bad drive until I buy a larger drive to hold the
image.  In the mean time, I analysed the partitions and searched for
previous partions.  Type xx non resident was found twice and the scan
is only around 20% complete.  What does this mean?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -
Click to expand...

You obviously have a drive that is physially failing. As Arno says,
the best first stage is to create an image of the drive - for which
you will need a licenced copy of the software. One useful feature of
the CnW software is that an image can be built up in stages, eg the
first 10GB, 50-60GB. This means that areas of the disk that are very
damaged can be skipped. You do require another drive with free space
of at least the size of your failing drive. The Type xx non resisdent
message is not very important, and normally caused by failed sectors
in the MFT - don't worry about it.

Michael
 
You obviously have a drive that is physially failing. As Arno says,
the best first stage is to create an image of the drive - for which
you will need a licenced copy of the software. One useful feature of
the CnW software is that an image can be built up in stages, eg the
first 10GB, 50-60GB. This means that areas of the disk that are very
damaged can be skipped. You do require another drive with free space
of at least the size of your failing drive. The Type xx non resisdent
message is not very important, and normally caused by failed sectors
in the MFT - don't worry about it.

Michael
Click to expand...

Thanks! While I understand the advice to work from a copy of the
damaged drive, I am almost overwhelmed by the urge to do something
right now. Would I be likely to make things worse by pressing the
"Reconstruct current partitions" button on the Partition analysis
screen?
 
Bob Simon said:
Thanks! While I understand the advice to work from a copy of the
damaged drive, I am almost overwhelmed by the urge to do something
right now. Would I be likely to make things worse by pressing the
"Reconstruct current partitions" button on the Partition analysis screen?
Click to expand...

Very likely.
 
You obviously have a drive that is physially failing. As Arno says,
the best first stage is to create an image of the drive -
Click to expand...
for which you will need a licenced copy of the software.
Click to expand...

Ah, there we go. The businessman finally emerges.
One useful feature of the CnW software is that an image
can be built up in stages, eg the> first 10GB, 50-60GB.
Click to expand...
This means that areas of the disk that are very damaged can be skipped.
Click to expand...
Pity you won't know that it's damaged after you have tried
those areas rather extensively already to make that conclusion.
And that is doing precisely what you are trying to avoid.
You do require another drive with free space
of at least the size of your failing drive.
Click to expand...
The Type xx non resisdent message is not very important,
Click to expand...

Of course not.
and normally caused by failed sectors in the MFT -
Click to expand...

Right, why say so when you can conceal that particular meaning
by giving a nondescript message.
don't worry about it.
Click to expand...

Yes, you are using a program made by a duff person. Don't worry about it.
 
Thanks! While I understand the advice to work from a copy of the
damaged drive, I am almost overwhelmed by the urge to do something
right now.  Would I be likely to make things worse by pressing the
"Reconstruct current partitions" button on the Partition analysis
screen?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -
Click to expand...

Once a drive has failed, recovery is much more complex, and more
expensive.

Be patient, and try and read the drive once - CnW software has to be
registered to save the disk image.

Michael
 
Folkert Rienstra said:
Rod Speed wrote
Click to expand...
Such confidence in the duff guys sof(t)ware.
Click to expand...

Nothing to do with the software, everything to do with the state of the drive.

Makes a lot more sense to clone it first before attempting to do anything else.
 
This means that areas of the disk that are very damaged can be
skipped.  
Pity you won't know that it's damaged after you have tried
those areas rather extensively already to make that conclusion.
And that is doing precisely what you are trying to avoid.
Click to expand...

In actual fact, there is a mode so that when a number of bad sectors
are detected consecuatively, another number can be jumped. For
instance, if 10 sectors in a row are found failed, the program can
jump 1000 sectors. Each number can be varied. This means that the
program will not dwell on reading bad sectors for too long.

At then end of a image, it is always possible to go back and work on
these problem areas, but only once the vast majority of the disk has
been imaged.

Some lonks from the help

http://www.cnwrecovery.com/html/damaged_disks.html
http://www.cnwrecovery.com/html/disk_errors.html
http://www.cnwrecovery.com/manual/index.html
http://www.cnwrecovery.com/manual/index.html


Michael
 
Previously Bob Simon said:
On Sun, 6 Jan 2008 03:51:37 -0800 (PST), "(e-mail address removed)"
Click to expand...
Thanks! While I understand the advice to work from a copy of the
damaged drive, I am almost overwhelmed by the urge to do something
right now. Would I be likely to make things worse by pressing the
"Reconstruct current partitions" button on the Partition analysis
screen?
Click to expand...

You are likely to make things worse by powering up the drive!
Don't do it until you are ready to image!

Arno
 
Rod Speed wrote in news:[email protected]
Nothing to do with the software, everything to do with the state of the drive.

Makes a lot more sense to clone it first before attempting to do anything
else.
Click to expand...

Right, much better killing it for sure by trying to get all that you don't
really need in a very trying process than trying to get the few bits that
you really need in a jiffy by repairing the minimum.
 
Folkert Rienstra said:
Rod Speed wrote in news:[email protected]

Right, much better killing it for sure by trying to get all that you
don't really need in a very trying process than trying to get the few
bits that you really need in a jiffy by repairing the minimum.
Click to expand...

Reconstructing current partitions is nothing like repairing the minimum.
 
Folkert said:
Right, much better killing it for sure by trying to get all that you don't
really need in a very trying process than trying to get the few bits that
you really need in a jiffy by repairing the minimum.
Click to expand...


Folkert,


You clearly have very little experience of data recovery.

I suggest you pull the plug on your "contribution" to this thread - you
don't have sufficient expertise and could jeopardise the original
poster's chances of a successful recovery.



Duncan
 
Rod Speed wrote in news:[email protected]
Folkert Rienstra said:
Rod Speed wrote in news:[email protected]
Rod Speed wrote

I had three partitions on a drive that had a hardware
failure and now can't be read by Windows. The only files I
really care about are *.tax. What utility will let me
search for them and copy to a working drive? [snip]
Thanks! While I understand the advice to work from a copy of the
damaged drive, I am almost overwhelmed by the urge to do something
right now. Would I be likely to make things worse by pressing the
"Reconstruct current partitions" button on the Partition analysis
screen?

Very likely.

Such confidence in the duff guys sof(t)ware.

Nothing to do with the software, everything to do with the state of
the drive.

Makes a lot more sense to clone it first before attempting to do
anything else.
Click to expand...

Right, much better killing it for sure by trying to get all that you
don't really need in a very trying process than trying to get the few
bits that you really need in a jiffy by repairing the minimum.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Reconstructing current partitions is nothing like repairing the minimum.
Click to expand...

Of course it is.

And who said anything about "Reconstructing current partitions".
Just reconstructing the MBR. If the partition boot records are still in
tact, then that's dead easy and minimal effort and strain on the drive.
 
(e-mail address removed) wrote
In actual fact, there is a mode so that when a number of bad sectors
are detected consecuatively,
Click to expand...

Which is just hit and miss.
If they are not 'consecutive' they are going to be read.
another number can be jumped.
Click to expand...

What number. There is no such number. Bad sectors are spread randomly.
You don't know where they are without reading them all. You can only set a
number if you already know where they are which is obviously after the fact.
For instance, if 10 sectors in a row are found failed, the program can
jump 1000 sectors.
Click to expand...

Apart from that you can't even tell whether 10 consequtive sectors have
failed without trying 10 times to read each and every one to the last, what's
the point if nine fail. That doesn't make the following bad sectors go away.
Even finding one bad sector says absolutely nothing about whether there
will be more following.
Each number can be varied. This means that the program will not dwell
on reading bad sectors for too long.
Click to expand...

The only way to not dwell on bad sectors is to read the drive with Read
Long (ie error recovery switched off). Every program that can't do that
or drive that won't support that is bound to hit the error recovery func-
tions of the drive that will get it into trouble and work it to it's death
even faster, and then the OS will just do that over once more.
At then end of a image, it is always possible to go back and work on
these problem areas, but only once the vast majority of the disk has
been imaged.

Some lonks from the help
Click to expand...

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