Windows 10: 6TB Drive reformatted by MSFT media creation tool! Please help!

Hi,

I Fecked up!

I was migrating to SSD and created a bootable windows media expecting it would put an image on my external drive to transfer later. However the MSFT tool completely reformatted my 6TB NTFS drive down to 32GB FAT32. I realised seconds after clicking what I had done but it was too late.

I am currently using recovery software and it is finding files on the unallocated partition but it will take 2 or the days to complete and then I will need to buy the software in order to restore. I dont mind that if I get most stuff back but I'm not convinced it will work yet?

Am I going about this the right way? I'm using Easus recovery and also have Hetman recover downloaded. I have left the 32GB fat32 partition as is and am working only on the unallocated partition. Is that best? or would I be better to reformat the FAT32 partition to NTFS and then increase the size to the full 6TB? My thinking there is that having the missing data back inside a valid partition will give me more flexibility on what software I can use as some I've seen only searched within a drive letter and not unallocated partitions. My fear doing this though is that I may overwrite even more of my lost data or in fact lose it all.

Any guidance of the best way to recover as much as possible would be really appreciated guys!

Thanks in advance



PS. although the data is needed it is probably not important enough to spend $$$ sending it to a recovery specialist.

:)

 

Media Creation tool not working.... why?

Since you reformatted the drive did you make a Bootable DVD or USB with the Media Creation Tool?

 

Media creation tool

Hi,

We would like to know more about this concern. Kindly answer the following:

• Any changes made on the computer prior to this concern?
• Is this the first time that you encountered this problem?
• What troubleshooting steps have you tried so far?
• May we know the reason why you want to download Media Creation Tool?

 

How do I reformat the 64GB USB stick used by media creation tool ?


My usb sticks were either 8GB of less, and 64GB, so when using the media creation tool to upgrade Windows 10.240 to the November update which failed, I had used my 64GB disk.



However, I cannot use it for anything else. Worse, it is now 32GB.

If I 'open as Portable Device' it shows only 32GB, but with 21.1 GB free of 31.9GB.



No where have I read of any issues or suggestions that Media creation tool does this, or of people encountering problems.

In case someone asks whether I am sure it is 64GB



Please can anyone explain how to get my 64GB back?