Windows 10: Hard Drive seems corrupt. 1 Partition now showing now as 2 Partitions?

OK, you are quite fast and I didn't expect it, *Smile. But I am always slow.

Now move the highlight to [Sector Size] Press Enter and change the sector size to 4096. I do not know what will be the screens that follow. Whatever, you have to change the sector size to 4096. If you are in doubt post each screenshot so that I can see and instruct further. After TestDisk effects the change what is the next screen? Post it.

 

Done.






Thank you

 

OK as you can see in the topline the sector size has changed to 4096 from 512.
[Ok] is highlighted. Press Enter key and post the next screen

 

OK now move to [Analyse] and press Enter. Show me the next screen.

I am damn hungry. Dinner time. Will be back in half an hour after dinner.

 

Enjoy your dinner.

 

Im off to the park with the lad for an hour, will be checking when back.
Thanks

 

OK [Quick Search] is highlighted. Press Enter. Allow quick search to complete. Post the screen after Quick Search.

If you can read my thread Regain a lost drive using Test Disk - An Illustrated Guide - Windows 7 Help Forums

In it refer 10. Seventh Window. ( Just see that screen. Do not press Enter to continue unless I instruct you to do so)

Even without referring to it, if your only partition is shown and you get " Structure OK, blah ...blah....", highlight that partition and press P (Shift+ P ) (Capital P) to list the files. Post a screenshot.

If it is any other screen, fresh instructions will follow.

NOTE: Do not press Enter to continue unless I instruct you to do so

 

Have not done anything else except Shitft + P

(This is looking positive)

 

Holding fast and steady *Smile
Need to take lads bike to shop, back in an hour.
Thank you so much, I am feeling very hopeful.

 

*ThumbsThat looks good. You should now be able to copy those files to another external drive.

For that you should have connected another external drive before running TestDisk. (We just went through the process just to check whether our attempt is successful. It is indeed successful.) This is the first time I used the Sector size change. There is only one OP who successfully did it in Seven Forums, that after trying various methods of Data Recovery, His experience is still in my mind and came to help here. Best way to sort out a corrupted partition table? Solved - Windows 7 Help Forums In your case the interface circuitry with drive Translation (4096 to 512) inside the enclosure has failed.

For now you can close TestDisk and repeat the same process after connecting another 3TB external drive. I am not sure whether you have already got it or yet to get it. Your new 3TB external drive may come factory formatted as a GPT drive unless it is from an old stock when all greater than 2TB drives came as advanced formatted MBR drives ( 4096 bytes/sector size to overcome the 2TB MBR limitation)) to make those compatible with Windows XP ( GPT blind). ( With Windows XP gone, the newer drives come as GPT drives). Irrespective, you should be able to copy all your files.

Please create a folder named Recovery in the new 3TB drive.

Plug in your new 3TB drive and check/note its drive letter. Then run TestDisk. From the screen that shows all your disks confirm the drive letter of your new 3TB drive. If that drive letter is say I: then your destination to copy the files will be Directory I: \ Recovery

How to copy files listed by TestDisk:
Please read my post #28 - Copying files listed by TestDisk during Recovery here My external hard drive suddenly became unllocated: Note:Screenshot 5 onwards where the files are listed applies here.

Now that you know how to check the sector size and change it to 4096 ( if it is 512) you should have no problem in the repeat-run of TestDisk to list the files and then copy it to the destination.

Should you not see me here ( I visit this forum rarely and it is your good luck it happened today *Smile), post a call in Hardware and Devices in Seven Forums . I am hitting the sack now, happy that something has been accomplished today. Thanks for your advance rep *Tongue. It is my pleasure.

Note: Once you have successfully copied the files to your destination drive, you can initialise and format that 3TB drive as a GPT drive and continue to use it as an internal drive, or put it inside a third party enclosure and use it as an external drive. ( But make doubly sure that you have copied all your important files.)

 

Firstly Amazing.
Secondly, thank you so much for staying with me and being so down to earth and responsive.
From the bottom of my heart "Thank you".

Everything is copying across now and I am sure it will be done by morning.
An added bonus I now have a spare internal drive to use.
A further bonus, I have one other disk which I have held onto just in case and I will try this with that one, as it's a very similiar scenario (I have far too many external hard drives).

Im keeping this as a favourite sticky and I'll drop you an update tomorrow once completed.
So far at 2512 with no errors. Fingers crossed.

Totally grateful.

M

 

Quick update. At 230GB 480GB and all the photos and home videos are recovered. You sir, to me, are a genius. Excuse the Man hug @You. Really grateful.

 

Thanks for the compliments. When completed, (check the integrity of the files recovered) and you are sure your problem has been resolved successfully, please mark the thread as solved so that it can be helpful for others. ( In data recovery, I am always a pessimist till I see the solved tick mark *Biggrin. That helps me to take any failures in stride *Smile)

 

Absolutely, I'm up to 2GB now. Checked various smaller files jpegs and text files. Will check the larger iso files when testdisk has finished its magic. Addum Just chekced a 40GB ISO and it's fine.
The main thing is the audio files I need seem to be ok, which is a relief.