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Author Topic: Data Not Accessible  (Read 5985 times)

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Augphoto

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Data Not Accessible
« on: May 24, 2007, 09:52:14 AM »
I think I have a unique problem.

I have a couple of external hard drives in addition to my internal drive.  I went to remap them because the drive letters were all out of wack.  Now I can not access one of them.  It has many important photos on it.  When I tried to read the drive it says that it must be formatted.  It was working great before I decided to remap the drive letters.

How can I access this data?  If I reformat like it says I will lose everything!  Is there a way to get this data before I reformat?

I am using a Dell Demension 8400 with Windows XP Home Edition and have ALL the service packs and updates.

Help PLEASE!
 ???
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patio

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Re: Data Not Accessible
« Reply #1 on: May 24, 2007, 02:16:01 PM »
How is it being reported in Disk Management ? ?
Right clik My Computer/select Manage/ then choose Disk Management...right clik the offending drive and report back...
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GX1_Man

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Re: Data Not Accessible
« Reply #2 on: May 24, 2007, 04:56:35 PM »
Another RAW one, Patio? I still haven't isolated what causes this, but it seems to happen a lot, eh?  ;)
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Augphoto

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Re: Data Not Accessible
« Reply #3 on: May 24, 2007, 07:49:47 PM »
Don't know exactly what you want here?

When I choose 'open' or 'explore' it asks me if I want to format.  When I choose 'properties' it shows 0 space used and no free space.  I don't yet dare to choose 'mark partition' or other choices.

And 'raw one' ?
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reaper_tbs



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Re: Data Not Accessible
« Reply #4 on: May 24, 2007, 07:54:54 PM »
i had a similar problem that couldn't be fixed (though mine was a hardware problem) and i had to send it into the manufacturer to get my data. i had to pay the cost of a new hard drive which was exactly the same. i think what they did there was just swap the platters in the actual drive and bob's your aunty... but i doubt you exactly have a specialist hard drive repairman dude with a spare hard drive there with you...
« Last Edit: May 24, 2007, 08:10:52 PM by reaper_tbs »
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Augphoto

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Re: Data Not Accessible
« Reply #5 on: May 24, 2007, 08:01:43 PM »
My hard drive repairman ran off with the Maytag repairman and took all his part with him.

Seriously, I don't think I have a hardware failure because this only happened when if tried to remap the drive letters (something I've done before with great success).
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GX1_Man

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Re: Data Not Accessible
« Reply #6 on: May 24, 2007, 08:03:57 PM »
Quote from: Augphoto on May 24, 2007, 07:49:47 PM
Don't know exactly what you want here?

When I choose 'open' or 'explore' it asks me if I want to format.  When I choose 'properties' it shows 0 space used and no free space.  I don't yet dare to choose 'mark partition' or other choices.

And 'raw one' ?


What is the File System type listed? Does it say "RAW"?
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Augphoto

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Re: Data Not Accessible
« Reply #7 on: May 24, 2007, 08:06:42 PM »
I hadn't noticed this before but, it does say raw.

Please don't tell me it's trouble!
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reaper_tbs



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Re: Data Not Accessible
« Reply #8 on: May 24, 2007, 08:12:27 PM »
it shouldn't be trouble... should it? i don't think it is...
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Augphoto

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Re: Data Not Accessible
« Reply #9 on: May 24, 2007, 08:20:47 PM »
I don't know but, I'm scared.  It doesn't sound good.  Help!
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GX1_Man

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Re: Data Not Accessible
« Reply #10 on: May 24, 2007, 08:27:44 PM »
That is a very bad sign. How much data needs to be retrieved, and what do you have to work with? DVD-RW? Network?
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Augphoto

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Re: Data Not Accessible
« Reply #11 on: May 24, 2007, 08:31:35 PM »
I'm estimating about 80MB of data.  I have a CD burner, a DVD burner, and a couple of external hard drives to work with.  No network.
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GuruGary



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    Re: Data Not Accessible
    « Reply #12 on: May 24, 2007, 09:37:11 PM »
    In this scenario, I have had great luck with the GetDataBack program from www.runtime.org. You can try it for free to see if it will recover your data.  If it does, you will have to pay (I think $60-70) to buy the program.  Do you know if your drive was formatted with FAT or NTFS?  If you never changed the format, it was probably FAT32.  If you formatted it yourself, then it is probably NTFS.
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    Augphoto

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    Re: Data Not Accessible
    « Reply #13 on: May 24, 2007, 10:21:06 PM »
    My drives were all NTFS.
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    GX1_Man

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    Re: Data Not Accessible
    « Reply #14 on: May 25, 2007, 04:03:29 AM »
    That seems to ALWAYS be the common factor in these scenarios, although I am not sure (yet) what triggers this phenomenon.

    Can you boot a Linux LiveCD and see if the data can be seen with that? If so, you could use that to transfer it across a network, burn it to DVD, etc. This solution is free also.

    http://www.knoppix.com/
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    Augphoto

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    Re: Data Not Accessible
    « Reply #15 on: May 31, 2007, 10:53:50 AM »
    What?

    A Linux program works with windows?
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    patio

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    Re: Data Not Accessible
    « Reply #16 on: May 31, 2007, 11:09:10 AM »
    No. The Linux program runs on it's own...it will however give you access to the hard drive to see if the data is still intact...
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    2k_dummy



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      Re: Data Not Accessible
      « Reply #17 on: May 31, 2007, 11:10:29 AM »
      No. It boots linux, but will mount the drive and allow you to work with the data. It will boot and run directly from the CD.

      Edit: I'm a day late and dollar short. I simply must take typing lessons. ;D
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      contrex

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      Re: Data Not Accessible
      « Reply #18 on: May 31, 2007, 11:35:17 AM »
      How a Corrupted USB Drive Was Saved by GNU/Linux

      http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/8366

      Quote
      My USB drive is a Lexar Media USB Jumpdrive Pro 2.0 (512 MB).  I was working
          on it in a computer with Windows 2000 and logged off before
          ejecting the drive.  Next time when I tried to use it,
          it showed up as a Removable drive rather than the usual
          Lexar Media drive and when I tried to open it, it said the
          drive was not formatted; and under Properties, 0 bytes free
          and used space and file system "RAW"
          According to Lexar tech support, there is a bug with
          Windows 2000 (that MS never bothered to fix) and can corrupt
          the drive when it is removed without proper eject. They
          recommend EasyRecovery Pro for data recovery which did
          allow me to recover some files (> 500) using their RAW data
          recovery program (all other tool failed because usually
          said "no recognizable file on disc").  Unfortunately,
          all the file names are lost and some files are gone.




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      Augphoto

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      Re: Data Not Accessible
      « Reply #19 on: July 02, 2007, 08:41:00 AM »
       :D   I'm sorry I took so long to post this but, because of a great fear of lossing all my data, I put this problem on hold for a while.

      Finally after getting over my fears, I tried the 'GetDataBack' program.  I'm ecstatic!  It seems I recovered everything.  I was hoping to recover my data without spending money but, I broke down and bought this program out of desperation.  GLAD I Did.

      I am one happy customer.  :D :D ;D :D :D ;D
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      patio

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      Re: Data Not Accessible
      « Reply #20 on: July 02, 2007, 02:38:55 PM »
      Glad to hear you got it back...now it's time to develop a good solid backup strategy.

      Stop by for some good advice from the crew...
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      " Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined. "

      Dam1an

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      Re: Data Not Accessible
      « Reply #21 on: July 02, 2007, 02:46:26 PM »
      Yes, it is an excellent program.  I have used it a couple times myself. 

      As for the problem, I believe that when the drive dismount error occurs, it corrupts the format data on the hard drive, making it unreadable.  The data on the drive is not actually damaged most times and easily recovered.  That's also how you can still get files back you delete with the same program.  When you delete a file, Windows doesnt actually "erase" the information.  Rather, it takes the tag off the front of it that keeps the hard drove from overwriting on it.  As long as it hasn't been overwritten, you can recover it. 

      Today's tidbit brought to you by the letters G and C, and the number 8.
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      Augphoto

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      Re: Data Not Accessible
      « Reply #22 on: July 02, 2007, 09:07:15 PM »
      I believe you are right Dam1an.  I think it was a dismount error that caused all my woes.

      And patio, I KNOW you are right.  I'm going to improve my backup strategy starting . . . now!

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