I dont want to format! How can I save my data.

[ArizonaSurf]

I built a home computer with 2 HDs a year ago and installed the OS, naturaly, on the C drive and used the second drive to store all my media, ie photos, video and music. When I upgraded to vista I found I couldnt access my second drive any longer. Instead, the computer requested that I format it in order to use it. I dont want to lose my data so I removed the drive and thought that I could access it by installing the drive in a portable USB case. The computer still asks me to format. When I check the properties, the file system is labeled as RAW (i'm not sure what that means). Is there a way to recover my very important data without wiping the drive?

[mohkiller]

cant you put your stuff somewhere else for some while
format the second drive and then put it back?
or dont you have any space anywhere?

[ArizonaSurf]

I would, but I cannot access the drive using the Open, Explore or any other way, i've tried a dozen, to get into it and view the files. Every time, it comes up with the "format this drive" message.

[Jess4]

Can't you just like save it all in files and remember the names therefor
not having your computer slow down or data being lost?




Jess4

[ArizonaSurf]

Can't you just like save it all in files and remember the names therefor
not having your computer slow down or data being lost?

I can't even get into the drive to save anything. All my, admittedly feeble, attempts at breaking into the drive are rebuffed with the "Please format this drive" message

[mohkiller]

I belive some pro's can acces things like that...
but Its possible that some things there arrent coming back...

[Kando]

Try this

Buy an external enclosure, take the second drive out and put it in the enclosure, plug it into another machine and see if you can transfer your data. Then try plugging it into your updated Vista machine and see if it is recognized. If it can see the drive then move the data and format, otherwise move it onto another computer, replace it in the Vista computer and format.

[ArizonaSurf]

I dont want to lose my data so I removed the drive and thought that I could access it by installing the drive in a portable USB case. The computer still asks me to format.

I have unfortunatly already tried that, Kando.

[Kando]

Was that from plugging it into the Vista machine or another computer?

You could try a live Linux CD, once it loads then see if the two hard drives are accessible. If so then move the data. Both Knoppix and Ubuntu have nice graphical interfaces and are pretty quick to load.

[mohkiller]

I think you should take your drive to a computerstore and ask
if they can restore the information that is in the drive, but i am not sure that they can restore all the information,
anyhow if they can you can put the stuff somewhere else and format the drive,
but are there verry valuable things on that thing?

[Astoria]

What OS did you use before upgrading to Vista?

If that worked, I'd suggest you back to that one, back up your data, and re install Vista.

Or, from my quick search on the net, try a live Linux version (one that runs from the CD).

A HD in RAW filesystem, is (for Windows) a HD that isn't formatted in either FAT, FAT32 or NTFS.

What I think happend is this (please correct me if I'm wrong):
I think you had a Linux version installed, and both HD's formatted in a Linux compatible filesystem.

The filesystem that Linux uses is different than Windows.
Windows can not read filesystems formatted for Linux, so Windows (Vista in your case) can't read the disk, simply because it isn't FAT, FAT32 or NTFS.

Also, your BIOS must support 48-bit LBA ATAPI.
For more on this please read:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q305098#kb1

I know it's for Win2000 and earlier, but it describes also what happens if your BIOS doesn't support this.

[street1 (RIP)]

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