Computer crash while partitioning

[Zvi_T]

I was repartitioning a hard drive (not the C drive) by dividing the drive to 2 partitions. The HDD is 1 TB with lots of important things on it.

My computer crashed in the middle of the partitioning and now it just says "not formatted". I was able to give it a drive letter so I see it in the explorer window but it has no file system and is "not formatted".

What can I do to get my data off of it? Do I just need to fix the MBR? Do I just need to assign a file system? Can I assign a file system without formatting it? Can I just recover data from it with some 3rd party data recovering software? Which one? Should I format it (to give it a file system) and THEN use a 3rd party data recovery software that can restore data from a formatted drive?

Please help. Thank you.

[Allan]

I know it's a little late to tell you this, but you should NEVER perform any disk level operations - especially partitioning - without first backing up all critical data. I'm not sure what you can do at this point, but I know what you should not do - DO NOT FORMAT. And the only way to "assign a file system" as you put it is via formatting or converting an existing file system (of which there is none).

Hang around and wait for someone more knowledgeable in this area than I am - but in the meanwhile do not do anything.

[Allan]

double post

[Zvi_T]

Ok, I installed a 3rd party program called EASEUS Data Recovery Wizard and right at the start it listed all my drives INCLUDING the "problematic" one but to my surprize, it says the Label name I had AND it says NTFS! So I'm doing a scan now and have my fingers crossed. I'll let you know what happens.

Yes, it WAS stupid to do what I did without backing the data up but I never had a computer crash and don't even have a spare 800GB to back it all up anyhow.

[Allan]

For future reference, you can back it up to cd or even better use a partitioning utility such as Acronis True Image (which will allow you to create an image on cd, dvd, or hd).

[Zvi_T]

Yes, Acronising it (if I can make up a word) would have been a good idea! I Acronis my C drive all the time! I don't know why I didn't think of that.

Anyway, the EASEUS Data Recovery Wizard says it has 4 more hours to go so I'll go to sleep and hope for the best in the morning.

So far it says that it found 1 NTFS Boot Record, 9853 NTFS File Records, 405 Files Identified and 10259 Files found and counting. It seems that it finding all the data. I hope it just makes the disk usable without having to copy the data to another drive which is usually what data restoration programs do when lost data is found.

[JJ 3000]

I've had luck with this software
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk

[debbsdee]

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[Zvi_T]

UPDATE:

The program found ALL the files. It restored them in about 5 hours. The problme is that most files won't open. Avi, mp3, project files, images.... when I try to open them I get a message saying its an invalid image or invalid data... All the files seem to be intact! What can I do to figure out why they won't open? If the program found them and copied them to another HDD, why wouldn't they open and work? Can this be fixed?
These are files and projects that I have worked on for months and I would be greatfull if someone can help me.

Thank you.