MBR on External drive is corrupt!
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I've got a 1 TB backup drive that I used to backup my laptop to before reformatting the laptops hard drive because it's gotten so slow I'm tired of it. So I used the Windows backup feature and saved that to this external hard drive. Now I can't access any files on it! It is seen in the Disk Management and it says it is Not Initialized. I've downloaded software claiming to be free (it is free until you want to use it for what you need it for) to help recover the MBR and they show the data is still there. Isn't there a way to fix an MBR on an external HDD without using this third-party software? I'm on Win XP but have access to Vista and Win7 computers. Can I create a new MBR and still access all the data? I know creating a new partition will wipe out everything...or at least make it so I can't access it... Or do I need to just spend the $40USD and buy software to help recover my data? I've been at this for the last 2 days and just want my data back!! :sigh:
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I've got a 1 TB backup drive that I used to backup my laptop to before reformatting the laptops hard drive because it's gotten so slow I'm tired of it. So I used the Windows backup feature and saved that to this external hard drive. Now I can't access any files on it! It is seen in the Disk Management and it says it is Not Initialized. I've downloaded software claiming to be free (it is free until you want to use it for what you need it for) to help recover the MBR and they show the data is still there. Isn't there a way to fix an MBR on an external HDD without using this third-party software? I'm on Win XP but have access to Vista and Win7 computers. Can I create a new MBR and still access all the data? I know creating a new partition will wipe out everything...or at least make it so I can't access it... Or do I need to just spend the $40USD and buy software to help recover my data? I've been at this for the last 2 days and just want my data back!! :sigh:
You can use Windows install disk in commandline to fixmbr e: (for example) I wouldn't use windows backup anymore just use Microsoft Synctoy (free) its faster and the user interface is better, and the files don't have to get uncompressed (if compression doesn't matter to you) If you get in a real pinch, try ultimatebootcd.com[^]
Later, JoeSox CPMCv1.0 - Last.fm - MyFriendfeed - CPForAndroid++
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I've got a 1 TB backup drive that I used to backup my laptop to before reformatting the laptops hard drive because it's gotten so slow I'm tired of it. So I used the Windows backup feature and saved that to this external hard drive. Now I can't access any files on it! It is seen in the Disk Management and it says it is Not Initialized. I've downloaded software claiming to be free (it is free until you want to use it for what you need it for) to help recover the MBR and they show the data is still there. Isn't there a way to fix an MBR on an external HDD without using this third-party software? I'm on Win XP but have access to Vista and Win7 computers. Can I create a new MBR and still access all the data? I know creating a new partition will wipe out everything...or at least make it so I can't access it... Or do I need to just spend the $40USD and buy software to help recover my data? I've been at this for the last 2 days and just want my data back!! :sigh:
Probably there is no normal file system on it anymore (just like windows server backup erases the file system and replaces it with something specific just for backup). Your backup should still be on it though, but you can restore it with the windows tools only (you can't browse it in explorer).
Wout
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Probably there is no normal file system on it anymore (just like windows server backup erases the file system and replaces it with something specific just for backup). Your backup should still be on it though, but you can restore it with the windows tools only (you can't browse it in explorer).
Wout
Lovely. Yea I can't get Explorer to show anything and I can't just DOS prompt a "cd e:\" or whatever drive letter because it doesn't have a drive letter. I'll never use the Windows backup again. These software packages I downloaded show all the files are there. I just can't access them.
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I've got a 1 TB backup drive that I used to backup my laptop to before reformatting the laptops hard drive because it's gotten so slow I'm tired of it. So I used the Windows backup feature and saved that to this external hard drive. Now I can't access any files on it! It is seen in the Disk Management and it says it is Not Initialized. I've downloaded software claiming to be free (it is free until you want to use it for what you need it for) to help recover the MBR and they show the data is still there. Isn't there a way to fix an MBR on an external HDD without using this third-party software? I'm on Win XP but have access to Vista and Win7 computers. Can I create a new MBR and still access all the data? I know creating a new partition will wipe out everything...or at least make it so I can't access it... Or do I need to just spend the $40USD and buy software to help recover my data? I've been at this for the last 2 days and just want my data back!! :sigh:
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You have to use the Windows Restore function to view the contents.
Join the cool kids - Come fold with us[^]
I used the Windows Restore on the drive and it built a new MBR. It still doesn't show up since there is no drive letter assigned to it. So I'm doing a partition scan on it. Ugh.....
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I've got a 1 TB backup drive that I used to backup my laptop to before reformatting the laptops hard drive because it's gotten so slow I'm tired of it. So I used the Windows backup feature and saved that to this external hard drive. Now I can't access any files on it! It is seen in the Disk Management and it says it is Not Initialized. I've downloaded software claiming to be free (it is free until you want to use it for what you need it for) to help recover the MBR and they show the data is still there. Isn't there a way to fix an MBR on an external HDD without using this third-party software? I'm on Win XP but have access to Vista and Win7 computers. Can I create a new MBR and still access all the data? I know creating a new partition will wipe out everything...or at least make it so I can't access it... Or do I need to just spend the $40USD and buy software to help recover my data? I've been at this for the last 2 days and just want my data back!! :sigh:
On a slightly different note, that's quite a concidence! I'm currently writing a bootloader for drive MBR's :laugh:
See if you can crack this: b749f6c269a746243debc6488046e33f
(This one is much easier than the last one!)The unofficial awesome history of Code Project's Bob! "People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid."
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I've got a 1 TB backup drive that I used to backup my laptop to before reformatting the laptops hard drive because it's gotten so slow I'm tired of it. So I used the Windows backup feature and saved that to this external hard drive. Now I can't access any files on it! It is seen in the Disk Management and it says it is Not Initialized. I've downloaded software claiming to be free (it is free until you want to use it for what you need it for) to help recover the MBR and they show the data is still there. Isn't there a way to fix an MBR on an external HDD without using this third-party software? I'm on Win XP but have access to Vista and Win7 computers. Can I create a new MBR and still access all the data? I know creating a new partition will wipe out everything...or at least make it so I can't access it... Or do I need to just spend the $40USD and buy software to help recover my data? I've been at this for the last 2 days and just want my data back!! :sigh:
The partition table describes where on disk the partition is. MBR (master boot record) is a piece of executable code that (IIRC) lives in that same disk sector and allows you to boot from the drive. DOS (or Linux) fdisk (among other tools) will create a partition table and allow you to create partitions. Fixmbr exists to recreate the boot record, and it may recreate an empty partition table along the way if it sees you don't have one. All you need is a partition table. An MBR isn't needed, but won't hurt either. You can (in theory) recreate the partition table without altering the data in the partition.. which is what you need to do. Perhaps use fdisk from a Linux live CD to create a new partition table and add a partition that includes the entire disk? Then perhaps use fsck in a non-destrucive mode to validate that the file system isn't corrupt and that you got the partition settings right? Good luck.. whatever trashed the partition table may have trashed the partition data too.
patbob