can't access my data partition [SOLVED]

[virelai]

after this thing happened to me a few days ago, and after trying recovery console and repair install, I had to format my partition were I usually put the OS. The other partition ist the data one, and is where all my data lives, years now.

A few hours ago I decided to format the OS partition as this seemd the only solution to start using my pc again.

Now Windows Xp is running again BUT... the data partition is not accessible, and in the properties it says that the file system is raw, and gives me an inexistent partition of 0 bytes capacity! this is not true, as the windows xp setup itself, right before the installation showed me that the Data partition is in the NTFS file system, with the right capacity, and the right used and free space! After I saw I could not access D, I rebooted from the xp install CD to see if something had changed during installation, but no, nothing changed, the xp setup window keeps telling me that my data is still in the hard drive, and still I cannot access D.

Messing around with the backup utility of xp I can see all of my files that are in the data partition, but before going through that long and boring process called back up, is there any other quicker solution, for making this partition accessible again?

thank you, hope this time somebody can help me

Edited October 2, 2009 by virelai

[TechJohnson]

Honestly, I have no idea. Do you have all your data backed up on an External or something? I think it would be easiest for you to put it all back and overwrite that Data if it's on an External. That's just my opinion though. But sorry, I have no idea how else to help you.

[strel]

Try this:

- Press win+R and execute diskmgmt.msc

- Go to Actions\Rescan Disks.

[Qashlan]

You can use one of the hard disk utility programs like : partition table doctor, disktest ( Win version not DOS version) or I recommend a powerfull program named SCAVENGER

the 1st 2 programs to repair

the last one to recover the erased data

[Ponch]

the data partition is not accessible, and in the properties it says that the file system is raw, and gives me an inexistent partition of 0 bytes capacity!

...

Messing around with the backup utility of xp I can see all of my files that are in the data partition

Are those two views from the same running OS ?

the xp setup window keeps telling me that my data is still in the hard drive

How ? Does it say "D:" ?

Maybe, ...hopefully, you just need to retake ownership of all those files as you badly fiddled with rights before reinstalling.

Is there a partition over 137GB involved and is your running XP up to date (SP1, 2 or 3 included in your cd)?

[virelai]

Well, finally, it was just simple as it was ruining the previous install of win... Just had to go to control panel>folder options>view and deactivate the simple file sharing...then, right clicking on D, and going to properties>security I could restore all of the permissions (copying them from the security tab of C:).

The thing is, I thought that installing a new copy of the OS, everything, including permissions, would return to default, something that didn't happened...so it seems that permissions are OS independent, they go with the partition...

Thanks to anyone of you that answered to my topic!

See you next time, for more messed-up-OS questions and answers!

[Ponch]

so it seems that permissions are OS independent, they go with the partition...

They go with the users (not the username but a whole code created by the OS). You deleted the users, you killed/locked the permissions. This is perfectly normal.