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Partition Corrupt…

rebuild w/o data loss?

Ok both of my computers have become criticaly ill; however, only one has data that I can’t afford to lose.  The problem with my main computer is that it’s partition table has become corrupt.  I have a bootloader application on it that has been working successfully for the past several days, although it is possible one of my roomates unkowingly did something.  Anyway, when I start up my computer, my HP SYSTEM RECOVERY Drive initializes and successfully loads my Windows Repair Software but it DOES give me an error about my Partition Table becoming corrupt.  It asks if i want to fix it but from the wording it seems like I’ll lose my data if I try.  This HP backup drive is not my main partition, but only a small partition (about 6 gigs) of my 160GB main drive, with the rest allocated into my main partition/ C:.   I have a Linux disk that lets me edit partitoin tables using “cfdisk”…i have the option to change boot flags from the HP partitoin to my main one (which it lists as a hidden NTFS disk)….Will editing the partition table result in losing my c:?  Does anyone know a safe “do-it-yourself” way to safely recover/rebuild a partition table?  Any help will be appreciated!!

This open post was written 3 years, 9 months ago | V/U/S: 264, 4, 1 | Edit Post | Leave a reply | Report Post


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Since writing this post reddog093 may have helped people, but has not within the last 4 days. reddog093 is a verified member, has been around for 3 years, 9 months and has 1 posts and 4 replies to their name.

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Jeff offline Verified User (4 years) Long Term User Shouts: 4 #
Gamla Stan, 26, SE | 3 years, 9 months ago (1 hour, 23 minutes after post)

Generally, if you use the EXACT same partition map you are pretty safe. However, knowing that it’s exactly the same is a risky bet, in itself.

I’d recommend getting some flavor of linux LiveCD and booting with that — backup your important files and then try the “fix”. I bet ubuntu has a HowTo about doing this.

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reddog093 offline Verified User (3 years, 9 months) Long Term User Shouts: 0 #
An Unknown Location | 3 years, 9 months ago (1 day, 2 hours after post)

Thanks for the idea! i’ll definitely look into it…
While talking with a friend of mine today I was given another alternative which would be slow and tedious, but….as a last resort it seems a safe alternative. My friend suggested that I set my primary hard drive as a slave and then put an old hard drive that I have lying around as a master…with a linux OS or my OS recovery system installed on the “new” primary hard drive I could copy my important documents from the “slave” onto this HD - thus letting me format the primary and not worry about loss of information when fixing partitions. This sounds like a 4 hour minimum process but at least I know i have alternatives…My first attempt today will be with the “Do It Yourself” Disk repair program that claims to be able to repair partition tables w/o data loss….however, I don’t have a floppy drive in any of my computers anymore and I’m having difficulty making a USB Flash Drive boot disk…but that’s another story.
Whatever I do i’ll let you all know for future reference :)

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reddog093 offline Verified User (3 years, 9 months) Long Term User Shouts: 0 #
An Unknown Location | 3 years, 9 months ago (1 day, 21 hours after post)

Quick update…as far as the flash drive bootup utility I haven’t gotten it to work….Well, I’ve got my USB Flash Drive to be bootable but can’t get the DiskPatch software to load correctly even after following the slightly tricky directions…
I’m currently trying to obtain another linux to try, as my bare Mandriva and my Slackware installations are not workign. Hopefully the next one I get will at least let me run an operating system so I can backup my files!! Will keep ya updated..currently not solved :)

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reddog093 offline Verified User (3 years, 9 months) Long Term User Shouts: 0 #
An Unknown Location | 3 years, 8 months ago (2 weeks, 5 days after post)

Problem Solved…I installed a floppy drive and used Partition Magic disks to repair it.. Worked very well :)

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