where is my data ...HELP!

CTJ wrote on 7/13/2005, 6:12 AM
Sorry for the lengthy write...but, I hope I can explain my dilemma intelligently – I am distraught.
I occupy 2 hard drives inside my computer box, 120gb for O/S-Programs and 160gb for video footage…the 160gb HDD was partitioned as (D) 90gb for footage, (E) 8gb swap file, (F) 40gb for data to be burned. This is where my problem starts: I was using a program called Diskkeeper, i.e. partitioning my hard drives when I began to do something else thus causing diskkeper to hang or hiccup – after several minutes I turned off my system or did a hard boot to signoff and/or restart the system. Upon the system restarting and my persons beginning to resume work on my veg project (all video footage) I clicked on the partitioned D drive to be presented with “drive is not formatted would you like to format – to this date I am still getting the same message when I click said partitioned drive. Scared I am clicking “NO” and the window closes not offering access to data or that particular area (it does not reflect how much space is used or available on that particular partition. When I click on the E drive it states the size, e.g. 8gb - 7.93gb is free, when I click on the F drive it shows all the data I have in particular folders – the size(s), etc. I am able to access programs such as Vegas to install and some photo’s – other times when I click on some photo’s it gives me the response – generating preview but photo never opens. I used a free program call “restoration to look for possible deleted data on the D drive – but didn’t see any apparent deleted veg files or AVI’s I had created. After retrieving some data such as photo’s (none which I need) with this program and attempting to open them I get “generating preview but photo never opens.” Please tell me something I can do to salvage this wedding video shoot-footage, moreover, salvage or see this footage again.

P.S., now scared, I attempted to burn the data-software from my F drive partition – but when using Nero and clicking on the drive to add files to be burned – it shows no files in the d drive or denies me access to the drive or no data to be added. So, I tried to copy the data from F drive to C drive and burn this way – some data or programs will transfer over, but after 15-20 seconds I am presented with “cycle redundancy” error. I am sure there is something I am forgetting to mention due to my current state, but this is what I remember per this writing. Please read my problem carefully and respond accordingly if you have any good advice. I am about to swear off video making…I am at a low point.

Comments

Chienworks wrote on 7/13/2005, 7:54 AM
I've had some success retrieving data from a "non formatted" partition with the program GetDataBack from Runtime Software http://www.runtime.org/. You can use the software in demo mode if you wish, but you have to recover each file individually one at a time.

I would suggest that you don't partition the drives. Generally it doesn't gain any advantage. Leave the swap file on the C: drive and format each drive as a single partition. Also, *never ever* change partitioning while you have live data on the drives. Always back up everything before changing partitions. Best yet, don't partition* to begin with.

*Well, yes, you do need 1 partition, but you should only use 1 and have it be the entire drive.
klimvid wrote on 7/13/2005, 4:54 PM
I know that empty feeling. I had a corrupted hard drive containing all my avi files that showed as full of data but no files or folders were visible or available. After trying several recovery programs to no avail I found a free program that recovered all my folders and files, PC Inspector File Recovery. You can find it on Google. Good Luck.
vicmilt wrote on 7/13/2005, 6:21 PM
Check out www.totalrecall.com
they saved my butt a couple of times, already...
see old story:
http://www.sonymediasoftware.com/forums/ShowMessage.asp?ForumID=4&MessageID=166658
CTJ wrote on 7/14/2005, 10:44 AM
Thanks toall that replied and felt my emptiness...Chienworks thanks for that valuabl e info. - I used http://www.runtime.org and regained all my data, e.g. regained 84gb. I am a happy camper...lesson learned.
jeff-beardall wrote on 7/14/2005, 6:35 PM
ummm...also, Diskkeeper bites...it ate several partitions of mine over the years until I finally switched to Perfectdisk. A far superior defragging option, IMHO and it hasn't ever scrambled months of work like DK did.