[SOLVED] Need help with data/partitions recovery, using TestDisk

[blnl]

This is the partitioning scheme of my HDD.


TestDisk 6.9 (in Linux) reports following issues:


TestDisk 6.10 (in WindowsXP) reports following issues:


GRUB works OK!
I can start Windows XP in System partition (/dev/hda1). Windows is able to read/write logical drive Files (/dev/hda5).
I cannot start Linux (/dev/hda3).

I have no experience with TestDisk and don't know how to fix this.
Can someone lead me step by step to the solution?

[blnl]

When I start Linux from a live-CD, I can mount and read all HDD partitions.
It seems as the data is not corrupted.

I'm planning to recover the disc as follows:

1. backup the contents of each partition
   

   dd if=/dev/hda1 | gzip > /mnt/usb/nc6000_hda1.img.gz
   dd if=/dev/hda3 | gzip > /mnt/usb/nc6000_hda3.img.gz
   dd if=/dev/hda5 | gzip > /mnt/usb/nc6000_hda5.img.gz
   dd if=/dev/hda6 | gzip > /mnt/usb/nc6000_hda6.img.gz

2. low-level format the HDD
3. recreate the identical partition plan
4. unpack the backed-up partition contents
   

   gunzip -c /mnt/usb/nc6000_hda1.img.gz | dd of=/dev/hda1
   gunzip -c /mnt/usb/nc6000_hda3.img.gz | dd of=/dev/hda3
   gunzip -c /mnt/usb/nc6000_hda5.img.gz | dd of=/dev/hda5
   gunzip -c /mnt/usb/nc6000_hda6.img.gz | dd of=/dev/hda6

If anyone has better idea, please let me know.
I'm open for suggestion.

[Lakshmipathi]

GRUB works OK!

you can choose a OS from grub menu - right ?

I cannot start Linux (/dev/hda3).

What's the error message ? Please post them here.


from your gparted screen sda3 and sda6 has Linux -- is that / and /home ?
sda3 refers to / and sda6 refers to /home or something else?

I'm not sure about backing up data,please wait till some linux forums member,confirms your method.

[blnl]

You are right
sda3 = /
sda6 = /home

Linux distro is openSUSE 11.0

The GRUB error message is:

root (hd0,2)
Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_FUJITSU_MHV2040_NT30T5C2AWCT-part3 splash=silent

Error 15: File not found

Press any key to continue...

Strangely GRUB thinks the file system is ext2, while gparted says it is ext3!

[Lakshmipathi]

try editing this line in grub (Press e from grub menu and then go this line and change it as shown below)

kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_FUJITSU_MHV2040_NT30T5C2AWCT-part3 splash=silent

kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda3 splash=silent

and press b to boot and check whether that works?

[blnl]

No it does not work. Same error is reported.

[Lakshmipathi]

From grub error code :

15 : File not found
This error is returned if the specified file name cannot be found, but everything else (like the disk/partition info) is OK.

As you can see,your partition/disk is safe . Only thing is it's unable to find the vmlinuz file.

Strangely GRUB thinks the file system is ext2, while gparted says it is ext3!

i think it's ok ...both these has same magic signature.

using live CD boot in ,then mount /dev/sda3 to ensure you have /boot/vmlinuz file. (then safely umount /dev/sda3..)

Are you sure ,you have editted it correctly from grub?

First 'e' to edit , then use down arrow to line you need to edit
and modify it as

kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda3 splash=silent

then press enter ,now grub should show atleast two lines ,now press b to boot.


try this ,if this didn't work you can re-install grub,these is plenty of info online,you can google them. How to install Grub from a live Ubuntu cd. - Ubuntu Forums

[blnl]

Yes, I'm sure that I correctly edited the line.
This evening I shall try to find vmlinuz using Live CD.

We are focusing effort on starting Linux. However, my biggest worry is the HDD problems reported by the testdisk.
In other words, even if I could start Linux, I can't continue using this computer as such and risk loosing all my data at some point.
If the disk geometry can't be repaired using testdisk (or some other tool), I'll have to reinstall my computer anyway.

Do you know how to fix the disk geometry so that heads/cylinders match again?
Here is the complete testdisk.log

[Lakshmipathi]

This evening I shall try to find vmlinuz using Live CD.

yes. (may be, try re-installing grub might work)

Regarding testdisk log, I haven't used testdisk yet so can't comment it.
You try dropping mail to test disk developers HowToHelp - CGSecurity

and verify with them about replacing HDD.


HTH

[Lostfarmer]

As for the 'testdisk' errors. the basic hdd information reported by testdisk ran from Windows and linux having wrong CHS values indicates a problem that needs to be corrected but a format will not help and hdd should not be used till corrected.
1) Check in the bios and see if it reports hdd correctly. 2) Can try clearing the bios, replace the data cable.
3) Try a different motherboard IDE connector and rerun 'testdisk'.
4)Put the hdd in different comp (do not boot with it) and run testdisk, if it is then correct , you have a bad motherboard , likely just the one IDE channel, could be data cable (items 2 &3)
5)download and run test program from hdd manufacture.

I had that error and my motherboard IDE channel was going bad.

You could try saving the data but it might be corrupted, the basic CHS values are used by the bios to find the requested sectors to read and if incorrect the wrong sectors likely will be read. (note: my understanding and could be wrong)