Help with Partition Magic 8.0

collcoll Ireland
edited June 2007 in Science & Tech
Can any one please help me i have made a big bo bo with partition magic8.0, I used PM 8 to merge two partition. One of the partition was empty the other had all my info on it doc , pict ect.... I did not make a backup, yes I am fool!! After I marged the two partitions all my files are missing, but when I look at properties for this partition it say ther is 7gb (this partition is NTFS) use but I cant access it. can any one help or point me to the rigth place please

Comments

  • CBCB Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Der Millionendorf- Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    What OS are you using?

    Also, could you take a screenshot of what the Windows Disk Manager (control panel > administrative tools > computer management > disk management) shows you about the partition?
  • collcoll Ireland
    edited June 2007
    CB Droege wrote:
    What OS are you using?

    Also, could you take a screenshot of what the Windows Disk Manager (control panel > administrative tools > computer management > disk management) shows you about the partition?

    I am useing xp pro how do I screenshot?? sorry and put it on this page
  • collcoll Ireland
    edited June 2007
    coll wrote:
    I am useing xp pro how do I screenshot?? sorry and put it on this page

    Thanks CB Droege for replying so fast

    When I go to the Windows Disk Manager I get a pop up saying

    "Disk management console failed because disk management service is not in the windows firewall exceotion list, add dmremote.exe to exception list and try agane":confused:
  • CBCB Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Der Millionendorf- Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    Okay. That's strange. Windows firewall should never be blocking local executables... There might be more wrong here than you think, but the firewall issue is for a whole 'nother thread. Let's try to get around this for now.

    Disconnect yourself from the internet (physically), then turn off the Windows Firewall (Control panel > security options > firewall options). Then try again to get into the Disk manager.

    If you get in, you can take a screen shot with the PrntScrn button on the keyboard. This will copy an image of the screen to the Windows Clipboard, which you can then paste into Paint or something, and save as a JPG for uploading.

    Then turn your firewall back on before reconnecting to the internet, and upload that screen shot.


    If you still aren't able to get into the disk manager, then we'll have to fix that problem first. Someone else might need to step in to help with that, because I don't know much about Windows Firewall (if that's where the problem is originating...).
  • collcoll Ireland
    edited June 2007
    CB Droege

    When I carry out your instructions this is what I saw (see attached )

    I have also attach a screenshoot of my partition magic, it is the "Colm E" partition where I ** up

    Thanks
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited June 2007
    Your partitions are a disaster it's a wonder anything is working. You never - EVER should have that many windows partitions on one drive, 2 at the most and even that is redundant for the most part. Gyah that's horrible.

    But anyway, which 2 partitions did you try and merge if you merged a Fat32 with an NTFS that's going to be the first part of your problem. That merger is extremely prone to problems. Also if you merged data from two full partitions, without enough empty space for PM to work it's magic there is a high chance you'll be suffering from data loss.

    Unfortunately the only way I can suggest to fix your problem it to ghost your hard drive to another machine to hopefully make a good backup. Then start running Norton's Disk Recovery tools to try and fix the situation. It's extremely odd that Windows Firewall would be blocking access since all it does is monitor port activity. I think you've got a serious problem on your hands.
  • collcoll Ireland
    edited June 2007
    kryyst

    Ther was a pertition called "F"(Hilary) which was fat 32. I copy all the files out of this into "G" (Which was DVD) and renamed it Hilary.. I then converted "F" into NTFS and then merged it with "E", after that I lost the files on "E":confused:
    Have I got serious problem? should I be shot for being a fool
  • collcoll Ireland
    edited June 2007
    CB Droege wrote:
    Okay. That's strange. Windows firewall should never be blocking local executables... There might be more wrong here than you think, but the firewall issue is for a whole 'nother thread. Let's try to get around this for now.

    Disconnect yourself from the internet (physically), then turn off the Windows Firewall (Control panel > security options > firewall options). Then try again to get into the Disk manager.

    If you get in, you can take a screen shot with the PrntScrn button on the keyboard. This will copy an image of the screen to the Windows Clipboard, which you can then paste into Paint or something, and save as a JPG for uploading.

    Then turn your firewall back on before reconnecting to the internet, and upload that screen shot.


    If you still aren't able to get into the disk manager, then we'll have to fix that problem first. Someone else might need to step in to help with that, because I don't know much about Windows Firewall (if that's where the problem is originating...).

    CB Droege

    I got Disk manager to work, the reason why it wouldn't work the last time was because I had PM 8 running in the background. I have attached a immage of my disk management. I hope this help me.
  • CBCB Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Der Millionendorf- Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    Unfortunately, Kryyst is correct, your partitions are pretty bad. Disk manager is listing four Logical partitions (you should only have one), and no boot partition (I'm not sure how that's even possible). These issues might not be related to your current issue. :/

    I'm sorry to say that your data from the merged drives is digital scrap at this point. :( Looking at your Manager screen, I can see that PM messed up your merge. It happens sometimes, merging partitions is not a simple task, partitions are meant to be permanent and the size is not meant to change.

    This is because each partition must have it's own allocation table (this is what tells the computer where all the files are, and thusly where the blank spaces are). Those tables are pretty complex, and are created to match the size of the drive.

    Here's what I see in disk manager: It says that 7gb are being used, which means that Disk Manager sees enough blank space to account for all but 7gb of the drive.

    However, File Manager tells you that nothing is stored there. This means that your allocation tables merged incorrectly. Your data is still there, but the computer has lost it's 'map' that tells it where everything is.

    If the files are really important, then you could pay for a retrieval service (the same service that can get back 'deleted' files from a drive (since all you really do when you delete stuff is remove the allocation table entry)), but this is very cost prohibitive for the pro service, and the software (like norton tools), while not as expensive, has a high rate of failure... :(

    Sorry I couldn't give you better news about your data. Try to limit yourself to a maximum of three partitions in the future, and please never use PM for anything... Partitions are static for a reason... :/
  • nonstop301nonstop301 51° 27' 24.87" N // 0° 11' 38.91" W Member
    edited June 2007
    It doesn't look good coll

    See if Parition Magic will allow you to copy the NTFS partition E: on to your second hard drive (Disk 2)

    Before you do that though you must first reduce the size of the NTFS partition P: on your second drive so that you leave 55 Gb of empty space. In this empty space you should create an extended logical partition and then try copy partition E: from the first hard drive.

    I'm not entirely sure if Partition Magic will let you copy the partition but if it does there could be a chance that your data will be accessible on the second drive.
  • trolltroll Windsor, Nova Scotia Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    I would install the demo copy of GetDataBack for NTFS:
    http://www.runtime.org/gdb.htm

    We use this utility at the shop all the time and it works very very well...

    Have it search your drive E and If it finds all of your files, spend the $80 for a license key and recover all your stuff to Drive P.

    NEVER recover to the same drive the files are deleted from...

    Chalk it up to experience and stay out of Partition Magic without good backups... ;)
  • collcoll Ireland
    edited June 2007
    I will never be able to thank all of you for your help. A big Thanks to all at team 93:bigggrin::bigggrin:

    Troll GetDataBack for NTFS: worked to a "T" All my files are fully restored on "P" Thank you all so much... You all have saved my life :D..

    Can any one point me to a good backup programme. And what should I do with my partitions now; I don't want all the good hard work you's put in to go to waste



    A BIG THANK YOU to you ALL
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    I highly recommend Acronis TrueImage

    www.acronis.com

    :)
  • trolltroll Windsor, Nova Scotia Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    Great to hear coll!

    Glad GetDataBack helped you out, it's a great little program...
    I've used NovaStor's NovaBACKUP in the past and it works very well.
    http://www.novastor.com/pcbackup/backup/n_backup.html

    If you don't need all those partitions, then I would copy the data off of them and remove them with Partition Magic, After they are gone you can expand the size of your C drive with PM as well.

    If you do want the drive split, I'd just half the drive (Primary, Extended w/NTFS) or 70/30 etc... what ever you need.

    I think your problems started when you stuck an NTFS partition in amongst the Fat32 ones in the Same Extended partition, I would avoid this in the future... :)

    Again, great to hear you got your stuff back!
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