All partitions gone

IvanV · Apr 30, 2005, 12:16 AM

I guess this is the most apropriate place for this thread, though it rather belongs to "ultraviolet disasters". After a lockup, apparently caused by inapropriately seated graphic card, all partitions seem to be gone from my system. By that I mean that Partition Magic 8.0 sees my entire hard drive as a single piece of unallocated space. The system was dual-boot, with Win98SE and Win2k. I don't have Win2k's rescue disk. What can be done to restore my system/data?

***craig5320*** · Apr 30, 2005, 12:58 AM

I'd boot up from a dos floppy disk and see if you can access any of your drives, browse the directories and confirm whether they do or do not exist anymore. and take it from there.

Your on 2K otherwise i'd recommend the XP recovery console with can fix mbr's and boot records etc. Not sure if that'd help in this case anyway.

Good luck

IvanV · Apr 30, 2005, 12:18 PM

No, when I boot from a 98 floppy my drives are not accessible and fdisk doesn't see any partitions defined on the disk. Is there a tool that could fix this?

PangingJr · Apr 30, 2005, 12:36 PM

never have this problem myself but that sounds the FAT/NTFS partition bootsectors as well as the partition tables need to be recovered, i think you will need a HDD utility programs that have a disk editor. google 'disk editor' you'll looking for the one that can be used from a bootable floppy disk or CD and i think you should also look for one that can do an auto recovery on the partition table or you'll have to spend time learning how to manually do it maybe at the program web site or manual.

IvanV · Apr 30, 2005, 05:15 PM

Thanks! Since it was my old PC that had no important data I gave it up and repartitioned. Also threw my old (t)rusty ATi Rage Pro and got a Voodoo3 for 6e. Now looking for a Win2k DX8.1 driver...

PangingJr · May 2, 2005, 10:40 AM

OK. that was good. about drivers i don't know what to recommend, sorry.

davidnsibs · May 2, 2005, 11:08 AM

how about guru3d?

http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?id=11

Apr 30, 2005, 12:16 AM	#1
IvanV HH Assassin Guild Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 5,921 Rep Power: 336 System Specs	All partitions gone I guess this is the most apropriate place for this thread, though it rather belongs to "ultraviolet disasters". After a lockup, apparently caused by inapropriately seated graphic card, all partitions seem to be gone from my system. By that I mean that Partition Magic 8.0 sees my entire hard drive as a single piece of unallocated space. The system was dual-boot, with Win98SE and Win2k. I don't have Win2k's rescue disk. What can be done to restore my system/data?

Apr 30, 2005, 12:58 AM	#2
*craig5320* HH Administrator Join Date: May 2002 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 8,579 Rep Power: 445 System Specs	I'd boot up from a dos floppy disk and see if you can access any of your drives, browse the directories and confirm whether they do or do not exist anymore. and take it from there. Your on 2K otherwise i'd recommend the XP recovery console with can fix mbr's and boot records etc. Not sure if that'd help in this case anyway. Good luck __________________ HardwareHeaven on Facebook

May 2, 2005, 11:08 AM	#7
davidnsibs 9500pro Forever Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Bath, UK Posts: 273 Rep Power: 0	how about guru3d? http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?id=11 __________________ Goodbye 9500pro, you've been a faithful servant through Half life, Deus Ex, Unreal 2, Max Payne 1+2, Nolf 1+2, CoD, Far Cry, Civ IV, F.E.A.R and many more

Apr 30, 2005, 12:18 PM	Thread Starter #3
IvanV HH Assassin Guild Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 5,921 Rep Power: 336 System Specs	No, when I boot from a 98 floppy my drives are not accessible and fdisk doesn't see any partitions defined on the disk. Is there a tool that could fix this?

Apr 30, 2005, 12:36 PM	#4
PangingJr Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 5,989 Rep Power: 71	never have this problem myself but that sounds the FAT/NTFS partition bootsectors as well as the partition tables need to be recovered, i think you will need a HDD utility programs that have a disk editor. google 'disk editor' you'll looking for the one that can be used from a bootable floppy disk or CD and i think you should also look for one that can do an auto recovery on the partition table or you'll have to spend time learning how to manually do it maybe at the program web site or manual.

Apr 30, 2005, 05:15 PM	Thread Starter #5
IvanV HH Assassin Guild Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 5,921 Rep Power: 336 System Specs	Thanks! Since it was my old PC that had no important data I gave it up and repartitioned. Also threw my old (t)rusty ATi Rage Pro and got a Voodoo3 for 6e. Now looking for a Win2k DX8.1 driver...

May 2, 2005, 10:40 AM	#6
PangingJr Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 5,989 Rep Power: 71	OK. that was good. about drivers i don't know what to recommend, sorry.