So I tried to install puppy in a spare unallocated space on my single harddrive system following some tutorial a few threads back for dual boot. Along with the scrub, unfortunately, I couldn't boot linux nor windows afterwards. Both showed some missing files. So I deleted the partition with Linux and Grub using the puppy live cd and then I can't get back into windows.
My Harddrive was split up into
C: (winos)
D: (Storage)
and another 5 gig unallocated (afteer being deleted)
I tried to use testdisk to solve problems like this. But I can't figure out which drive is which, so I went back to puppy live to see if I can figure out there. Then I thought the drive labeling gives it a name (like my HP Factory partition's label), but that destroyed my partitions and left them in unallocated space
Please help me at the very least restore the data from my C: and D: drive.
Can't boot Windows or Puppy after installing Puppy
That is bad 
You shouldn't be able to delete partitions with the labelling.
Is this the testdisk you used?
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk
It should be able to find your partitions.
But maybe you should clarify the sequence of events... you seem to be saying you tried to use testdisk before deleting your partitions, which doesn't make sense... Did you try testdisk after deleting them? Or did you try photorec from the testdisk package to try to recover files from the partitions?
You shouldn't be able to delete partitions with the labelling.
Is this the testdisk you used?
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk
It should be able to find your partitions.
But maybe you should clarify the sequence of events... you seem to be saying you tried to use testdisk before deleting your partitions, which doesn't make sense... Did you try testdisk after deleting them? Or did you try photorec from the testdisk package to try to recover files from the partitions?
Do NOT reinstall Windows or reformat your hard disk. Puppy replaced the boot sector (the first sector on the hard disk) with Grub, which for some reason did not get configured correctly. You've probably not damaged Windows, only the boot sector, which is replaceable. The only problem is that you have to reconstruct it so that Windows can see the other partitions. I'm not sure how to do that but I'm sure someone in the forum can help you. The important thing right now is not to make things worse. 
That's the testdisk I tried. I tried it before AND after I accidentally deleted the partitions. From my understanding, testdisk basically finds the partitions for you, you choose which one your OS is on, and then you rewrite the MBR.
So the one I tried BEFORE, doesn't really help, I'll get Boot Disk load error, or something on that line. I tried afterwards (of course, now I have to do a full analysis to get the partitions, it gives me "Error loading Operating System" message.
I also tried Active @ Partition Recovery which also does the same thing except instead of just scanning, it also saves the partition drives (if you confirm it's validity). So according to Active @ Partition Recovery, my stuff is still there... in two logical drives. But I'm still getting a "Error loading operating system" or "1234F:" when I try to boot.
I knew I shouldn't have messed around with Grub without following any manuals
This has happened before, unfortunately, the last time this happened, I had a serious project due the next day and it was the middle of the night so I had no time to figure out how to fix and I just reformatted my computer.
Well, my other option right now is to remove the drive and stick it into another PC, use some sort of file recovery / undelete software to recover the files I want. But if there is a way to save my XP OS, that would be the best.
So the one I tried BEFORE, doesn't really help, I'll get Boot Disk load error, or something on that line. I tried afterwards (of course, now I have to do a full analysis to get the partitions, it gives me "Error loading Operating System" message.
I also tried Active @ Partition Recovery which also does the same thing except instead of just scanning, it also saves the partition drives (if you confirm it's validity). So according to Active @ Partition Recovery, my stuff is still there... in two logical drives. But I'm still getting a "Error loading operating system" or "1234F:" when I try to boot.
I knew I shouldn't have messed around with Grub without following any manuals
This has happened before, unfortunately, the last time this happened, I had a serious project due the next day and it was the middle of the night so I had no time to figure out how to fix and I just reformatted my computer.Well, my other option right now is to remove the drive and stick it into another PC, use some sort of file recovery / undelete software to recover the files I want. But if there is a way to save my XP OS, that would be the best.
Knoppix is an excellent recovery option: http://www.knoppix.org/kaiyoti wrote:That's the testdisk I tried. I tried it before AND after I accidentally deleted the partitions. From my understanding, testdisk basically finds the partitions for you, you choose which one your OS is on, and then you rewrite the MBR.
So the one I tried BEFORE, doesn't really help, I'll get Boot Disk load error, or something on that line. I tried afterwards (of course, now I have to do a full analysis to get the partitions, it gives me "Error loading Operating System" message.
I also tried Active @ Partition Recovery which also does the same thing except instead of just scanning, it also saves the partition drives (if you confirm it's validity). So according to Active @ Partition Recovery, my stuff is still there... in two logical drives. But I'm still getting a "Error loading operating system" or "1234F:" when I try to boot.
I knew I shouldn't have messed around with Grub without following any manuals
Well, my other option right now is to remove the drive and stick it into another PC, use some sort of file recovery / undelete software to recover the files I want. But if there is a way to save my XP OS, that would be the best.
I would download the ISO and burn it to a CD, get a external HD or flash drive, load Knoppix and then install the external drive/Flash drive. You will be able to access the windows partition and dump the data to the external drive.
you also can mount the windows-drive with Puppy running from CD to backup files.
Just click on the "drives" icon on the desktop.
Then it would be important, to have more info (what version of Windows?).
Windows XP professional (not OEM) allows to fix the bootsector with the recvery-CD.
I can't tell you how, but I have read about that several times.
I think somewhere after booting from CD you get an option to go to the recovery console.
There you can type
fdisk /mbr
or fixboot (don't remember this one correctly).
For Win XP OEM you might have to download a repair-disk from http://bootdisk.com
The more info you provide, the higher the chance to get a more detailed answer.
Mark
Just click on the "drives" icon on the desktop.
Then it would be important, to have more info (what version of Windows?).
Windows XP professional (not OEM) allows to fix the bootsector with the recvery-CD.
I can't tell you how, but I have read about that several times.
I think somewhere after booting from CD you get an option to go to the recovery console.
There you can type
fdisk /mbr
or fixboot (don't remember this one correctly).
For Win XP OEM you might have to download a repair-disk from http://bootdisk.com
The more info you provide, the higher the chance to get a more detailed answer.
Mark
[url=http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?p=173456#173456]my recommended links[/url]
I'm using Windows XP Professional (not OEM), I've tried the recovery console method. After I type in fdisk /mbr i get asked if I want to write MBR to the drive, I then choose yes to verify. Unfortunately, that doesn't solve the problem.
The problem right now is that my partitions are gone. So in puppy linux, it shows up as a huge unallocated space, rather than the separate partitions. fdisk /mbr won't work because I was asked to specify the drive letter.
thanks for everyone that's helping.
The problem right now is that my partitions are gone. So in puppy linux, it shows up as a huge unallocated space, rather than the separate partitions. fdisk /mbr won't work because I was asked to specify the drive letter.
thanks for everyone that's helping.
Hi kaiyoti,
in the XP recovery console, do both fixboot and fixmbr.
Another little free app. that I have found useful is the Ranish Partition Manager.
You boot it from floppy and although it's fairly old now and doesn't support NTFS as such, it may tell you if the partitions are still there or not.
You can check the allocated partition number and re-instate a standard boot loader with this app also.
Good luck!
Regards, Sooty2
in the XP recovery console, do both fixboot and fixmbr.
Another little free app. that I have found useful is the Ranish Partition Manager.
You boot it from floppy and although it's fairly old now and doesn't support NTFS as such, it may tell you if the partitions are still there or not.
You can check the allocated partition number and re-instate a standard boot loader with this app also.
Good luck!
Regards, Sooty2
I think the mbr only tells the pc how to boot the operating system - it is nothing to do with the partition table.
testdisk says it can recover a deleted partition, not just see it, so see if you can find out how...
Once you have your partitions back, what is the problem? booting is failing during the windows boot process, rather than before it?
testdisk says it can recover a deleted partition, not just see it, so see if you can find out how...
Once you have your partitions back, what is the problem? booting is failing during the windows boot process, rather than before it?
hey disciple,
I used puppy 301. You have to pardon me because I'm still new to linux. So it's not because it's puppy's fault... it's probably mine.
Here's an update of my situation.
After running Active @ Partition by attaching the hard drive onto another system, it's successfully scanned my partitions along with all the files.
1. NTFS (Primary, Active) - This is my WinXP Pro partition
2. NTFS (Logical) - Some data partition
3. EXT3 (Primary) - Puppy drive (somehow it's still there)
4. Unallocated Space - This is my factory restore stuff, I don't really care about this because I don't bother with factory Windows Vista and have backupped all my necessary drivers.
So I save this setting and everything looks pretty. When I pop it back into my original system, it says "Boot Disk load error" (that some sort). What's the problem here?
I've also tried fixmbr, it just asks me to write, and I typed yes. Fixboot doesn't seem to exist for the WinXP recovery console.
[EDIT]- Now I think about it... is it because of that EXT3. Which makes my drives having 2 primary partitions?
I used puppy 301. You have to pardon me because I'm still new to linux. So it's not because it's puppy's fault... it's probably mine.
Here's an update of my situation.
After running Active @ Partition by attaching the hard drive onto another system, it's successfully scanned my partitions along with all the files.
1. NTFS (Primary, Active) - This is my WinXP Pro partition
2. NTFS (Logical) - Some data partition
3. EXT3 (Primary) - Puppy drive (somehow it's still there
)4. Unallocated Space - This is my factory restore stuff, I don't really care about this because I don't bother with factory Windows Vista and have backupped all my necessary drivers.
So I save this setting and everything looks pretty. When I pop it back into my original system, it says "Boot Disk load error" (that some sort). What's the problem here?
I've also tried fixmbr, it just asks me to write, and I typed yes. Fixboot doesn't seem to exist for the WinXP recovery console.
[EDIT]- Now I think about it... is it because of that EXT3. Which makes my drives having 2 primary partitions?
No, I think you can have two primary partitions - although I've only known them by another name.
"Boot Disk load error" - I'm not sure if that sounds like an mbr problem or a problem with missing windows files... hopefully someone else can help. Were you getting the same error with Puppy? Or something else?
Maybe you just need a boot floppy...
"Boot Disk load error" - I'm not sure if that sounds like an mbr problem or a problem with missing windows files... hopefully someone else can help. Were you getting the same error with Puppy? Or something else?
Maybe you just need a boot floppy...
Hi kaiyoti,
fixboot and fixmbr are both in the XP recovery console....as far as I understand fixboot is for the boot secctor of the partition and fixmbr is for the mbr of the disk.
You can usually have up to 4 primary partitions on a hdd, to create more partitions they are placed inside an extended partition and are called logical drives.
Do you remember how the drive was partitioned before trying to install puppy? Due to the "aggressive" installation nature of XP, it can be an absolute @*&!!
My guess is that you are almost there with the "NTLDR is missing"... message. It's booting, but can't find the OS. A couple of things to look at....Is the XP partition still in the same partition position number on the drive? Was the XP partiton originally a logical drive?
Regards, Sooty2
fixboot and fixmbr are both in the XP recovery console....as far as I understand fixboot is for the boot secctor of the partition and fixmbr is for the mbr of the disk.
You can usually have up to 4 primary partitions on a hdd, to create more partitions they are placed inside an extended partition and are called logical drives.
Do you remember how the drive was partitioned before trying to install puppy? Due to the "aggressive" installation nature of XP, it can be an absolute @*&!!
My guess is that you are almost there with the "NTLDR is missing"... message. It's booting, but can't find the OS. A couple of things to look at....Is the XP partition still in the same partition position number on the drive? Was the XP partiton originally a logical drive?
Regards, Sooty2
Hello Sooty2,
The drive before was:
C: NTFS (Primary, Active)
D: NTFS [storage stuff] (Logical)
E: some FACTORY (about 10 gigs)
Before i installed puppy, I took approximately 5 gigs from D drive and made it unallocated. When installing in puppy, I partitioned that 5 gigs unallocated to 4.9 gig ext3 and 100 mb linux-swap. Then I followed the grub installation tutorial.
After grub, I can recall that the Windows says "NTLDR is missing", and the linux had some files missing too (can't remember what it said).
As far as my situation goes right now, I followed a tutorial at:
http://ntldrismissing.com
Option 2 from that boot disk menu did the trick, logged me back into windows. I then followed the procedure at the bottom of the page where I was supposed to replace the boot.ini ntdetect.come and ntldr to my winos drive and do some settings in control panel. That didn't work. So the only way to boot into my windows right now is a boot disk (in my case a usb).
The drive before was:
C: NTFS (Primary, Active)
D: NTFS [storage stuff] (Logical)
E: some FACTORY (about 10 gigs)
Before i installed puppy, I took approximately 5 gigs from D drive and made it unallocated. When installing in puppy, I partitioned that 5 gigs unallocated to 4.9 gig ext3 and 100 mb linux-swap. Then I followed the grub installation tutorial.
After grub, I can recall that the Windows says "NTLDR is missing", and the linux had some files missing too (can't remember what it said).
As far as my situation goes right now, I followed a tutorial at:
http://ntldrismissing.com
Option 2 from that boot disk menu did the trick, logged me back into windows. I then followed the procedure at the bottom of the page where I was supposed to replace the boot.ini ntdetect.come and ntldr to my winos drive and do some settings in control panel. That didn't work. So the only way to boot into my windows right now is a boot disk (in my case a usb).
-
purple_ghost
- Posts: 416
- Joined: Thu 10 Nov 2005, 02:18
You might look at Ultimate Boot CD.
It has a tool to rebuild the partition table on a hard drive. Although you have to know the size of the partition. I now it worked for a FAT32 rebuild of a partition table.
Might be all you need to do with your situation now is to make the partition active. ??? Do you have an easy way to back up the hard drive? Makes it less un-nerving to try some of the tools on the UBCD.
There might be a tool on the System Rescue CD that would also be useful.
http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/
http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Boo ... 4WIN.shtml
Might look at - http://www.bootdisk.com/
http://www.sysresccd.org/Main_Page
http://linux.softpedia.com/get/System/R ... -188.shtml
http://www.linux.com/feature/45883
Might be all you need to do with your situation now is to make the partition active. ??? Do you have an easy way to back up the hard drive? Makes it less un-nerving to try some of the tools on the UBCD.
There might be a tool on the System Rescue CD that would also be useful.
http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/
http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Boo ... 4WIN.shtml
Might look at - http://www.bootdisk.com/
http://www.sysresccd.org/Main_Page
http://linux.softpedia.com/get/System/R ... -188.shtml
http://www.linux.com/feature/45883
Google Search of Forum: http://wellminded.com/puppy/pupsearch.html
purple_ghost, thanks for you suggestions
I tried the UBCD, one of the applications in there (in the partitions category) actually restored my drives and such that I can boot into windows (given a boot disk).
right now the problem is the ntldr problem. And I may have done some more harm when I overwrote the boot.ini ntdetect.com and ntldr.
I tried the UBCD, one of the applications in there (in the partitions category) actually restored my drives and such that I can boot into windows (given a boot disk).
right now the problem is the ntldr problem. And I may have done some more harm when I overwrote the boot.ini ntdetect.com and ntldr.
Problem Solved! 
Sooty2 had the correct answer before and I seemed to have missed it. The magic appears to be the fixboot in the recovery console. I also did a
"bootcfg /rebuild" so I'm not exactly sure which is the real magic but I'm sure fixboot was an important step. Thanks Sooty2.
Thanks to everyone else who gave a hand, I survived this mayhem without any data loss. And now, back to puppy...
Sooty2 had the correct answer before and I seemed to have missed it. The magic appears to be the fixboot in the recovery console. I also did a
"bootcfg /rebuild" so I'm not exactly sure which is the real magic but I'm sure fixboot was an important step. Thanks Sooty2.
Thanks to everyone else who gave a hand, I survived this mayhem without any data loss. And now, back to puppy...
Hi kaiyoti,
glad to be of help. (Not sure if I actually did, but I'll put my hand up anyway!)
I suspect the boot.ini wasn't pointing XP to the correct partition.
I have an early version of puppy installed on an ext2 primary partition on my secondary master.. /dev/hdc2
I use partition magic to boot my various OS, and when I installed grub, I installed it on the partition puppy lives on. This just keeps things nice and separate for me.
I currently use puppy on USB flash drive, it's more portable this way, so the booting thing is no longer required for me.
Regards Sooty2
glad to be of help. (Not sure if I actually did, but I'll put my hand up anyway!)
I suspect the boot.ini wasn't pointing XP to the correct partition.
I have an early version of puppy installed on an ext2 primary partition on my secondary master.. /dev/hdc2
I use partition magic to boot my various OS, and when I installed grub, I installed it on the partition puppy lives on. This just keeps things nice and separate for me.
I currently use puppy on USB flash drive, it's more portable this way, so the booting thing is no longer required for me.
Regards Sooty2