1 Topic by jayo1.geo

  • jayo1.geo
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Topic: Lost partition Windows 7 formatted from WINDOWS XP

I've 3 hard disks on my computer, two in Windows XP file system, one for booting and another with data. The size of each are 232 GB. The third hard disk is in Windows 7 with two partition 650 GB and 1.3 GB(3 TB size)
Several days ago I noticed that in Windows XP was an F disk with no format with size of 746 GB refered to F disk. This third disk (F) is 3 TB size. Trying to get more space I formatted F from WinXP getting 746.5 GB more in space. When I wanted to boot from Windows 7 in my third disk, I couldn´t because no system was found. I'd tried to eliminate the recently formatted 746 GB in windows XP without results.
What do I've to do to restore my Windows 7 filesystem as It was before formatted?
I've tried several utility hard disk software and it shows all files. Using your software will get my drive F for booting in Windows 7?

Thank you very much for your comments and suggestions.

2 Reply by gedakc

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Re: Lost partition Windows 7 formatted from WINDOWS XP

If I recall correctly Windows XP uses a MBR / MSDOS Partition Table.  This partition table is limited to accessing 2 TB of disk space.  If a 3 TB disk with an MBR was formatted, then the results would not be as expected.

In order to access a 3 TB disk, a GPT / GUID Partition Table would be required.  I believe Windows 7 supports GPT on the boot disk.

As I do not know exactly what occurred, you might consider ensuring that you back up as much of your data as you can (hopefully you have backups from prior to formatting), and then write a GPT partition table to the disk and re-install Windows 7.

You might also seek more advice from a Windows specific forum.

3 Reply by jayo1.geo

  • jayo1.geo
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Re: Lost partition Windows 7 formatted from WINDOWS XP

Thank you for your answer.
Two courious things is what I'm looking at.
First The format command was from WindowsXP into a formatted Windows 7 disk drive with less than 3TB, I mean 2.1 TB that windows7 in an usual way is operating. When I booted from Windows 7 drive, no space available appeared to be. In Windows XP shows in the drive 'F' (was the drive for booting Windows7) space avaliable, When formatted shows 746.5 GB in XP Operating System.
Second. After formatted 'F' from XP, I couldn't boot from Windows 7 drive. My guessed is that the original MBR was 'moved' in a new partition that starts in sectors over the original of the same Disk drive. Cause no Operting System was induced there, nothig is done by the computer. If I could move or re-create MBR in the original sectors of the disk the operating system will be enabled again.
Do you think my guess is so crazy?
With recovering software shows all files and directories I rememer in Windows 7 Hard Disk Drive. But with testdisk  shows 746.5 GB, nothing else.
Any sugestion about how to recover operating system for booting again in Windows 7, without losing data?
Thank you again for your coments.

4 Reply by gedakc

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Re: Lost partition Windows 7 formatted from WINDOWS XP

Your suggestion might work.  I highly recommend you back up your data before proceeding further in case any future step makes it more difficult or impossible to recover your data.

Now, onto your suggestion.  If the Windows 7 partition still exists with valid data, then you can restore the boot code using the instructions referred to in the GParted FAQ - After resizing my Windows 7 or Vista partition, my computer won't boot. How can I fix this?.  See also GParted FAQ - What are the commands for repairing Windows Vista or Windows 7 boot problems?.