1 Topic by darkchild

  • darkchild
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Topic: Gparted does not see my data

My external hard drive already has some data on it, but no partitions. I'm trying to partition it for a Fedora installation. Gparted recognizes that there is something on the drive, but it apparently can't read the contents, and will not allow me to create partitions. Is my only choice for using Gparted to format this drive, or can I get it to "see" my stuff so that I can partition without destroying it?

2 Reply by class413

  • class413
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Re: Gparted does not see my data

It isn't possible to have data without partition. Can you access anything on the drive from any operating system? Please give more details.
What GParted reports about this drive?

*** It is highly recommended to backup any important files before doing resize/move operations. ***

3 Reply by darkchild

  • darkchild
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Re: Gparted does not see my data

Yes, I can access data on the drive with Windows XP. Gparted gives me the little exclamation point inside a triangle and says it cannot read what is on the drive.

4 Reply by class413

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Re: Gparted does not see my data

You can give more information perhaps from the windows disk management. If xp can access the drive and data, then it must be able to detect the partitions.

In any case, you can backup data using xp tools (copy files).
Perhaps there is any problem in the partition table of the drive.
Furthermore, some older external usb devices were reposted and detected simply as "storage devices", not as hard drive units, they didn't have a partition table.

*** It is highly recommended to backup any important files before doing resize/move operations. ***

5 Reply by cmdr

  • cmdr
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Re: Gparted does not see my data

Hi,
if you are not quite sure, whether your external storage device is correctly detected or you assume, that it's not identified as HDD, attach it and look into the BIOS (provided, that your system boots on external hardware at all; Function key (2?) or [Del] to enter BIOS -> Boot options/sequence or similar). Older BIOSes might only boot on "ZIP"- or "LS 120" - (Superfloppy) - drives. This does NOT include HDDs or USB Sticks ( I didn't manage yet to convert an USB Stick to a bootable "LS 120"-Floppy, even though I found an appropriate instruction, and it was detected as such by the BIOS ! ).

Bye
cmdr