[External HD] - raw binary fragments as filenames

fm76 · 07-29-2008, 06:51 AM

Suddenly in my external HD (iomega 335 GB) i didn't find some folders and i found most files and folders renamed with strings taken "randomly" from the content of any file for example " sizeof.a /" or "//: C07:.uni" or "¹´¥¹´¥§ô.B".
Anyone with preview experience with this problem? and any ideas on how to fix it?
thank you

bobalazs · 07-29-2008, 09:52 AM

might have been a virus... that would explain the renaming of things... better off just format it.

fm76 · 07-29-2008, 02:33 PM

Thank you Bobalazs for answering,
anyway i wrote here to have an answer with a solution or a constructive talking about this issue.

I think it was not a virus but probably when the cache was flushed something went wrong and the cached data were written in the the filesystem in an improper way.

~~wiseleo~~ · 07-29-2008, 03:18 PM

Potentially, CHKDSK ran on the system with disastrous results.

It's sounds like a file table corruption. Image the drive and work on the image with data recovery utilities. I'd try something like photo_rec from Testdisk suite. The file names would be lost, but it's pretty good at carving out the data from a damaged file system.

Obviously, attempting to run data recovery tools on damaged media is a recipe for data loss.

bobalazs · 07-29-2008, 05:22 PM

just in case though, maybe you would want to try a linux live cd boot from it and try to see if the contents look normal at all? I wish i could help you but renamed folders i would think are a big problem.

fm76 · 07-30-2008, 05:11 AM

Thanks for your suggestions.
Anyway it seems i have solved the problem using "ontrack easy recovery professional", also the filenames seems to be recovered but the recovery process is still in progress so if something goes wrong i'll let you know.

thanks again

bobalazs · 07-30-2008, 07:11 AM

how did you come across this software?

07-29-2008, 06:51 AM	#1 (permalink)
fm76 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Italia Posts: 3 OS: xp	[External HD] - raw binary fragments as filenames Suddenly in my external HD (iomega 335 GB) i didn't find some folders and i found most files and folders renamed with strings taken "randomly" from the content of any file for example " sizeof.a /" or "//: C07:.uni" or "¹´¥¹´¥§ô.B". Anyone with preview experience with this problem? and any ideas on how to fix it? thank you

07-29-2008, 09:52 AM	#2 (permalink)
bobalazs Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Hungary Posts: 95 OS: xp My System	Re: [External HD] - raw binary fragments as filenames might have been a virus... that would explain the renaming of things... better off just format it.

07-29-2008, 02:33 PM	#3 (permalink)
fm76 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Italia Posts: 3 OS: xp	Re: [External HD] - raw binary fragments as filenames Thank you Bobalazs for answering, anyway i wrote here to have an answer with a solution or a constructive talking about this issue. I think it was not a virus but probably when the cache was flushed something went wrong and the cached data were written in the the filesystem in an improper way.

07-29-2008, 03:18 PM	#4 (permalink)
~~wiseleo~~ Troubled Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: San Francisco Bay Area Posts: 461 OS: Win 2003 SP2 My System	Re: [External HD] - raw binary fragments as filenames Potentially, CHKDSK ran on the system with disastrous results. It's sounds like a file table corruption. Image the drive and work on the image with data recovery utilities. I'd try something like photo_rec from Testdisk suite. The file names would be lost, but it's pretty good at carving out the data from a damaged file system. Obviously, attempting to run data recovery tools on damaged media is a recipe for data loss.

07-29-2008, 05:22 PM	#5 (permalink)
bobalazs Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Hungary Posts: 95 OS: xp My System	Re: [External HD] - raw binary fragments as filenames just in case though, maybe you would want to try a linux live cd boot from it and try to see if the contents look normal at all? I wish i could help you but renamed folders i would think are a big problem.

07-30-2008, 05:11 AM	#6 (permalink)
fm76 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Italia Posts: 3 OS: xp	Re: [External HD] - raw binary fragments as filenames Thanks for your suggestions. Anyway it seems i have solved the problem using "ontrack easy recovery professional", also the filenames seems to be recovered but the recovery process is still in progress so if something goes wrong i'll let you know. thanks again

07-30-2008, 07:11 AM	#7 (permalink)
bobalazs Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Hungary Posts: 95 OS: xp My System	Re: [External HD] - raw binary fragments as filenames how did you come across this software?