did I lose all my data???

tweaker · 12-09-2007, 06:31 PM

I purchased a 320gb HD a couple months ago. Little did I know that XP doesn't support large drives over 127gb unless with SP2. So I installed that, and I saved all my data on the extended partition. Just today I had to completely format my primary partition, and didn't think it would be a problem assuming all my data would still be on the extended partition. I just completed a fresh XP install (on SP1) and don't see the extended partition. I didn't really think about this until after I completed the install. I'm download SP2 right now. The question is, did I lose all my data that was on the extended partition? If so, is there a way to recover it? I only formatted the primary partition in the windows blue install screen, because the extended didn't show up.

**tosh9i** · 12-09-2007, 06:32 PM

do you remember how big the "primary partition" was

tweaker · 12-09-2007, 06:58 PM

it was either 127 or 137

**tosh9i** · 12-09-2007, 07:53 PM

was that the size of the primary partition that you created?

tweaker · 12-09-2007, 08:10 PM

yes. I just installed SP2 and it only sees the original extended partition as "unallocated space", and its all free space. I even download Partition Magic to try to recover it but it didn't work. Also I already created a new logical partition in that location so its probably safe to say that the data is gone

tweaker · 12-09-2007, 08:17 PM

how could I prevent something like this from happening in the future? How am I supposed to save any data over 137gb without losing it, especially if I have another 183gb to spare.

**tosh9i** · 12-09-2007, 08:31 PM

how important was that data?

Since nothing was copied over it, it's most likely still recoverable.

**tosh9i** · 12-09-2007, 08:38 PM

http://www.thefreecountry.com/utilit...recovery.shtml

**Deleted090308** · 12-09-2007, 09:34 PM

http://www.techsupportforum.com/hard...-computer.html

tweaker · 12-09-2007, 10:51 PM

thanks. But I tried that and it wasn't able to recover any lost partitions.

12-09-2007, 06:31 PM	#1 (permalink)
tweaker Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 7 OS: xp	did I lose all my data??? I purchased a 320gb HD a couple months ago. Little did I know that XP doesn't support large drives over 127gb unless with SP2. So I installed that, and I saved all my data on the extended partition. Just today I had to completely format my primary partition, and didn't think it would be a problem assuming all my data would still be on the extended partition. I just completed a fresh XP install (on SP1) and don't see the extended partition. I didn't really think about this until after I completed the install. I'm download SP2 right now. The question is, did I lose all my data that was on the extended partition? If so, is there a way to recover it? I only formatted the primary partition in the windows blue install screen, because the extended didn't show up.

12-09-2007, 06:32 PM	#2 (permalink)
tosh9i TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 3,811 OS: Windows XP	Re: did I lose all my data??? do you remember how big the "primary partition" was

12-09-2007, 06:58 PM	#3 (permalink)
tweaker Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 7 OS: xp	Re: did I lose all my data??? it was either 127 or 137

12-09-2007, 07:53 PM	#4 (permalink)
tosh9i TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 3,811 OS: Windows XP	Re: did I lose all my data??? was that the size of the primary partition that you created?

12-09-2007, 08:10 PM	#5 (permalink)
tweaker Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 7 OS: xp	Re: did I lose all my data??? yes. I just installed SP2 and it only sees the original extended partition as "unallocated space", and its all free space. I even download Partition Magic to try to recover it but it didn't work. Also I already created a new logical partition in that location so its probably safe to say that the data is gone

12-09-2007, 08:17 PM	#6 (permalink)
tweaker Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 7 OS: xp	Re: did I lose all my data??? how could I prevent something like this from happening in the future? How am I supposed to save any data over 137gb without losing it, especially if I have another 183gb to spare.

12-09-2007, 08:31 PM	#7 (permalink)
tosh9i TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 3,811 OS: Windows XP	Re: did I lose all my data??? how important was that data? Since nothing was copied over it, it's most likely still recoverable.

12-09-2007, 08:38 PM	#8 (permalink)
tosh9i TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 3,811 OS: Windows XP	Re: did I lose all my data??? http://www.thefreecountry.com/utilit...recovery.shtml

12-09-2007, 09:34 PM	#9 (permalink)
Deleted090308 Not... Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 22,277 OS: Xp	Re: did I lose all my data??? http://www.techsupportforum.com/hard...-computer.html

12-09-2007, 10:51 PM	#10 (permalink)
tweaker Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 7 OS: xp	Re: saving data on large drives thanks. But I tried that and it wasn't able to recover any lost partitions.