"Master file table corrupt"

[ASC1951]

Oh dear.

MS System tools won't access the drive, although they can detect it. Seagate's diagnostic tools tell me it fails all tests, although so quickly that I don't think the tests are actually examining the drive. This is on my slave drive, fortunately, so I still have an otherwise functioning PC running XP - it's just that there is some non-critical but useful data I would like to get at. I do have a backup somewhere but it's a couple of weeks old.

I have an uneasy feeling that it's a re-format and reinstall i.e I am stuffed. Any ideas, peeps?

 

[ACS]

This *may* work. http://www.ctunion.com/node/38

or

Try a data recovery using getbackdata.

Format and start again

or

Run chkdsk /f /r:
Right click the drive in "My computer" >> Properties >> Tools >> Check now. Tick both options and click "Start":

If that doesn't help:

Download the Windows version of TestDisk.
Unzip the downloaded file to your C: drive.
Open C:testdisk-6.9win > double click the "testdisk_win" icon.

The program runs in a command window and doesn't have to be installed.

Each of the steps (A, B, C etc) below corresponds to a new TestDisk window.
Use the keyboard's arrow keys to navigate.

A. At the first window, select “No Log” and press the <Enter> key.
B. Select which drive to analyse, choose “Proceed” and <Enter>.
C. Select partition type – Intel if it’s a PC then <Enter>.
D. Choose Advanced > press <Enter>.
E. Choose Boot > press <Enter>.
F. Choose Repair MFT > press <Enter>.

Thats my knowledge on these matters exhausted

 

[SavageHoutkop]

I've managed this once several years ago. Data recovery is big bucks; so freeware is not easy to come by. Good luck!
I did find something (but it wouldn't be any use even if i could remember the name as it's too old-tech now); but have a rummage for freeware data recovery tools before you give up. IIRC some programs will install a trial version whereby they will let you see the files they can recover, but you then have to buy the full version to actually get at them. That will at least show if there's any hope.

 

[ASC1951]

This *may* work. http://www.ctunion.com/node/38

Buggrit. It didn't.

or

Run chkdsk /f /r:
Right click the drive in "My computer" >> Properties >> Tools >> Check now. Tick both options and click "Start":

Buggrit, that doesn't either. XP doesn't access the drive at all from that applet.

If that doesn't help:

Download the Windows version of TestDisk.
Unzip the downloaded file to your C: drive.
Open C:testdisk-6.9win > double click the "testdisk_win" icon.

The program runs in a command window and doesn't have to be installed.

Each of the steps (A, B, C etc) below corresponds to a new TestDisk window.
Use the keyboard's arrow keys to navigate.

A. At the first window, select “No Log” and press the <Enter> key.
B. Select which drive to analyse, choose “Proceed” and <Enter>.
C. Select partition type – Intel if it’s a PC then <Enter>.
D. Choose Advanced > press <Enter>.
E. Choose Boot > press <Enter>.
F. Choose Repair MFT > press <Enter>.

Buggrit, no again. Just says MFT and MFT mirror are corrupted beyond repair.

Thats my knowledge on these matters exhausted

A lot more than my knowledge!

or

Try a data recovery using getbackdata.

Format and start again

Well, some success here. I can access all the files I want, so if push comes to shove I can open them one by one and save them to the master drive - GBD tells me I can only copy them with the $79 License, but now that I know they are there and undamaged I shall see if I can recover them with PC File Recovery.

Thanks for your help.

 

[ASC1951]

Ah well. I am stuffed. "Primary slave failure" on bootup now, so it's a mechanical failure of the drive. It would have been nice to have had a bit more notice. A couple of days of 'bad file cluster' didn't really give me enough time to get the furniture upstairs.

I suppose there is no point now in having a HDD as a slave/backup - I might as well go for a big USB stick.

 

[Dan B]

You may find that sticking the drive in the freezer for a while (not while it's plugged in, obviously) will resuscitate it for long enough to take an image that you can then work on without inflicting further damage. However, I can't recommend any particular tools to get the image - personally I'd be breaking out the linux rescue CD about now, but if you don't know linux already this is not a good time to learn it

And I appreciate that it's no use being lectured about it after the event, but the time to start taking action (e.g. backups) is when you get the first intimation that it's all going pear-shaped, not two days later. HDD failures are IME almost always quite sudden affairs after the first few faults trickle through

 

[nigelb]

I have had occasional luck with a failing disk by adding it to a new system (which it hasn't been in before).

Windows seems to then do its best to make the drive readable, at which point obviously copy everything off (no matter how good the drive now seems to be).

"Primary Slave Failure" unfortunately doesn't sound very hopeful ...

Nige

 

[ASC1951]

And I appreciate that it's no use being lectured about it after the event, but the time to start taking action (e.g. backups) is when you get the first intimation that it's all going pear-shaped, not two days later. HDD failures are IME almost always quite sudden affairs after the first few faults trickle through

I know, I know. In fairness everything important is on my 2 year old main drive, not the 10 year old slave, and is backed up every time I alter it. so this is just mildly inconvenient at most.

But you are right...

 

[ColinJ]

I suppose there is no point now in having a HDD as a slave/backup - I might as well go for a big USB stick.

I'd been thinking along similar lines, but USB hard disk drives are still much cheaper for big drive capacities. If you only want to backup a few documents, USB sticks are tempting, but if you want to backup a huge HDD you need another huge HDD or some sort of tape backup system.

Whatever the choice, the important thing is to backup to something! My HDD died on me a few years back, and I can remember at least 5 colleagues' drives packing up over the years, sometimes with thousands of pounds worth of important data being lost.

 

[2Loose]

As ColinJ says, but will also add that USB sticks flash memory will handle a lot less read & write cycles than a normal HDD. On the plus side, a USB stick will take a much rougher treatment, so is ideal as a 3rd backup for the more important stuff.

One of mine was fine after a 40 degree wash and I doubt that would happen with a HDD.

 

[ColinJ]

One of mine was fine after a 40 degree wash and I doubt that would happen with a HDD.

True, but I don't often leave a HDD lying around in my pocket!