Corrupted NTFS Drive showing multiple unallocated partitions

Question

My external hdd with a single NTFS partition was accidentaly plugged out (kids!)... and is now corrupted.

Iv tried running ntfsfix - with no luck - output below..

When I look at the disk under disk management in Windows 7 it shows up as having 5 partitions 2 of which are unallocated - none have drive letters and it is not possible to set any (that option and most others are greyed out) - so I can't run chkdsk /f

Iv tried using Minitool partition wizard which was mentioned as a solution to another similar question here. It showed the whole drive as one partition, but as unallocated, and the option -- "Check File System" was greyout.

Is there anything else I could try ?

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Output of fdisk -l

    Disk /dev/sdb: 1500.3 GB, 1500299395072 bytes
    255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 182401 cylinders, total 2930272256 sectors
    Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
    Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytest 
    I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
    Disk identifier: 0x69205244

    This doesn't look like a partition table
    Probably you selected the wrong device.

       Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
    /dev/sdb1   ?   218129509  1920119918   850995205   72  Unknown
    /dev/sdb2   ?   729050177  1273024900   271987362   74  Unknown
    /dev/sdb3   ?   168653938   168653938           0   65  Novell Netware 386
    /dev/sdb4      2692939776  2692991410       25817+   0  Empty

    Partition table entries are not in disk order

Output of ntfsfix

me@vaio:/dev$ sudo ntfsfix /dev/sdb
Mounting volume... ntfs_mst_post_read_fixup_warn: magic: 0xffffffff  size: 1024   usa_ofs: 65535  usa_count: 65534: Invalid argument
Record 0 has no FILE magic (0xffffffff)
Failed to load $MFT: Input/output error
FAILED
Attempting to correct errors... ntfs_mst_post_read_fixup_warn: magic: 0xffffffff  size: 1024   usa_ofs: 65535  usa_count: 65534: Invalid argument
Record 0 has no FILE magic (0xffffffff)
Failed to load $MFT: Input/output error
FAILED
Failed to startup volume: Input/output error
Checking for self-located MFT segment... ntfs_mst_post_read_fixup_warn: magic: 0xffffffff  size: 1024   usa_ofs: 65535  usa_count: 65534: Invalid argument
OK
ntfs_mst_post_read_fixup_warn: magic: 0xffffffff  size: 1024   usa_ofs: 65535  usa_count: 65534: Invalid argument
Record 0 has no FILE magic (0xffffffff)
Failed to load $MFT: Input/output error
Volume is corrupt. You should run chkdsk.

Options available with MiniTool:

Related questions:

How to fix a damaged/corrupted NTFS filesystem/partition without losing the data on it?

Repair corrupted NTFS File System

Answer 1

As you have indicated that you have installed Minitool partition wizard , let's use it.

With Minitool partition wizard open:

• Right click the drive volume that is unallocated
• Select Create from the options list
• you will get a pop up box like this, (Name the volume if you like)click OK

• you will see an operation pending to create at the bottom. click the Apply check mark to execute

• Right click on the newly created volume and select Check File System

  

• When box pops up, select Check & Fix detected errors and click Start.

Answer 2

All is not neccessarily lost. I do not know how minitool works, but if it has re-written the partition table only, and not zero'd out the disk and destroyed the previous MFT backup, your data may be there UNTIL YOU WRITE OVER IT - so DO NOT copy any data to the disk.

Get testdisk. It has the best chance of re-instating the partition table to the original layout.

I would suggest also, do not use NTFS for removable drives. If you must have windows-readable: exfat does not (practically) limit your file size.

Answer 3

I notice you say you "can't run chkdsk /f" - do not try doing it from a running instance of windows.

Get alternate recovery/install/boot media (CD, USB) and boot from that, that way all filesystems will be unmounted and unmolested by windows. You will be looking for a "drop to shell" or "boot cmprompt" option (varies by release) There will be step-by-steps available for the googling, for whatever media you have.