Linux install overwrote windows partition

[steveor]

Hi

I installed a linux distro on my windows pc, unfortunately the process overwrote one of my windows disks.
I used Zar in the default mode and I've managed to retrieve the desired files and directories but I'm not able to open them
eg pdf, jpg and executables despite the file structure looking OK.

Is it possible that due to framentation of the original disk part of the original file is missing.

Is there a more complex set of config settings I should use other than defaults.

Nice prog by the way, I've got further than some of the other demo progs
I tried.

regards
Steve

[Alexey V. Gubin]

Get the log file,
C:\Program Files\ZAR\logfile.txt
ZIP it and email to me at
development@z-a-recovery.com

In some cases it might be possible to use a specific set of settings and improve the result. However, I need to see the log file in order to derive these settings (if possible).

[steveor]

Hi Alexey

I tried a different approach which is currently running. As an example a text
file which was originally restored as 8kb is now 16kb. The 8kb file is just
garbage when opened but the 16kb is correctly opened as text. I've noticed
I've had better success 3rd time around.

I'll post back when the copy finishes, zar reports 89% success

regards
Steve

[steveor]

Alexey

Its a bit late here at the moment but the copying has just finished.
ZAR reported approx 90% recovery but there are quite a few named music files
from itunes in a lostdirs directory so maybe even better!

I managed recover a game and get it working so I'm pretty confident about
the rest

Thanks for a great prog.

More detailed response tomorrow

best regards
Steve

[Alexey V. Gubin]

I'm still curious as to why it did not pick the correct parameters automatically.

[steveor]

Alexey

The hard disk was approx 115GB capacity, defragged in past couple of months.
It had about 40GB data on it, prog files, itunes, and various others eg photos,
pdfs, Eclipse etc.

Linux was accidentally installed over the top.

When I first used ZAR, being a novice the first time I followed the unformat
process BUT since I only wanted certain folders I selectively copied the foldersI thought I wanted. The files had the correct name but were full of garbage, even the text files

Second time I accidently stopped ZAR half way through

The third time I used ZAR I followed the process for partition recovery and
copied the whole 40GB+ accross. By changing the registry path to reflect the
new drive I was able to get my applications working. Text files and photos are
now useable so all is good. (I didn't read the manual -only do that when
I get stuck - and chose "Define volume manually" ;-)

I noticed that some of my itunes albums ended up in lostdirs, I could probably
fix things from there. Not really a problem as everything is backed up on an
Apple TV

Took a few hours but worth it

regards
Steve

[Alexey V. Gubin]

OK. I guess it picked up too much noise from a Linux data on a volume during the first attempt.