[SOLVED] Acronis true image corrupted file system on Samsung 850 EVO

chickenballs

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Dec 18, 2016
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It seems I keep making one mistake after another when upgrading my desktop.
I foolishly used Acronis True Image to clone a non system drive Samsung 850EVO 500GB to Crucial MX500 1TB.
In the past I simply copied one non system drive to another without any problems but this time when I tried to do it the "proper" way it failed and now all the data on the Samsung drive are not accessible.
The games can be redownloaded from Steam but it also has mods that I have created.
I've tried minitool but it would only scan then they want like $100 for recovering the files.
Is there any other ways (preferably free) to recover files from a drive with corrupted file system?


edit: I posted this on Acronis/crucial forums and they told me to use Samsung Magician Diagnostic tool but it only supports Samsung 860 EVO and newer....
 
Solution
For moving data only, I'd just drag and drop, rather than fiddling with a dubious program like Acronis.


You need to distinguish between lost files and lost partition.

"Not accessible".....meaning what exactly? Can't see them at all in Explorer? Can see them but can't open or run them? Or?

TestDisk can probably evaluate the partition

https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk:_undelete_file_for_FAT


GetDataBack is often useful in data recovery, but I think you have to pay

https://www.runtime.org/data-recovery-software.htm


Active Data Recovery has a decent reputation. Probably pay also.

https://www.file-recovery.com/recovery.html

I think these apps will let you see the files, but you'd have to pay to actually...
For moving data only, I'd just drag and drop, rather than fiddling with a dubious program like Acronis.


You need to distinguish between lost files and lost partition.

"Not accessible".....meaning what exactly? Can't see them at all in Explorer? Can see them but can't open or run them? Or?

TestDisk can probably evaluate the partition

https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk:_undelete_file_for_FAT


GetDataBack is often useful in data recovery, but I think you have to pay

https://www.runtime.org/data-recovery-software.htm


Active Data Recovery has a decent reputation. Probably pay also.

https://www.file-recovery.com/recovery.html

I think these apps will let you see the files, but you'd have to pay to actually copy them elsewhere.
 
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Solution
Done properly, that should have worked.

I've done a clone or Image between 2 non system drives with Macrium, no problem.

The 850 was the Source and the MX500 was the Target?

yes sir
the MX500 was the target

For moving data only, I'd just drag and drop, rather than fiddling with a dubious program like Acronis.


You need to distinguish between lost files and lost partition.

"Not accessible".....meaning what exactly? Can't see them at all in Explorer? Can see them but can't open or run them? Or?

TestDisk can probably evaluate the partition

https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk:_undelete_file_for_FAT


GetDataBack is often useful in data recovery, but I think you have to pay

https://www.runtime.org/data-recovery-software.htm


Active Data Recovery has a decent reputation. Probably pay also.

https://www.file-recovery.com/recovery.html

I think these apps will let you see the files, but you'd have to pay to actually copy them elsewhere.

yes that's what I used to do...
nope the entire ssd shows up in Explorer but whenever I tried to access it it would say:

You need to format the disk in drive G: before you can use it.

and chkdsk says:
The type of the file system is NTFS.
The first NTFS boot sector is unreadable or corrupt.
Reading second NTFS boot sector instead.
The first NTFS boot sector is unreadable or corrupt.
Reading second NTFS boot sector instead.
Unable to determine volume version and state. CHKDSK aborted.
 
I would do a preliminary scan with TestDisk to see how far that gets you.

Can you see the partitions in TestDisk?

I am not experienced with it, but it is typically the first choice for a home user, short of calling on an expensive data recovery outfit.

DON'T write anything else to the disk.

There may be semi-experts on data recovery on this forum. I don't know.
 
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Did the clone operating finish with no errors?

Is the data fully available on either drive?
nope
I was afk for like 10 min and when I got back I got this error message saying that cloning failed.
The MX500 was empty and the 850EVO dead.


I would do a preliminary scan with TestDisk to see how far that gets you.

Can you see the partitions in TestDisk?

I am not experienced with it, but it is typically the first choice for a home user, short of calling on an expensive data recovery outfit.

DON'T write anything else to the disk.

There may be semi-experts on data recovery on this forum. I don't know.

it says:

The harddisk (500 GB / 465 GiB) seems too small! (< 2207 GB / 2055 GiB)
Check the harddisk size: HD jumper settings, BIOS detection... The following partition can't be recovered: Partition Start End Size in sectors > FAT16 <32M 178906 27 1 268389 249 46 1437558427

and

No partition 0 0 1 60800 254 63 976768065
 
If that partition is in fact the only partition on the drive and that TestDisk is correct in its assessment, then I would assume your only remaining choice is individual file recovery....because the partition is lost.

I suppose there is some chance of rebuilding the partition, but that's a guess. TestDisk says no.

Is there a choice in TestDisk for an advanced scan of some type?

I could be wrong; not an expert.

Which would point toward GetDataBack or Active Data Recovery as plausible answers.......reach toward your wallet.

BUT, don't take my word for anything. Seek other input.
 
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nope
I was afk for like 10 min and when I got back I got this error message saying that cloning failed.
The MX500 was empty and the 850EVO dead.
Something is not quite right (obviously).
A clone operation does not kill or delete anything from the Source.
A failed clone should just mean that it failed to write fully to the Target drive.

Please show us a screencap of your Disk Management window.
 
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vcwdqBp.jpg
 
Can you show us the partitions window in DMDE?

https://dmde.com/

Depending on the damage, the free version may be enough to recover your data.
80QH9fU.jpg


Am I correct in assuming that this software only allows me to recover one folder at a time not including any subfolders...
Wow! I never thought data recovery even in the simplest and basic form cost money

WHAT DRIVE did you run TestDisk on?

The Samsung?

The MX500?

Confusion reigns.

Samsung because thats where my data is.
MX500 is still an empty drive

The Samsung was about 60% full or about 300GB of data on it but now it shows its 0% empty
 
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The Indicators column in DMDE tells you whether a partition has an entry in the partition table (E), a valid boot sector (B), a copy of the boot sector (C), and a recognisable file system (F).

If you d-click $Volume 02, and expand the $Root, can you see your original file/folder tree?

I know it sounds silly, but your best chance for recovery is to clone your drive, sector by sector, and then run data recovery software against the clone. However, it may be that your data have already been TRIM-ed. :-(
 
Well....we need to see info on the relevant drives.

sorry.
I am trying to fix some other issues on my new PC here, like windows is not detecting Realtek audio.
I will unplug the Samsung drive and install the MX500 soon.
Your signature picture kinda described how things are going with my attempt to move from intel i7 4790K and windows7 to Ryzen and Win10 except mine is like a Tomahawk hitting a wooden shed full of gas cans...
 
This is what it looked like when I tried to clone the Samsung 850 EVO 500GB drive to the MX500.
The Samsung drive was connected to the PC through SATAtoUSB adapter while the MX500 was connected internally to the motherboard.

G: is the Samsung 850EVO 500GB source drive
F: is MX500 1TB target drive

rH7gOVL.jpg



Fix one thing at a time.

And that sig pic has reportedly helped hundreds of people, in preventing loss of data.
Well IF I manage to recover my data this time I am definitely going to start doing backups.
I've been hording ssds and actually have 2 nvme, drives that I haven't installed yet.
So maybe I'll just turn the 850 500gb and MX500 into backup storage devices...

The Indicators column in DMDE tells you whether a partition has an entry in the partition table (E), a valid boot sector (B), a copy of the boot sector (C), and a recognisable file system (F).

If you d-click $Volume 02, and expand the $Root, can you see your original file/folder tree?

I know it sounds silly, but your best chance for recovery is to clone your drive, sector by sector, and then run data recovery software against the clone. However, it may be that your data have already been TRIM-ed. :-(

Well I've managed to recover one folder but it only allows me to recover one folder at a time and doesn't include sub folders. It's workable but it will take many many hours to recover the whole drive
 
Last edited:
This is what it looked like when I tried to clone the Samsung 850 EVO 500GB drive to the MX500.
The Samsung drive was connected to the PC through SATAtoUSB adapter while the MX500 was connected internally to the motherboard.

G: is the Samsung 850EVO 500GB source drive
F: is MX500 1TB target drive

rH7gOVL.jpg




Well IF I manage to recover my data this time I am definitely going to start doing backups.
I've been hording ssds and actually have 2 nvme, drives that I haven't installed yet.
So maybe I'll just turn the 850 500gb and MX500 into backup storage devices...



Well I've managed to recover one folder but it only allows me to recover one folder at a time and doesn't include sub folders. It's workable but it will take many many hours to recover the whole drive

It essentially is looking at the individual files on the drive and ignoring the partition information etc. for the OS to mount it the partition has to be defined at the beginning of the disk. I think it might be sector 63. It has been awhile.

Essentially you have a file that starts at say sector 100 .. at the end of that sector if the file isn’t complete it tells you where the next sector is and so on.
If windows were to mount it .. it would have all of that information in an MFT (Master File Table).

I work with enterprise fibre channel storage.
I have had to recover/rebuild partition tables etc. using disk probe.

So essentially you have a book that doesnt have a cover, title or index in/on it. So the Librarian doesnt even want to look inside. I.e. the OS wont mount it.

Your software looks at just the words inside and puts things together for you.
You could manually re-write the partition table but if you screw it up and windows decided to run chkdsk and “fix” it for you it could destroy the actual bits that you want to recover.

Re-writing the partition table by hand is prone to not be exact. It’s not too much of a problem when you just need to recover the data. What I used to do is make a snapshot of the LUN/disk. Then format it and copy the partition table information from it then revert the snapshot then put that clean partition info back on it and see if it worked.

If you look at the below you can get your learn on. Just look at the title and be warned.

 
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It essentially is looking at the individual files on the drive and ignoring the partition information etc. for the OS to mount it the partition has to be defined at the beginning of the disk. I think it might be sector 63. It has been awhile.

Essentially you have a file that starts at say sector 100 .. at the end of that sector if the file isn’t complete it tells you where the next sector is and so on.
If windows were to mount it .. it would have all of that information in an MFT (Master File Table).

I work with enterprise fibre channel storage.
I have had to recover/rebuild partition tables etc. using disk probe.

So essentially you have a book that doesnt have a cover, title or index in/on it. So the Librarian doesnt even want to look inside. I.e. the OS wont mount it.

Your software looks at just the words inside and puts things together for you.
You could manually re-write the partition table but if you screw it up and windows decided to run chkdsk and “fix” it for you it could destroy the actual bits that you want to recover.

Re-writing the partition table by hand is prone to not be exact. It’s not too much of a problem when you just need to recover the data. What I used to do is make a snapshot of the LUN/disk. Then format it and copy the partition table information from it then revert the snapshot then put that clean partition info back on it and see if it worked.

If you look at the below you can get your learn on. Just look at the title and be warned.

Thank you for your very informative response.
What you said explains why chkdsk gave me this message

The type of the file system is NTFS.
The first NTFS boot sector is unreadable or corrupt.
Reading second NTFS boot sector instead.
The first NTFS boot sector is unreadable or corrupt.
Reading second NTFS boot sector instead.
Unable to determine volume version and state. CHKDSK aborted.

Though I am tempted to learn how to remake that "book cover" but I've never liked software codes. I even quit a computer science class and chose economics instead.

If those demo/free recovery software are able to find all my files it shouldn't be that difficult to extract them.
It was a clone operation gone wrong and as USAFRet said it shouldn't have killed or deleted anything from the source just failed to write to the target drive.

There is absolutely no free software out there that can rebuild the NTFS boot sectors?
I think Acronis/Crucial should provide a solution in case their crap cloning software would do something like this.
funny that those recovery software cost as much as a good 1TB ssd
 
There is absolutely no free software out there that can rebuild the NTFS boot sectors?
The free version of DMDE can do this with a couple of clicks.

However, the damage seems to be more extensive than a simple boot sector. We could restore the boot sector of $Volume 02 to LBA 2052, but that seems like a strange location. The usual LBA is 2048, but the boot sector at this location is not associated with a file system.

Are you retrieving your files from $Volume 02 or $Volume 01?