[SOLVED] External Drive Data Loss after flashing to upgrade for Window 10 64bits

[FallingHeaven]

Hi all

I was upgrading my Window 10 32 bit to 64 bit (my hardware is compatible).

1. I downloaded the Window Media Tool and use my 1TB External hard drive (WD) as the USB flash drive to upgrade the Window. Before upgrading, the WD external drive was already used for my photo / documents backup (i.e. 5 GB had been used and no partition was set, so there is only one drive).

2. After the Window 10 was successfully upgraded to 64 bit, I could only see 4GB on my WD external drive with Window's installation files in there.

I know the remaining 996GB was unallocated after some research. And I have to re-allocate the external drive

My problem is:
A. Is my 5G backup hidden in the unallocated space? I hope this did not get formatted when I used the WD external drive as flash drive. Would the expert in here able to tell me?

B. How can I re-allocate the 996GB without formatting my WD external drive.
I need access the 5GB backup files?

Please help me out as I've done alot of research and not able to find a solution!

Much appreciated!

Jacky

 

[USAFRet]

It tells you at least twice that using that WILL wipe all data on the drive in question.
Once at the site where you obtain the MediaCration tool. And then again as you're using it when you select the USB drive to use.

It reformats the drive to FAT32, which gives a 32GB max volume. It overwrites the entire data space.

At microsoft:

When selecting the drive to use:

 

[ex_bubblehead]

The data is gone. This is why we preach backups. If you had had one you wouldn't be in this jackpot now. The first 32GB of that drive has overwritten whatever was stored there. There is no way, short of the NSA, to get that data back.

 

[FallingHeaven]

It tells you at least twice that using that WILL wipe all data on the drive in question.
Once at the site where you obtain the MediaCration tool. And then again as you're using it when you select the USB drive to use.

It reformats the drive to FAT32, which gives a 32GB max volume. It overwrites the entire data space.

At microsoft:

When selecting the drive to use:

Would Data Recovery Tool helps?

 

[USAFRet]

Thanks, would Data Recovery Tool (like EaseUS or Disk Drill) helps?

You can try. Also, PhotoRec and Autopsy.

However,

1. you'll need another drive to recover to.
2. 0% chance of getting everything.
3. What you DO get back will likely be labeled "file001, file002, file003,, etc. And NOT in the original folder structure.

You mentioned that this was "my 5G backup ".
If this was indeed a real "backup", that means the data exists elsewhere. If this was the only location, that is not a backup.

 

[FallingHeaven]

You can try. Also, PhotoRec and Autopsy.

However,

1. you'll need another drive to recover to.
2. 0% chance of getting everything.
3. What you DO get back will likely be labeled "file001, file002, file003,, etc. And NOT in the original folder structure.

You mentioned that this was "my 5G backup ".
If this was indeed a real "backup", that means the data exists elsewhere. If this was the only location, that is not a backup.

I will try the recovery tools.

Not to emphasize my stupidity and the confusion, the original files were in the internal hard drive i formatted because i was trying to 'start fresh' with the new window.

Thanks for your advise.

 

[USAFRet]

I will try the recovery tools.

Not to emphasize my stupidity and the confusion, the original files were in the internal hard drive i formatted because i was trying to 'start fresh' with the new window.

Thanks for your advise.

Any data that lives on a single device can be considered to not exist at all.