Ubuntu partitioned 2tb drive into 1 ext4 partition [data recoverable?]

[turdberg]

I accidentally installed ubuntu 11.10 over my windows xp and windows 7 partitions. I now have a 2tb ext4 linux partition. I lost a lot of important data to this mistake and was hoping for a run-down on how I should go about recovering it. I would have got recuva already but I didnt think itd recognize my EXT4 drive.

 

[turdberg]

I used Photorec in linux, and it was pulling mad gigs of info but all of it was labeled by almost serial number like names. If R-Studio would organize the stuff a little better or even pull the names thatd be helpful because sifting through windows system txt's for what I need is a pain. But I will not be using that hard-drive for anything other than recovering files, thanks for the help, any additional help would be appreciated. You guys rule.

On a side-note, I have a 1TB caviar green Western Digital that beeps and doesnt show up in bios... is it dead? ill make a new post if i must, you guys rule!