# Hard disk keeps wanting to be formatted but there are files on it!



## hanamck

Hi there,

I recovered my Windows XP machine from the following error:

"Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM"

by following the instructions I found on the microsoft site, but now after about 15 reboots, my second hard drive, when I click on it it keeps saying:

"The disk in drive D is not formatted. Do you want to format now?"

Now I have lots of ghost images on this disk and I know they are on there - I just don't know how to see them or understand why this drive now wants to be formatted.

I have replaced the IDE cable and unplugged/plugged the drive back in, but this has done nothing.

Please help me be able to see my files!!


----------



## Praetor

> "The disk in drive D is not formatted. Do you want to format now?"


Sounds like the partition table is toasted (translation: data recovery techniques withstanding the drive is empty)



> Now I have lots of ghost images on this disk and I know they are on there - I just don't know how to see them or understand why this drive now wants to be formatted.


The computer thinks theres nothing on the drive and that it hasnt been formatted yet



> Please help me be able to see my files!!


You can try various data recovery centres/techniques but short of that, your files are gone.


----------



## jeddi2k

Hello,
I have the exact problem and this is my second time that happend! However mine is a bit diffrent in a sense that I never had any problem meaning that I got this new hard drive and I just put it in computer and I use it like for 2 weeks and then just like that when I try to use the harddrive it gives me the exact same error as "Hanamck"s error!  WHAT SHOULD I DO? I have two hard drives one 120GB Sata and one IDE 200 GB both lying around with veryyyyyy IMPORTANT data on it. What can I do? Does anyone know a free of at least cheap software that I can recover my files and that also this would never happen again!? what could be the problem? pleae help me on this!! I really neeeeeeeed your help! I am kindly beging anyone who can help me!

Thanks,
Take care


----------



## jeddi2k

Just wanted to say that this might help: 
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Storage/Q_20762156.html

Also I have read the entire post and I know for a fact that two softwares could help:

1: EasyRecovery DataRecovery 
http://www.ontrack.com/easyrecoverydatarecovery/

2: GetDataBack for FAT ==OR== GetDataBack for NTFS
http://www.runtime.org/

However I am still testing!! I will let you guys know!

Take care all


----------



## Praetor

The OnTrack stuff is pretty kewl... and has worked for me in the past.... just dont get your hopes up because although it is good -- it's not perfect nor guaranteed


----------



## jeddi2k

Yes you are right! However I just checked it out on both my harddrives and I could see lots of its files!! ) I AM SO HAPPY and now I can recover it! I CAN NOW RECOVER!!! WOW!!! TRY IT REALLY IT WORKS!! I WILL UPDATE YOU MORE ON ITS OPTIONS!! However I just found out that the Easyrecovery proffesional is much better that the Easyrecovery Datarecovery version of it! try the proffesional one! and by the way the diffrence between the GetDataBack and EasyRecovery is that Easyrecovery finds everything in a much better order and much more clean and more clear! and the GetDataBack gets everything but in a very bad order and so messy! So I recommend the EasyRecovery! 

Take care all


----------



## Praetor

Glad you got it working!


----------



## jeddi2k

YAHOOOOOOOO!! YAP ID DID WORK  

So here is what I did:

I installed Easyrecovery Proffesional and I advanced search my harddrive and I got everything!! meaning EVERYTHING back  from both my hard drives!

So everyone who had the same problem should try what I did 

Take care all,
 happy ending .... LOL


----------



## Praetor

Awesome... just make sure you go through some of the datsa you've recovered -- just because it recovered doesnt entirely mean nothing has been corrupted ... better to check now and be safe than to assume and be sorry later


----------



## jeddi2k

Praetor said:
			
		

> Awesome... just make sure you go through some of the datsa you've recovered -- just because it recovered doesnt entirely mean nothing has been corrupted ... better to check now and be safe than to assume and be sorry later



Hi,
No all the data has been recoverd only one AVI film and also 5 or 6 images were currupt but the rest meaning like 89,000 files or more    were recovered just fine! I really never thought this is going to work. I had both harddisks laying around for over a year and never thought it would work! But now I can say THANKS to Datarecovery Proffesional!!   

Hope this helps.
Take care all...


----------



## Praetor

Wow that's quite the recovery you've done there!  I wish i had the same luck LOL


----------



## jeddi2k

wish you luck next time  However hope it never happens in the first place


----------

