Splitting and Merging Partitions erased ALL my data

[nvsvictor]

Rats.

My computer had a virus. So I decided to format.

It had one large partition, so since I didn't want to back up the files and reload them into a different disk, I wanted to split it with Acronis Disk Director Suite 10, boot up version.

I thought the product was bugless.

I split the hdd into 2 partitions in Acronis DOS mode. After that, couldn't boot because couldn't load ntldr

Then I tried to merge the two partitions.

Did that. Still no ntldr.

Wasted hours trying to solve ntldr problem.

Then I found out that the HDD IS COMPLETELY ERASED!!!

How the heck! I need those files back, or else my sister will stab me. (her photos).

Please, help me! I'm desperate!

Thanks.

[DwnNdrty]

Only file recovery software will be able to help, if at all. I like the one made by RStudio. While you're trying to sort this out, do not write anything at all to the drive. Is this a laptop or desktop? Is the operating system XP or Vista? You'll have to boot the computer with another drive, install the recovery software, and have the drive to be recovered connected as a slave or in a usb enclosure.

For future, always backup a drive before attempting anything like that on it, even though you suspect there's a virus on it.

[nvsvictor]

Thanks for the fast reply.

It's in an enclosure HDD as external.
I'm doing recovery software scan right now.

Thanks.

[K0LO]

Since this is the True Image forum (not Disk Director), can we assume that you also have a copy of True Image? If you do, make an image of the disk right now, in its current unusable state, as further insurance. Some attempts as file recovery can induce even more damage and if you have an image of the disk there may still be hope for recovery even if it suffers more damage.

The best way to attempt forensics on a disk like this is to image it, then restore the image to a spare drive and do all of your recovery work on the spare drive. If you screw up, restore the image again and try again. If at all possible, don't work on the original drive.

If you can do this, we could offer further suggestions about using Acronis Recovery Expert to try to recover the damaged partitions.

[nvsvictor]

Thanks a lot guys. I appreciate your help.

Since this forum is closing, we'll have to wrap it up with your kindness in replying.

I have true image, and I plan to do what you said K0LO and DwnNdrty.

Peace.

[K0LO]

Perhaps we'll meet again when the new Acronis forum goes live. In the mean time, if you manage to make an image of your sister's disk, find or borrow a spare hard disk and restore the image to the spare disk. Connect the disk to a PC that can run Disk Director. Start Disk Director and use it to delete all of the partitions on the disk(!) Then run the Acronis Recovery Expert and see if it can find and reconstruct a valid partition table. Recovery Expert examines unallocated space on the disk looking for evidence of former partitions. That's the reason for deleting the partitions.

DO NOT do this on your sister's disk - it's too risky. Only try it on the spare disk.

If this is a bust, restore the image again to the test disk and run a good file recovery program to see what it can turn up. You can do this all day without risk to the original data - that's the beauty of the imaging method.