Help, stuffed up one of my ntfs partitions

Hey, all

I could really use your advice on how to approach the following problem


Well I was going to install Linux Mint 4.0 final release on my desktop, so I booted up the live cd and hit the install button. Selected my language, keyboard layout, location and all that stuff before the partition editor.

Let me just say I have windows on the machine so I was aiming to get a dual boot setup. In windows I have my 320 GB HDD split into 4 partitions with one of them being 160 GB which has about 30 GB of data on it. (letter name E in windows)

Now when the partition thing showed up I checked manual since what I planed on doing was to create a 20GB partition out of the 160 GB.

Since I had done this before with the ubuntu live cd I felt quite confident and right clicked the 160Gb partition, selected edit and entered "20000" in the size box, mount point was set to "/" and type was set to "ext3".

The editor said this cannot be undone so please be sure, which I was and so clicked on next. Then the tool started partitioning which got 100 % completed then it failed at resizing and gave me an error saying it could not resize, thus no new partitions were created.

Now I got worried and was hoping it didn't stuff up my whole 160GB partition, which to my senses was correct as In windows the drive E did show up but when I tried to access it, windows said the drive needs to be formatted first.

I have not formatted it as I am still searching for a solution to this problem, I would also like to add that when I rebooted into the live cd their is no new partition of 20GB and the 160GB is listed as ext3 with a folder called lost+found in it which contains nothing.


What should I do, I would really like to get my data back at least



Thanks in advance

 

Do a google search for testdisk. It is a recovery program that could sort your partitions out. Remember that you have to enable the program before using it.
This means reading the instructions.
All of them. ;-)

 

Oh, this could be the source of your problems. You can only have four primary partitions. The installer probably tried to create a fifth and got stuck.

If this is the cause the solution (AFTER recovering your data) is to: remove one of the primary partitions you use for data and create an extended partition that wll host as many logical partition you need. One for data, for example, and one for Linux.
I do not know, though, what are the requirement for installing Linux mint. My two linuxes are on logical partitions.

BTw: nice costume. Can you fly?

 

thanks

il try out testdisk today

by the way i dont understand what you mean by your second post. what do you mean i can only have four primary partitions, and whats an extended partition with logical partition? thanks

PS, Nah, cant fly...yet...can teleport though !

 

This link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disk_partitioning should be of help.

"Caution: Cape does not enable user to fly."
Batman Costume warning label

 

This link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disk_partitioning should be of help.


Thanks, will give it a read tomorow


"Caution: Cape does not enable user to fly."
Batman Costume warning label

lol