Defrag Erased Files

[BigBob]

Sorry for the crossposts but I'm in dire need.

I am running XP pro SP1, 1gig ram,
I have a 250 gig external drive NTFS with 2 partitions one primary and one
logical. I went to defrag the drive so I could merge the 2 partitions and
the defrag program got through about 40% and just hung there. I hit pause
and then stop, then exited the program. I then tried to look at the drives
in My Computer and the second partion had been changed to unallocated space
and was showing that it was empty. Somewhere I lost 117 gig of files! I
tried to convert the unallocated space to ntfs and it wants me to format it.
I'm reluctant to do that because I don't want to lose my files.
If it the unallocated drive says 117 gb and o used space does that mean I've
lost those files?
Did defragment put my files in temp folder somewhere, or are they gone?
If I try system restore it will not complete.
I know they say when files are deleted they are still on your computer, but
where?
I never had a problem with defrag before.
I sure would appreciate it if someone could help. I've lost a lot of
irreplaceable digital pictures and mp3s somewhere.
Please help.

[Mike]

How much unallocated space did you have? This would have been allocated
during partitioning of your drive unless you specified the size of your
partition. Sound to me like you've been playing with dangerous toys like
FDISK or partitioning software. And by using System Restore you've probably
now overwritten when Defrag used as temporary storage.

"BigBob" > wrote in message
...
> Sorry for the crossposts but I'm in dire need.
>
> I am running XP pro SP1, 1gig ram,
> I have a 250 gig external drive NTFS with 2 partitions one primary and one
> logical. I went to defrag the drive so I could merge the 2 partitions and
> the defrag program got through about 40% and just hung there. I hit pause
> and then stop, then exited the program. I then tried to look at the drives
> in My Computer and the second partion had been changed to unallocated
space
> and was showing that it was empty. Somewhere I lost 117 gig of files! I
> tried to convert the unallocated space to ntfs and it wants me to format
it.
> I'm reluctant to do that because I don't want to lose my files.
> If it the unallocated drive says 117 gb and o used space does that mean
I've
> lost those files?
> Did defragment put my files in temp folder somewhere, or are they gone?
> If I try system restore it will not complete.
> I know they say when files are deleted they are still on your computer,
but
> where?
> I never had a problem with defrag before.
> I sure would appreciate it if someone could help. I've lost a lot of
> irreplaceable digital pictures and mp3s somewhere.
> Please help.
>
>

[Harry Ohrn]

If these files are irreplaceable you had best consult a data recovery
service. It will cost you though. Mucking around and trying things like
converting files systems, running system restore etc is going to make it
more difficult to resurrect these files and might actually render it an
impossible task.
--

Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell\User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp


"BigBob" > wrote in message
...
> Sorry for the crossposts but I'm in dire need.
>
> I am running XP pro SP1, 1gig ram,
> I have a 250 gig external drive NTFS with 2 partitions one primary and one
> logical. I went to defrag the drive so I could merge the 2 partitions and
> the defrag program got through about 40% and just hung there. I hit pause
> and then stop, then exited the program. I then tried to look at the drives
> in My Computer and the second partion had been changed to unallocated
space
> and was showing that it was empty. Somewhere I lost 117 gig of files! I
> tried to convert the unallocated space to ntfs and it wants me to format
it.
> I'm reluctant to do that because I don't want to lose my files.
> If it the unallocated drive says 117 gb and o used space does that mean
I've
> lost those files?
> Did defragment put my files in temp folder somewhere, or are they gone?
> If I try system restore it will not complete.
> I know they say when files are deleted they are still on your computer,
but
> where?
> I never had a problem with defrag before.
> I sure would appreciate it if someone could help. I've lost a lot of
> irreplaceable digital pictures and mp3s somewhere.
> Please help.
>
>

[Nicholas]

Undelete 3.0 for Windows XP
http://www.executive.com/undelete/undelete.asp


--=20
Nicholas

-------------------------------------------------------------------------=
------------------

"BigBob" > wrote in message:
...

| Sorry for the crossposts but I'm in dire need.
|=20
| I am running XP pro SP1, 1gig ram,
| I have a 250 gig external drive NTFS with 2 partitions one primary and =
one
| logical. I went to defrag the drive so I could merge the 2 partitions =
and
| the defrag program got through about 40% and just hung there. I hit =
pause
| and then stop, then exited the program. I then tried to look at the =
drives
| in My Computer and the second partion had been changed to unallocated =
space
| and was showing that it was empty. Somewhere I lost 117 gig of files! =
I
| tried to convert the unallocated space to ntfs and it wants me to =
format it.
| I'm reluctant to do that because I don't want to lose my files.
| If it the unallocated drive says 117 gb and o used space does that =
mean I've
| lost those files?
| Did defragment put my files in temp folder somewhere, or are they =
gone?
| If I try system restore it will not complete.
| I know they say when files are deleted they are still on your =
computer, but
| where?
| I never had a problem with defrag before.
| I sure would appreciate it if someone could help. I've lost a lot of
| irreplaceable digital pictures and mp3s somewhere.
| Please help.

[Greg Hayes/Raxco Software]

Defrag isn't capable of deleting files. I suspect a hardware or driver
issue has mangled things for you.

- Greg/Raxco Software
Microsoft MVP - Windows Storage Management/File System

Disclaimer: I work for Raxco Software, the maker of PerfectDisk - a
commercial defrag utility, as a systems engineer in the support department.


"BigBob" > wrote in message
...
> Sorry for the crossposts but I'm in dire need.
>
> I am running XP pro SP1, 1gig ram,
> I have a 250 gig external drive NTFS with 2 partitions one primary and one
> logical. I went to defrag the drive so I could merge the 2 partitions and
> the defrag program got through about 40% and just hung there. I hit pause
> and then stop, then exited the program. I then tried to look at the drives
> in My Computer and the second partion had been changed to unallocated
space
> and was showing that it was empty. Somewhere I lost 117 gig of files! I
> tried to convert the unallocated space to ntfs and it wants me to format
it.
> I'm reluctant to do that because I don't want to lose my files.
> If it the unallocated drive says 117 gb and o used space does that mean
I've
> lost those files?
> Did defragment put my files in temp folder somewhere, or are they gone?
> If I try system restore it will not complete.
> I know they say when files are deleted they are still on your computer,
but
> where?
> I never had a problem with defrag before.
> I sure would appreciate it if someone could help. I've lost a lot of
> irreplaceable digital pictures and mp3s somewhere.
> Please help.
>
>

[Ted]

"Greg Hayes/Raxco Software" > wrote in =
message ...

> - Greg/Raxco Software
> Microsoft MVP - Windows Storage Management/File System
>=20
> Disclaimer: I work for Raxco Software, the maker of PerfectDisk - a
> commercial defrag utility, as a systems engineer in the support =
department.

Shouldn't your disclaimer have the term "SPAM" somewhere before or after =
the word "disclaimer"?

ie,

"SPAM Disclaimer: I work for Raxco Software, the maker of PerfectDisk - =
a
commercial defrag utility, as a systems engineer in the support =
department."

or:

"Disclaimer: I SPAM here for my company, Raxco Software, the maker of =
PerfectDisk - a
commercial defrag utility, as a systems engineer in the support =
department."