Windows XP and Linux

[BoDill]

Recuva was recommended to me by two people at the "Linux Mint" website who are trying to help me, but after reading a lot of instructions and forum posts, I have no idea if this is what I need, or how to use it.  I tried to install Linux on my Wndows XP computer along WITH Windows, and somehow ended up with Linux, but no Windows.  Since this is a new installation, it would not bother me a bit to erase Linux, because I can reinstall it easily.  My problem is that all information, (files, charts, etc. etc.) is in the old Windows XP which no longer shows up when I try to find it.

 

If you think that there is any hope for me to recover files from a hard drive that has been loaded with Linux, I will need instructions aimed at a computer novice as to how to do it.  I'll need to know if I can use a USB stick or another hard drive, how to start, what to do, etc. etc.

 

The hard drive is a 40GB in an old Dell desktop, and Windows XP stuff occupied less than half of the space before I loaded Linux (I don't use the computer to play games, etc. just to store information on stocks, balance sheets, and that sort of thing).

 

If you think this is possible, and you would like more information, I would be happy to provide links to the many discussions I've been having with the people at Linux Mint's website, which is very similar to this one.

 

Oh yeah; my name is "Bo".

[mta]

If you can Bo, hold out for a day or so and see who on this forum can help you.

But. moving forward, I think you hint at the problem - your 'novice' status.

I'm not being cruel, I'm just suggesting the tasks and techniques that may be needed are probably going to make your head spin.

And without any of the people really knowing the actual state of your PC, and your novice status, there is a good chance you could make things worse.

 

If this lost data is important, I'm thinking it's time to take it to a pro.

At this stage, the fix may simply be to put your drive into another PC and the data is easily recovered.  Windows may need reloading, but who cares.  Data retrieval is all that counts for now.

 

You may only be looking at an hour or so of their time, so consider that before boldly going on yourself.

[Alan_B]

Do not use this Linux computer - running it may overwrite what you wish to recover - especially if you connect to the internet with it.

 

If you connect the disk to another PC then a screenshot from Windows Disk Management would tell us a lot about the situation.

[BoDill]

Hello,

 

First, I have another computer with Windows XP due to arrive here around Thusday.

 

Next, I have recently heard from another person who is helping me with Linux and he says that he has solved probelms similar to mine using "RecoverMyFiles".  I have briefly looked at the website, and it looks very interesting.  Do you have any experience with it?

 

Thanks,

Bo

[DennisD]

Hi Bo, and welcome to Piriform.

 

I've screwed up my system drive a few times in similar ways. One of them was installing a Linux Distro to a properly created partition on an already partitioned drive.

 

I ended up losing my system drive and a data partition containing all my music and photographs. All backed up, but that's not the point here.

 

I've also logged on to my computer to find a black screen and a flashing cursor. No operating system.

 

Each time I've rescued the situation with the free home version of "MiniTools Partition Wizard" installed onto a CD.

 

I booted my computer with the CD and MiniTools opened up with a display of the drive. I searched for the lost partitions, found them and restored them. On the last ocassion the computer still wouldn't boot, but my friend Alan (above) advised me that I needed to use Minitools "Rebuild MBR" to fix that. And it did.

 

The first time I recovered partitions with MiniTools I didn't need to do that, but this time I did.

 

Follow the advice above from Alan to provide a screenshot of Disk management if you can, and his next suggestions, as we always try not to step on each others toes with advice, but it wouldn't hurt to download and install MiniTools to a CD as well. Be prepared.

 

MiniTools Bootable CD:

 

There's also a flash drive version ...

 

Minitools Bootable Flash Drive:

[BoDill]

Thank you.

 

It happens to be late Sunday evening, and I have another computer due to arrive around Thursday, which may help me to recover info from my old one.

 

I will be back after I have had a chance to review the stuff you've been kind enough to recommend.

[DennisD]

If you do get to the stage of eventually looking at suggestions Bo, please be aware that we are mindful of your level of knowledge and wouldn't put you into a position of doing anything which could make matters worse.

 

For example, booting your PC with the MiniTools disk would only be to get a picture of the state of your drive. Which partitions MiniTools could see, and the condition of the file systems on any it finds. Just investigative.

 

All the procedures would have various stages of investigation only, without writing to or changing anything on your drive. And links to your discussions on the Linux forum would be appreciated.

 

Can I ask, did you prepare a properly formatted partition for the Linux install, separate from the Windows installation (obviously), and do you have any info, or a link maybe, to the procedure you followed to install the Linux operating system? And did the process appear to go well and complete?

 

Finally, do you know how to do screenshots? If not ...

 

How to do Screen Capture and use Image Hosting Sites:

[login123]

I'll post this for encouragement.  BoDill, it's easier than it sounds or looks.  Annoying, but not too complicated. 

 

OK, I'm outta here, can't contribute anything more than Dennis or Alan will. 

 

Good luck.