View Full Version : [SOLVED] Windows can't access secondary hard drive
sssSami
March 22nd, 2012, 06:04 PM
I've just installed Ubuntu(the wrong CD, so it's 32 bits instead of 64) on a secondary hard drive.
The hard-drive already contains a NTFS-partition, where I keep my games.
Everything seemed to work, until I booted into Windows again (Home Premium, 64 bits). It acted quite slowly, and I couldn't find the secondary hard drive in Computer.
When I checked in the Control Panel, it said the hard drive was invalid, altough everything seemed fine from Ubuntu.
How can I grant Windows access to that partition again? :-k
After I've solved that, I guess I'll overwrite the 32 bits Ubuntu installation with a 64 bits, unless that makes any harm?
2F4U
March 22nd, 2012, 07:18 PM
By default, Windows is unable to read ext3/ext4 partitions. You would need to install extra drivers.
http://www.webupd8.org/2011/08/access-ext4-ext3-or-ext2-partitions-in.html
http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-read-ext3ext4-linux-partition-from-windows-7.html
sssSami
March 22nd, 2012, 08:01 PM
It'd be appreciated if you'd read what I wrote :roll:
The hard-drive already contains a NTFS-partition, where I keep my games.
darkod
March 22nd, 2012, 08:10 PM
So, you can read that ntfs partition correctly from ubuntu? Open files? Save files?
oldfred
March 22nd, 2012, 08:12 PM
Post this to see if something did not get changed.
sudo fdisk -lu
And if possible see if you can run chkdsk on the partition, but if Windows cannot see it I am not sure if you can.
Windows partitions have to have a boot sector that is NTFS even if it is not a bootable NTFS partitions.
I do not know how to see partition boot sector except by using boot info script or testdisk.
Boot Repair:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Repair
You can repair many boot issues with this or post the link to a run of boot info script so we can see your exact configuration.
If boot sector is corrupt, testdisk can also restore from the backup if the backup is still ok.
repairs including testdisk info & link to testdisk, testdisk is in repository and on most repairCDs
http://members.iinet.net.au/~herman546/p21.html
http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntucat/recoverdeletedfiles/
download TestDisk http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk
As described, it has an option to "Recover NTFS boot sector from its backup"
If Backup BS isn't available, choose RebuildBS.
Instructions
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Step_By_Step
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/Menu_Analyse
sssSami
March 22nd, 2012, 08:26 PM
So, you can read that ntfs partition correctly from ubuntu? Open files? Save files?
I'm listening to music from the Windows partition, so yeah, I guess so.
Post this to see if something did not get changed.
sudo fdisk -lu
And if possible see if you can run chkdsk on the partition, but if Windows cannot see it I am not sure if you can.
Windows partitions have to have a boot sector that is NTFS even if it is not a bootable NTFS partitions.
I do not know how to see partition boot sector except by using boot info script or testdisk.
Boot Repair:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Repair
You can repair many boot issues with this or post the link to a run of boot info script so we can see your exact configuration.
If boot sector is corrupt, testdisk can also restore from the backup if the backup is still ok.
repairs including testdisk info & link to testdisk, testdisk is in repository and on most repairCDs
http://members.iinet.net.au/~herman546/p21.html (http://members.iinet.net.au/%7Eherman546/p21.html)
http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntucat/recoverdeletedfiles/
download TestDisk http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk
As described, it has an option to "Recover NTFS boot sector from its backup"
If Backup BS isn't available, choose RebuildBS.
Instructions
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Step_By_Step
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/Menu_Analyse
Disk /dev/sda: 1500.3 GB, 1500301910016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 182401 cylinders, total 2930277168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x50000000
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 63 240974 120456 de Dell Utility
/dev/sda2 * 241664 21012479 10385408 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda3 21012480 2923106303 1451046912 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda4 2923108350 2930276351 3584001 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 2923108352 2930276351 3584000 82 Linux swap / Solaris
Disk /dev/sdb: 250.1 GB, 250059350016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders, total 488397168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xf696388e
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 63 2047 992+ 42 SFS
/dev/sdb2 * 2048 244199423 122098688 42 SFS
/dev/sdb3 244199424 486443007 121121792 83 Linux
/dev/sdb4 486445054 488396799 975873 5 Extended
/dev/sdb5 486445056 488396799 975872 82 Linux swap / Solaris
Disk /dev/sdc: 31.5 GB, 31457280000 bytes
256 heads, 6 sectors/track, 40000 cylinders, total 61440000 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xc3072e18
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdc1 * 32 61439999 30719984 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
Disk /dev/mapper/cryptswap1: 3670 MB, 3670016000 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 446 cylinders, total 7168000 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xe52e8187
Disk /dev/mapper/cryptswap1 doesn't contain a valid partition table
Disk /dev/mapper/cryptswap2: 999 MB, 999292928 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121 cylinders, total 1951744 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xd8972f09
Disk /dev/mapper/cryptswap2 doesn't contain a valid partition table
EDIT. that boot-repair thing gave me this url: http://paste.ubuntu.com/895594/
darkod
March 22nd, 2012, 09:50 PM
We are talking about the 250GB disk, right?
Look at the SFS partitions sdb1 and sdb2. It's not ntfs, it's sfs. That means dynamic disk in windows which is MS format. Ubuntu shouldn't have even installed on that disk.
I guess that tampered with the format and windows is reporting it as corrupted now.
I would suggest to backup all data first from those partitions, and then try to make the disk basic again with tools like Partition Wizard or similar. People have reported success although I have never used tool like that.
Not sure if switching it to basic will mess up the installed ubuntu. Usually people do this before installing ubuntu.
sssSami
March 22nd, 2012, 10:27 PM
We are talking about the 250GB disk, right?
Look at the SFS partitions sdb1 and sdb2. It's not ntfs, it's sfs. That means dynamic disk in windows which is MS format. Ubuntu shouldn't have even installed on that disk.
I guess that tampered with the format and windows is reporting it as corrupted now.
I would suggest to backup all data first from those partitions, and then try to make the disk basic again with tools like Partition Wizard or similar. People have reported success although I have never used tool like that.
Not sure if switching it to basic will mess up the installed ubuntu. Usually people do this before installing ubuntu.
I don't mind reinstalling Ubuntu. I was going to do that anyway(I want 64 bits instead).
I'd hope that I wouldn't have to make a backup, because I've stored about 70 GB there(games most of it).
darkod
March 22nd, 2012, 10:49 PM
People have reported converting to basic disk without data loss, but I wouldn't dare suggesting it without a backup. :) Especially since I never needed to use the tool.
Since you plan to reinstall ubuntu anyway, delete the ubuntu partitions first, it might help the conversion process. Make sure you can boot (restore windows bootloader) if you decide to delete the ubuntu partitions, not to end up with broken grub2.
sssSami
March 23rd, 2012, 01:41 PM
People have reported converting to basic disk without data loss, but I wouldn't dare suggesting it without a backup. :) Especially since I never needed to use the tool.
Since you plan to reinstall ubuntu anyway, delete the ubuntu partitions first, it might help the conversion process. Make sure you can boot (restore windows bootloader) if you decide to delete the ubuntu partitions, not to end up with broken grub2.
How do I restore the Windows bootloader, and how am I supposed to convert the disk?
EDIT: Found that out. I didn't need to remove GRUB, and converting could be done from Windows.
oldfred
March 23rd, 2012, 04:27 PM
Some tools that may work. Some require the non-free versions. I thought the Mini-Tools was free but the free one does not do conversion. I think the Easeus free version does. There may be others.
All suggest having really good backups as any system editing can have unexpected results.
Dynamic volume is a Microsoft proprietary format developed together with Veritas (now acquired by Symantec) for logical volumes.
You may be use a third-party tool, such as Partition Wizard MiniTool or EASEUS to convert a convert a dynamic disk to a basic disk without having to delete or format them.
Converted with EASEUS Partition Master
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1692248
http://www.partition-tool.com/personal.htm
Converted from dynamic with MiniTool, & repaired windows
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1779529
http://www.partitionwizard.com/convertpartition/convert-to-basic-disk.html
SFS converting:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/26829-convert-dynamic-disk-basic-disk.html
Some have used Linux tools but I generally suggest Windows tools for Windows and Linux tools for Linux unless you have to make repairs to Windows from Linux as sometimes Windows tools do not work.
Post 96 using sfdisk - must have only 4 partitions
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/26829-convert-dynamic-disk-basic-disk-10.html
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/309044
Used testdisk but see caveats in Post#7:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1669418
Used EASEUS Partition Master
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1692248
EASEUS Partition Master - The free home edition converted both dynamic partitions into basic partitions in less than 5 minutes!!
http://www.partition-tool.com/personal.htm
Also used testdisk
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1675420
Not sure if in "free" version, but older version had it & was free see 4.2:
http://www.partitionwizard.com/help/convert-dynamic-disk-to-basic-disk.html
http://www.hdd-tool.com/partition-manager/change-partition-type-logical-to-primary-without-data-losing.htm
http://mypkb.wordpress.com/2007/03/28/how-to-non-destructively-convert-dynamic-disks-to-basic-disks/
How to restore the Ubuntu/XP/Vista/7 bootloader (Updated for Ubuntu 9.10 - grub2) - talsemgeest
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1014708
Reinstall grub2 - Short version & full chroot version
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2#Reinstalling%20GRUB2
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