Discussion:
Diskpart / Clean
(too old to reply)
Ian
2010-01-28 16:31:01 UTC
Permalink
I have a Windows Server 2003 on C: and data files on D:. For some reason, I
did the followings:
1.boot into Windows PE
2.run diskpart
3.select disk 0
4.select partition 1
5.clean

At this point, I realized that Step 5 above wiped out my whole disk, not
just C: drive. Then I did:

6.create partitions for C: and D: as the the same size before
7.install windows server 2003 on C: again
8.install Data Recovery software to recover the data on D:

I recovered all folders and files I need with the same file/folder names but
all of them seem corrupted. Text files like txt, doc, xls, pdf show garbage
when open.

I tried different data recovery software with the same results. I used those
software before to do data recovery many times when accidentally format disk
or delete partition, never have this problem. What diskpart/clean do?
Pegasus [MVP]
2010-01-28 17:32:46 UTC
Permalink
Post by Ian
I have a Windows Server 2003 on C: and data files on D:. For some reason, I
1.boot into Windows PE
2.run diskpart
3.select disk 0
4.select partition 1
5.clean
At this point, I realized that Step 5 above wiped out my whole disk, not
6.create partitions for C: and D: as the the same size before
7.install windows server 2003 on C: again
I recovered all folders and files I need with the same file/folder names but
all of them seem corrupted. Text files like txt, doc, xls, pdf show garbage
when open.
I tried different data recovery software with the same results. I used those
software before to do data recovery many times when accidentally format disk
or delete partition, never have this problem. What diskpart/clean do?
Diskpart.exe is much like a razor blade. Use it at your own risk and not
before you have read the manual:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/300415
Jonathan de Boyne Pollard
2010-01-28 19:51:35 UTC
Permalink
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<blockquote
cite="mid:25EEDB88-53ED-4F68-9AE9-***@microsoft.com"
type="cite">
<p wrap="">6.create partitions for C: and D: as the the same size
before<br>
</p>
</blockquote>
<p>... but possibly not in the same <em>place</em>.</p>
<blockquote
cite="mid:25EEDB88-53ED-4F68-9AE9-***@microsoft.com"
type="cite">
<p wrap="">7.install windows server 2003 on C: again<br>
</p>
</blockquote>
<p>... which doesn't necessarily put the same files in the same places,
thus overwriting some of the data files that you wanted to recover.</p>
<blockquote
cite="mid:25EEDB88-53ED-4F68-9AE9-***@microsoft.com"
type="cite">
<p wrap="">What diskpart/clean do?<br>
</p>
</blockquote>
<p>It's what <em>you</em> did <em>afterwards</em> that was the
problem.  The first rule of data recovery is <strong>Don't write to
the volume.</strong>  You broke it.<br>
</p>
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Danny Sanders
2010-01-28 22:51:59 UTC
Permalink
Did you not make a backup before doing this? If not that was your first
mistake.
Are you not backing up your servers on a regular basis?
Post by Ian
I tried different data recovery software with the same results. I used those
software before to do data recovery many times when accidentally format disk
or delete partition, never have this problem. What diskpart/clean do?
It seems you have "many times accidentally" (WOW) deleted partitions or
formatted disks without making or having backups and then you have to
recover using some third party software.

I really don't know what to make of that paragraph.

DDS
Post by Ian
I have a Windows Server 2003 on C: and data files on D:. For some reason, I
1.boot into Windows PE
2.run diskpart
3.select disk 0
4.select partition 1
5.clean
At this point, I realized that Step 5 above wiped out my whole disk, not
6.create partitions for C: and D: as the the same size before
7.install windows server 2003 on C: again
I recovered all folders and files I need with the same file/folder names but
all of them seem corrupted. Text files like txt, doc, xls, pdf show garbage
when open.
I tried different data recovery software with the same results. I used those
software before to do data recovery many times when accidentally format disk
or delete partition, never have this problem. What diskpart/clean do?
Ian
2010-01-29 02:55:01 UTC
Permalink
Has anyone actually tried to recover data ok after using diskpart/clean?
Post by Ian
I have a Windows Server 2003 on C: and data files on D:. For some reason, I
1.boot into Windows PE
2.run diskpart
3.select disk 0
4.select partition 1
5.clean
At this point, I realized that Step 5 above wiped out my whole disk, not
6.create partitions for C: and D: as the the same size before
7.install windows server 2003 on C: again
I recovered all folders and files I need with the same file/folder names but
all of them seem corrupted. Text files like txt, doc, xls, pdf show garbage
when open.
I tried different data recovery software with the same results. I used those
software before to do data recovery many times when accidentally format disk
or delete partition, never have this problem. What diskpart/clean do?
Pegasus [MVP]
2010-01-29 07:31:00 UTC
Permalink
Post by Ian
Has anyone actually tried to recover data ok after using diskpart/clean?
Your question is equivalent to asking "Has anyone ever sown his hand back on
again after hacking it off deliberately". Very unlikely. Perhaps some
partition recovery tool might be able to do it - check Google.
Jonathan de Boyne Pollard
2010-01-29 18:42:09 UTC
Permalink
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<blockquote
cite="mid:517B292E-8CB3-4640-8433-***@microsoft.com"
type="cite">
<blockquote type="cite">
<p>Has anyone actually tried to recover data ok after using
diskpart/clean?
</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Your question is equivalent to asking "Has anyone ever sown his
hand back on again after hacking it off deliberately". </p>
</blockquote>
<p>No, it isn't.  <code>clean</code> doesn't actually do very much,
and with a modicum of expertise and the right tools its effects are
relatively easy to undo.  "Ian" clearly still hasn't grasped the fact
that it isn't <code>clean</code> that was what destroyed the data.  It
was all of the mucking around <em>writing to the volumes</em> that xe
did <em>afterwards</em> that destroyed everything.  Go and look at
what xe actually did.  Focussing on <code>clean</code> is to miss the
fact that xe <em>created and formatted new partitions and installed
afresh the entire operating system and the data recovery software on
the disc whose data were to be recovered</em>, for starters.  Xe broke
the first rule of data recovery in spectacular fashion.  Perhaps the
most ironic thing here is that given that xe apparently only had the
two partitions, <code>clean</code> itself probably only touched <em>one
sector of the disc</em>, or possibly <em>two</em> sectors — a tiny
amount compared to the amount of disc sectors that xe then overwrote
afterwards.  As I said, <code>clean</code> (without the <code>all</code>
option) doesn't actually do very much.  It isn't what did the damage
here.<br>
</p>
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Pegasus [MVP]
2010-01-29 19:47:14 UTC
Permalink
Point taken.
"Jonathan de Boyne Pollard" <J.deBoynePollard-***@NTLWorld.COM> said this in news item news:***@J.de.Boyne.Pollard.localhost...
Has anyone actually tried to recover data ok after using diskpart/clean?

Your question is equivalent to asking "Has anyone ever sown his hand back on again after hacking it off deliberately".

No, it isn't. clean doesn't actually do very much, and with a modicum of expertise and the right tools its effects are relatively easy to undo. "Ian" clearly still hasn't grasped the fact that it isn't clean that was what destroyed the data. It was all of the mucking around writing to the volumes that xe did afterwards that destroyed everything. Go and look at what xe actually did. Focussing on clean is to miss the fact that xe created and formatted new partitions and installed afresh the entire operating system and the data recovery software on the disc whose data were to be recovered, for starters. Xe broke the first rule of data recovery in spectacular fashion. Perhaps the most ironic thing here is that given that xe apparently only had the two partitions, clean itself probably only touched one sector of the disc, or possibly two sectors — a tiny amount compared to the amount of disc sectors that xe then overwrote afterwards. As I said, clean (without the all option) doesn't actually do very much. It isn't what did the damage here.
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