Help me out with an Invalid Partition Table please!!!

[Nickthestick91]

I recently tried to fix my MBR using my Windows Install disk, but it didn't work, and when I tried to fix it with SPFDisk, it only recognizes my hard drive as one partition (I have 4), and when I "Rebuild MBR", it comes back with a message of "Invalid Partition Table". Can anyone help me out please? :cry: Thanks in advance.

[Damnatory]

Have you attempted to boot from a bootdisk and repair it with a window based app like Partition Magic?

[Nickthestick91]

^ Repair what, the partition table, or the MBR? I've already tried to fix the MBR with SPFDisk and my Windows disk, but I haven't tried anything on fixing the partition table.

BTW, if there is any way that I can get access to the partitions that I need to, so I can get all of my files and stuff, please let me know, as I have no problem reformatting.

[twisterX]

I had a similar probelm when i was installing OSX on my PC and accidently formated my windows HDD to HFS+.

I installed windows xp to a 5GB partion to prevent data lost on the HDD in the other parts. Then i used http://www.recovermyfiles.com/ to recover 99% of the data.

It was hard as hell to find a torrent for it. I dont have it anymore becasue i swore to be more safe when doing stuff like that becuase i could have lost all my pics and music. Try isohunt or torrentspy. Try to get one one the latest versions.

[Nickthestick91]

^ I'll try that later, right now I'm gonna try and get the files by using the Knoppix Linux Live CD. Thanks for the help.

[Nickthestick91]

Ok, I've been trying to get Knoppix to work, but I can't, so I'm gonna try Recover My Files. Hopefully it works.

[twisterX]

Hopefully you can find the torrent. It was very hard for me to find it.

[Nickthestick91]

Ahhh, wth. How can I make a new partition without having to get into Windows? I have the Windows XP MCE Install Disk, and Ultimate Boot CD. There's some partitioning utilities on UBCD, but I'm not sure which is the safest to use. Can anyone tell me what to use on those CD's, or have any other things that they would reccommend using? Thanks.

EDIT: Nevermind, I just deleted the Mac OSX Partition and I'm gonna install it there. Hopefully nothing goes wrong.

EDIT 2: I installed Windows on that partition, and to my surprise I was able to see my other Windows partition with all the files I needed. :D Right now I'm transferring the files I need to a network drive, and I'll transfer them back to the needed computer for a full reformat. Thanks for all your help everyone!

[twisterX]

Glad to see you got all your stuff back. When it happened to me i was like OMFG OMFG WHAT AM I GONNA DO!!!

[Virtualbody1234]

If ever it happens again. Disconnect the drive and connect a spare HDD as Master, install Windows and then reconnect the original drive as a Slave.

Boot up and you should be able to access your files.

Less chance of making a mistake and losing data that way.

[twisterX]

Yea. Never use the HDD if your trying to get stuff back.

[Nickthestick91]

If ever it happens again. Disconnect the drive and connect a spare HDD as Master, install Windows and then reconnect the original drive as a Slave.

Boot up and you should be able to access your files.

Less chance of making a mistake and losing data that way.It's a laptop, so I don't think I could connect another HD, but could I connect this HD to another computer as a slave? I probably can, but just making sure.

[Virtualbody1234]

A laptop. :O

You're telling us this only now? Why wouldn't you tell us details about the computer at the beginning of the thread?

[Nickthestick91]

I didn't think that would make a difference. :wacko: