I accidentally installed Linux (ubuntu) on external hard drive and now I can't get to the old data on the drive. (Long dumb story)

I know it's still there because I can see it in Windows.

I moved all of the Linux operating system files to a directory called "old_install" thinking maybe if I restarted the Linux install on the internal hard drive on my comptur wouldn't think it's Linux on the external anymore. But now it just shows:
/media/usbdisk/old_install/etc /bin /opt /sbin, etc.

Also when I df -k it only says the external drive is 8GB when it's really 80GB.
/dev/sdb2 9479636 964540 8033548 11% /media/usbdisk

I backed up all the data in Windows so I can reformat it but I'd really rather not, I'd like to know if there is a way to remove Linux from the hard drive so I can get to the data again.

Remember kids, always unplug any extra hard drives when you're installing Linux (or any OS that you don't want messing with them).

Thanks!
Ferna

Run the command as root to display partitions on the drive ' /sbin/fdisk -l '. That is a lower case -L.

Brian1

You're Awesome! I found the old files. I just mounted /dev/sdb1 and there they are! Woohoo.

How silly of me to forget about our good friend fdisk

I still don't know how to make it so ubuntu automounts sdb1 and/or get rid of sdb2 though, so if you could help with that too that would be awesome-est

Thanks!

Here's the output:

/sbin/fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 81.9 GB, 81964302336 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9964 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 9777 78533721 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 9778 9964 1502077+ 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 9778 9964 1502046 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Disk /dev/sdb: 80.0 GB, 80026361856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9729 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 1 8474 68067373+ c W95 FAT32 (LBA)
/dev/sdb2 * 8475 9673 9630967+ 83 Linux
/dev/sdb3 9674 9729 449820 5 Extended
/dev/sdb5 9674 9729 449788+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris