How Do I Get Data From a Reformatted Drive?
 

I have a 200 GB partition on my system that is just for music files and other media.

I did an ubuntu install to a neighboring partition. I thought I was telling the installer simply to mount an existing partition and to type it as reiserfs (which I'm not sure was the correct type, but I was prepared to change it in fstab later if need be). Instead, I realized too late, I told the installer to *format* it as reiserfs.

The installer performed a quick format and I think just changed the fs records without overwriting any data.

I complicated the situation further by using qtparted to change the file system type to ext2 (which I think was the actual partition type before the change) This of course didn't work and the subsequent e2fsck said the partition was perfectly okay.

I then read about gpart and am currently running it with the -b and the -W options. It might even work, but I doubt it.

So can anyone help me or point me in the right direction to attempt to

1) look at the raw binary data on the disk,
2) recognize the mp3s that are on it, and
3) restore them either to that partition or a different one?
I can rip them again as they are all from CDs I own, but it took me months to do it the first time!

Thanks for any help!

R-linux claims to be able to recover files in such a situation.
http://www.topshareware.com/R-Linux-...nload-3456.htm

Use the Linux forensics tools to recover data.. one well known product is called TCT The Coroners Toolkit.. Here is also a list of Live CD's with forensics tools on them.

P.S. do not mount that drive RW in a live system until you recover the data you need.. the more you write tot he drive the less chance you have at recovering the data..


Live Forensics CD's
http://www.frozentech.com/content/li...ics&sort=&sm=1

update: I was able to look at an old disk that used to be my primary Linux drive and found the fstab that used to mount this partition. Damn the luck - it was ext3 not ext2! Another post I read on LQ said it was near impossible to restore any data from an ext3 fs.

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...d.php?t=141740

So I think I'm going to scrap this for now, just repartition and reformat the drive, but then I'm going to recreate what I've done on a smaller throwaway drive and whittle away at the problem using these forensic tools you folks have pointed me toward. I'm going to learn this stuff!

Thanks for the help!