ntfs partition no more visible from windows after linux install

fif · 02-01-2005, 03:26 PM

Hi all,
I have been installing linux twice (Mdk, Suse) on a XP system and had twice the same pb. I lost visibility on a non bootable partition from windows.

Initial configuration is the following:
1st hd - two partitions, FAT32 and NTFS
2nd hd - one NTFS partition and free space

I let the installer partition the disk for install on the second disk. Once installation is done, everything works fine with linux. But I can't access the NTFS partition on the second disk from windows anymore

XP states that this partition is MBR and needs to be formated

Running cfdisk does not show anything weird. Types seems correct but as far as I can tell.

First time I had the problem, I tried to fix the boot sector with the windows console ... but it ended in a big mess, a reformat and restore of the files

Does anyone have a clue?

Thanks for the help

PS: may be it is more a windows issue but I really want to go for linux - hope this will give me some credit

JrLz · 02-01-2005, 08:15 PM

can you give some details of your fdisk/cfdisk result?
can you mount the partition from Linux?

fif · 02-02-2005, 12:35 PM

yes I can mount the partition from linux. This is how I retrieved windows data I had not backuped yet.
outcome of fdisk/cfdisk is the following - sorry it is in french

)
Amorce = boot
Début = Begin
Fin = End
tete = head
Aucun = none
libre = free
I guess that the other terms are undestandable for english spoken people.

Code:

fdisk -l

Disque /dev/hda: 20.5 Go, 20525137920 octets
255 têtes, 63 secteurs/piste, 2495 cylindres
Unités = cylindres de 16065 * 512 = 8225280 octets

Périphérique Amorce    Début         Fin      Blocs    Id  Système
/dev/hda1   *           1         638     5124703+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda2             639        2495    14916352+   f  W95 Etendu (LBA)
/dev/hda5             639        1913    10241406    b  W95 FAT32

Disque /dev/hdb: 163.9 Go, 163928604672 octets
255 têtes, 63 secteurs/piste, 19929 cylindres
Unités = cylindres de 16065 * 512 = 8225280 octets

Périphérique Amorce    Début         Fin      Blocs    Id  Système
/dev/hdb1               1       16708   134206978+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hdb2           16709       16838     1044225   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/hdb3           16839       19928    24820425   83  Linux

cfdisk gives similar display, except that it mentions that hdb1 has a label (no clear text : "[^O]" without the quotes)
I add a print of the partition table in raw format and in sector order format (no idea if this is useful to put both

)

raw print (pr command)

Code:

Table de partitions de /dev/hda

         --- Début  ---      ---- Fin  ----    Début     Numéro de
 # Fan.  Tête Sect Cyl   ID  Tête Sect Cyl     Secteur   Secteurs
-- ----- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----------- -----------
 1  0x80    1    1    0 0x07  254   63  637          63    10249407
 2  0x00    0    1  638 0x0F  254   63 1023    10249470    29832705
 3  0x00    0    0    0 0x00    0    0    0           0           0
 4  0x00    0    0    0 0x00    0    0    0           0           0
 5  0x00    1    1  638 0x0B  254   63 1023          63    20482812
Table de partitions de /dev/hdb

         --- Début  ---      ---- Fin  ----    Début     Numéro de
 # Fan.  Tête Sect Cyl   ID  Tête Sect Cyl     Secteur   Secteurs
-- ----- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----------- -----------
 1  0x00    1    1    0 0x07  254   63 1023          63   268413957
 2  0x00  254   63 1023 0x82  254   63 1023   268414020     2088450
 3  0x00  254   63 1023 0x83  254   63 1023   270502470    49640850
 4  0x00    0    0    0 0x00    0    0    0           0           0

sector order print (ps command)

Code:

Table de partitions de /dev/hda

               Premier     Dernier
 # Type       Secteur     Secteur  Offset    Longueur Sys.FichierType (ID) Fanions
-- ------- ----------- ----------- ------ ----------- -------------------- ----
 1 Primair           0    10249469     63    10249470 HPFS/NTFS (07)       Amorce
 2 Primair    10249470    40082174      0    29832705 W95 Ext'd (LBA) (0F) Aucun
 5 Logique    10249470    30732344     63    20482875 W95 FAT32 (0B)       Aucun
   Logique    30732345    40082174      0     9349830 Espace libre         Aucun
Table de partitions de /dev/hdb

               Premier     Dernier
 # Type       Secteur     Secteur  Offset    Longueur Sys.FichierType (ID) Fanions
-- ------- ----------- ----------- ------ ----------- -------------------- ----
 1 Primair           0   268414019     63   268414020 HPFS/NTFS (07)       Aucun
 2 Primair   268414020   270502469      0     2088450 Linux swap / So (82) Aucun
 3 Primair   270502470   320143319      0    49640850 Linux (83)           Aucun
   Pri/Log   320143320   320159384      0       16065 Espace libre         Aucun

I can't see anything weird. What has changed that causes XP to see a bootable partion where linux doesn't see any??

fif · 02-03-2005, 01:46 PM

Last action was too check with XP console utility diskpart. No more hope, windows does simply not recognize my partition. Reformat is threatening

What surprises me is that I seem to be rather alone to have the problem. May be related to my configuration and/or NTFS? Did anyone experience something similar or at least have an opinion about it?

JrLz · 05-18-2005, 01:12 AM

You could mount it & bckup? it should be ok then....
are you sure your XP didn't recognize it?
try to see it from Computer Management Console
Start --> Run --> compmgmt.msc....
you should find the storage section....
and find partitions there.........
try to find your missing partition there, try to change its drive letters
hope it works....