Can't access hard disk from ubuntu live cd. Cant mount, need the data.

kirk90 · 02-23-2012, 02:55 PM

I tried to install ubuntu and then windows but somehow it all went wrong and now i'm stuck with a hard disk full of data, but no access. it won't boot. i have a ubuntu cd, i'm trying to access the disk by booting from it but it won't let me mount the hard disk.

it says: "can't find /dev/sda2 in /etc/fstab"

i tried to edit fstab file but since its a live cd, i cant..

i entered fdisk -l and it gave this:

omitting empty partition (5)

Disk /dev/sda: 250.1 GB, 250059350016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders, total 488397168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xe7d9e7d9

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 63 19518974 9759456 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2 19533822 488392064 234429121+ f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda3 * 281507840 286744184 2618172+ 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda5 19533824 39063551 9764864 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 39065600 47265791 4100096 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda7 47267840 86327295 19529728 83 Linux
/dev/sda8 86329344 135155711 24413184 83 Linux
/dev/sda9 135157760 182030335 23436288 83 Linux
/dev/sda10 182032578 247561649 32764536 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda11 247561713 281506994 16972641 e W95 FAT16 (LBA)
/dev/sda12 286744248 488392064 100823908+ 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT

please help. i need the data!

TobiSGD · 02-23-2012, 03:42 PM

Simple reason you can't access /dev/sda2: It is an extended partition, it contains no filesystem and no data, it is only a container for logical partitions.

tommcd · 02-23-2012, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kirk90

I tried to install ubuntu and then windows but somehow it all went wrong ...

The proper way to dual boot with Windows would be to install Windows first to the first primary partition of whatever size you want for Windows.
Then install Ubuntu to a primary or logical partition. Install the grub2 boot loader to the master boot record so you can boot both Ubuntu and Windows.
Here is a great site with in depth tutorials on dual boot Ubuntu and Windows: http://members.iinet.net.au/~herman546/

And here is a great site for getting started with Ubuntu: http://psychocats.net/ubuntu/

And welcome to the LQ forums!