Master file tables

[CountDeMoney]

I keep every HDD from every machine the last 15 years I've owned for archival purposes. 

However, my most recent HDD, a Western Digital is giving me issues;  I use a Thermaltake Black X Duet to access my HDDs, and having problems accessing the drive, despite getting into it several times over the last couple weeks--I can see the other partitions that were on the drive (System) and (Recovery), but not the main partition;  I see the drive designation, but it's "Not Accessible", "the disk structure is corrupted and unreadable".

Running chkdsk I get the "Windows cannot recover master file table".  I tried my Piriform CCleaner and Recuva to get to it, but the MFT cannot be read.

Seeing the other partitions gives me hope that the drive itself isn't a total loss;  is there any way to get into this partition?  Is there any way to rebuild the MFT?

[viper37]

is there any way to get into this partition?  Is there any way to rebuild the MFT?

Maybe.

This utility, Sardu, lets you build a multi-boot USB with various utilities.  You could also keep a Windows ISO file to reinstall Windows from USB when needed, but that's beside the point.

Anyhow, there are numerous utilities you can download and install as well as some Linux distros.
Let's try booting with one and check if you can see your drive in one of those utilities.
You need a USB or a blank DVD, I prefer the USB, but it's your choice.

once you've downloaded and extracted Sardu, open it, and check the left tab, second option "Utility" (skip the Anti-virus for now, if you want some you can add them later)

Check the following boxes (it will pause, then ask if you want to download it, say yes and a box will appear, click ok, keep going...):
ClonezillaAMD64
GpartedAMD64
Macrium Rescue Linux
Redo Backup
Boot repair disk 64bit

In the Linux tab (the penguin), check the following boxes:
Mint Cinnamon
Knoppix
PcLinuxKDE FullMonty

technically, only one distro would be enough, but if the first one doesn't boot, we have others.

So, once you have downloaded all files (it will take a while), to the right, click the first icon on top "search USB".  Once it found the proper drive, click on the second "Create Sardu USB".  It will destroy everything on the USB key, so make sure it is blank in the first place.  Accept the warning, let it create the USB.

If you have Windows 8.1, you need to disable hibernation:
http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2082951/disable-hibernation-windows-windows.html

Then proceed to shut down the computer. 

If you have a EFI computer
Reboot and access the BIOS, find how to disable UEFI and secure boot.  Not all the tools I gave you work with that, so it's easier to disable it. Just re-enable it before rebooting into Windows Exit&save.

Reboot on the USB, pick the Linux Menu.
Select Mint.  If it does not boot, pick Knoppix or the other one.

Once in Linux, use the file manager and see if you can find your drive, your partition, see if you can copy your files.  If it works, it was a simple Windows problem (unlikely, but you may be lucky).

If it doesn't work, we'll have to check with another utility, so quit Linux, reboot on the USB, select the utility menu and pick Redo backup.
See if you can find your partition and select some empty partition or drive to backup your data.

Let's see how this goes first, then we'll proceed.

[derspiess]

I keep every HDD from every machine the last 15 years I've owned for archival purposes. 

I've kept all mine since the 90s out of paranoia.  My plan was to take them to the range and shoot holes in them with my Mosins, but the club sent out a bulletin a couple months ago telling us to stop shooting our hard drives in the plinking range

[viper37]

I've kept all mine since the 90s out of paranoia.  My plan was to take them to the range and shoot holes in them with my Mosins, but the club sent out a bulletin a couple months ago telling us to stop shooting our hard drives in the plinking range

You could use the Sardu utility mentionned above and install "Darik Boot and Nuke" to wipe your hard drive.
Or use Ccleaner on Windows, set it for 35 passes (very complex overwrite) and leave it running for a couple of weeks.
Once finished, you give it to charity in exchange for a receipt that will give you tax credit, or, more simply, send it to a place where they recycle such things.

[CountDeMoney]

Hey Viper:  since this program prevents you from actually downloading the utility in question, do I want to download the ISO, or the .zip?

I have to rely on you, since you seem to be the only person using it that speaks any fucking English.

[DontSayBanana]

Hey Viper:  since this program prevents you from actually downloading the utility in question, do I want to download the ISO, or the .zip?

I have to rely on you, since you seem to be the only person using it that speaks any fucking English.

The ISO makes a bootable CD, and is a pretty valuable tool to have.  When I last worked as a service tech, I learned to keep one around at pretty much all times for situations where a drive is stubbornly resisting formatting.

[viper37]

Hey Viper:  since this program prevents you from actually downloading the utility in question, do I want to download the ISO, or the .zip?

I have to rely on you, since you seem to be the only person using it that speaks any fucking English.

If it doesn't download automatically, you need to download the ISO and put it in your ISO folder: ...\Sardu\ISO
Then you double click on the column between name and path (usually a red circle) and select the file.  If it doesn't show up, replace the file name by *.* and select the appropriate file.

[viper37]

have you ever had any success?