Linux file allocation tables in windows?

ramathorn

Fledgling Freddie
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I have a network hard disk that has recently failed, it had a hard coded Linux O/S on it and the file allocation table was left at the default that came with it (I have no idea what it was, not familiar at all with linux).

Got it connected through a USB caddy at the minute, the drive is showing as unrecognised and unitialised in drive management.

I have tried explore2fs but it hasnt picked the partition up. In dire need of getting some of the stuff off this.

Could anyone help a brother out?
 

TdC

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boot your computer with a linux off a USB stick, then look at the other disk.
 

Bob007

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Depending on the file system used. EXT2 and 3 should be fairly easy to access. But as explore2fs has already failed am guessing thats not the case.

One options could be to try "crossmeta" (google it) if you can find it. Its a bit err... unstable and am not sure its even devolped anymore. You'd have to dig deeper into it and find out. This should (cross your fingers and pray) allow access to ext2, ext3, reiserFS and XFS.

You could take a look at this, mainly the first one as you've tried Explore2fs and it failed. Linux reader might do the job.

Also one more option is to install linux within windows and try accessing the linux drive from linux within windows. CoLinux is one you should look at. Requires some reading/work on your part.

And lastly, but might be the easiest, is grab a linux distro live cd/dvd and boot that up and try transfering the files that way.
 

ramathorn

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I've got sort of a Linux PE disk downloaded, in theory yeah i will boot up it will see my windows partition (assuming it will see ntfs) and the linux partition (whatever it may be) - will you be able to copy from the linux partition to ntfs? (cant try it until after 5)
 

Bob007

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You will have to "mount" the devices to gain access through a terminal. Do some research between now and 5 so you set to try when ya get to.
start here and here.

Might want to look at mounting the linux device and maybe use a USB pendrive to transfer the files. Might make it easier and save mounting an ntfs device.
 

GReaper

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Perhaps you could use something like Virtualbox and pass the USB device to a virtual machine running Linux?

It'll save you fiddling about with a live distro, but you'll obviously have to fiddle about with virtualisation instead. :p
 

MYstIC G

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Google the device info / pick up the manual to try and discover the file system in use first?
 

ramathorn

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Google the device info / pick up the manual to try and discover the file system in use first?

Its an old LaCie drive, I couldnt immediately find anything on the spec / support pages on their web site and the chasis has now been binned. As I said I am not familiar (ie never touched) Linux before, I dont know the difference between the file systems and assumed they were just as cut and dry as the windows ones.

Thanks to the rest of you guys for the info.
 

ramathorn

Fledgling Freddie
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jesus christ whats the problem? yeah i could have went through creating an account on their website, logged a support ticket and waited for a response, or spent half an hour on the phone to them. but i thought this was a very irrelevant part of the problem. so instead i thought i would use the forums for what i thought was their intended purpose, sorry if i twisted your tit the wrong way....

thanks tdc / bob / greaper, got the data off after a bit of tinkering, was a bit of a learning experience for me. cheers
 

MYstIC G

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I don't have a problem, I was just suggesting that if you contact Lacie they may be able to tell you the filesystem that is in use.

Once you knew that you might have been able to recover your data. Though it seems you have now managed it without that information.

That said though, to be frank, now you can go fuck yourself.
 

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