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Linux Nightmares!

If you think it'll never happen to you... think again!

1.  I had an interest in Ubuntu 7.10 Linux distro

2.  I got the steps needed to install dual boot from internet.

3.  My 160GB hard drive is partitioned into C:\ and D:\ of equal size.

4.  I moved all my pictures (20-25GB) to the D drive because C was choking.

5.  Everything seemed fine.

6.  I booted into Linux using a Ubuntu Live CD.

7.  I couldn't connect to the internet - I was getting an IP address of 0.0.0.0.0

8.  ...Meaning if I wanted help with installing, I had to re-boot back into Windows every time.

9.  I proceeded with the more permanent installer.

10. I had to cancel it half-way because it was taking too long to import my user account settings which I didn't need and could opt out of.

11. I re-booted back into Ubuntu, as this gives me a fresh install every time.

12. I went through with the installer again. Once again I had to specify what partition to store it on.

13. As usual I resized one of the partitions to accommodate the Ubuntu installations.

14. I can't tell which was which in terms of logical partitions, as they're obscurely labelled as something like: "/mba/dev/media/"... or something like that.

15. I just hoped I wasn't over-writing anything at this point.

16. Ubuntu didn't behave as expected, and even though all the files seemed to have been installed, the hard disk it was installed on was now called "File System", not "disk-1" and needed no extra mounting. Maybe it was now recognised as the default boot disk?

17. A lot of restarts and further unsuccessful attempts at a clean install later, I tried to go back to Windows to find out what the heck was happening.

18. This was supposed to be a matter of removing the Live CD and waiting until Windows did its thing.

19. I started to get worried when I saw a continuous blank screen. The only hints that the computer was actually doing something was the hum of the hard drives spinning.

20. I grew increasingly worried that it might never come back into life. I started looking around for that Windows CD I got with the computer just in case I might have to re-install Windows.

21. After a long, anxious wait, Windows seemed to be coming round. I saw the familiar "Windows XP - loading..." logo.

22. I got another blank screen. I was even more worried.

23. The machine somehow re-booted itself and was now loading all over again... Strange. Maybe it usual startup disk-checking (or whatever) detected something was up and so took some action?

24. XP loaded up just fine this time round.

25. I dived straight into My Computer to check on the state of the partitions.

26. Partition D was missing!

27. Went on the internet to find ways to get back that partition.

28. I feared that Ubuntu had overwritten my folder of photos!!

29. I booted back into Linux, and sure enough, "File System" had completely replaced my D drive.

30. Panic! 2 years' worth of photos!

31. Since I had used a regular cut and paste job to move the files, it may be a case of finding software to "undelete" the files.

32. I found some free software fairly quickly, however every time I wanted to "undelete" the files, the program hesitated, saying I have to dump them in a separate hard drive to prevent over-writing.

33. How the heck am I gonna get another hard drive at 2a.m?!

34. Think... think... think...

35. I had to get back that D partition, no matter what. Now.

36. To get back the partition, all I had to do was go to Disk Management and "re-allocate" it.

37. This involved formatting the partition too.

38. Now I attempted to "undelete" the files, and send them to this partition.

39. I started writing this log of events.

40. After an anxious wait, the program said it had successfully undeleted everything.

41. I went to check the integrity. First signs were good...

42. Catastrophe!

43. The files were completely botched up. Some were there, but most weren't.

44. While it had recovered the files, with sizes and everything, it didn't seem to get them properly. Most were completely un-readable, corrupted files.

45. Some were mixed up too (scanned documents in the middle of a wildlife shoot?).

46. Whoa! Now I'm completely shaken up. I lost two years' worth of work, love, and joy.

And so ends one of the saddest days of my life

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3 comments:

Anonymous said...

shit happens.

Unknown said...

Man that suck, A little late now for FYI, but bu an external HD and also back the files on DVD's I also place a lot of photo on intrenet accounts, also have my own domain. jnpb.com that I store backups to. Im really sorry for you loss.

Todd

Anonymous said...

I would be devastated! So sorry to hear that you lost all those photos.

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