Argh! NTFS/XP-partition problem!

[sumokadet]

Hey folks,

Last night i reinstalled WinXP on my computer, but got a problem. As you can see in the attached screenshot, i have 4 drives - and the last one is an NTFS-partition. The problem is, that i cannot access it!

The partition was created through WinXP, and therefore it is a NTFS v5.1-partion (correct me, if i'm wrong). Therefore i am amazed over the fact that WinXP denies me access to the drive...

First i thought it could be security issues, but it was not. If you look at the screenshot, i tried opening properties for the drive F:. And i was amazed to see that the filesystem was "RAW"...

Does anyone know a solution?

Please!

[mortensen]

I've just checked my NTFS drives and they display NTFS under the 'file system' section. I'm pretty sure 'RAW' is a CD format, which is strange. The only thing I can think of is the low amount of HD space is causing the problem... try setting a fixed swap file size of about 500MB-1GB on another drive and see if that helps [if you haven't already]. I doubt that will help it though. :(

[Odyssey]

Hi sumokadet,

I've not seen your problem before, but I do know what RAW is. When you first create a partition, but do not format it, the file system is RAW. After you format the partition, you can select the file system you want to use.

In your case, it looks like you've already selected NTFS to be your file system, but for some reason it didn't take. If there is nothing on that drive, I'd suggest reformatting, but if there is something on the drive, I'm not sure what you could do to recover the data.

Hope this little bit of information helps!

[JustinLerner]

Although I can't duplicate this, I do know that you have what is called BASIC disks, not DYNAMIC. What this means to you is that after you create and format a partition in 2000/XP, you need to reboot to be able to used the partition.

IF you upgrade to DYANMIC disks, (you can't, because of FAT32), you don't have to reboot to use a newly created/formated partition. (Also, with DYNAMIC and multiple harddrives, you can setup software MIRRORS, STRIPES . . .)

[craybox]

try using Partition Magic at boot to diagnose the problem ! c if it tells you percentage used e.t.c

you might even be able to convert it 8)

[Steven]

It's to my understanding that in FAT32 you may only have 1 PRIMARY FAT32 PARTITION and 3 EXTENDED FAT32 PARTITIONS for a Total of 4.

From your screen shot i see this - 1 Hard Drive, 1 Primary and 2 Extended In FAT32 and 1 Extended in NTFS, and then then "RAW" i'm assuming you wanted to make the RAW one FAT32?

If thats the case then Your problem maybe because you have 5 partitions in all. 4 wanting to be FAT32 and 1 wanting to be NTFS which is exceeding the allowed parts for having a primary FAT32 type. i think this is why windows won't let you access it. its just how FAT32 was developed.

This maybe why your getting "access denied" in RAW type..

If the problem is not what i've discribed above then the only reason you get "RAW" file system type , is when a PARTITION is NOT FORMATTED.

I Hope This Helps. :)

[JustinLerner]

He has 1 primary partition and 1 extended partition with 4 logical drives. There should be no problems with this as surmised above.

On NT4.0/2000/XP you can have up to 3 primary partitions and 1 extended partion (with as many logical drives/partitions as letters) or 4 primary partitions with no extended partitions/logical drives. NT/2000/XP see across and can read from any drive, even if not active and another primary partition. Partitions or logical drives can remain unformatted, inactive, deleted, and still access to other logical drives and partitions is possible.

DOS (and any DOS based OS like Win9x/ME), can only use 1 primary partion (at any time/active) and 1 extended partition, with up to 3 logical drives.

Maybe the reboot wasn't done after the partition was created and formated. (This is my opion, because BASIC disks always work this way.)

FROM the Microsoft Help (F1) under DISK MANAGER:

Partitions and logical drives on basic disks

. . . You can create up to four primary partitions on a basic disk, or up to three primary partitions and one extended partition. You can use the free space in an extended partition to create multiple logical drives.

[sumokadet]

...is that, when i try to run a chkdsk on the F: it recognizes everything on the drive - it sees it is NTFS, it sees alle the files, how many, how large, and so on...

I'm gonna try to get a hold of PartitionMagic 7.0, maybe this can convert the, sorry for my expression - ****ed up F: drive to something else. I really need the files on the partition!

I'll post an update when i've tried PartitionMagic 7.0...

Thanks for your help, all though i didn't understand half of it :s !

[JustinLerner]

After creating and formatting in XP, did you reboot?

I haven't been able to duplicate the effect (sorry, no extra HD space here)

Did you originally try to convert the F: partition (with data on it) to the NTFS format? Did you use PM7 to originally do this?

Do you have Admin rights to access the drive? Does the Admin have rights to the drive, or did you remove them? Was the data originally encrypted before you converted to NTFS?

[sumokadet]

I started with having a maching running with four partitions, like now - 1 [c:], 2 [d:] and 3 [e:] are all FAT32 partitions...

The machine was set out to dualboot, first installed win98 to c:, after that installed winXP to the d: drive...

The f: is a NTFS-drive, that i created through winXP, where i formatted it to be a NTFS (5.1) drive. I put up some security on it, but i am totally sure that i still have the same kind of access to it.

---

Then i reformatted the machine - still put win98 on c:, winXP on d: and kept the data on e:... But then i suddenly didn't have any access to the f: and it showed it self as RAW...

I'm gonna try PartitionMagic 7 now, it must know NTFS5.1-volumes!

Any other questions, just ask - thanks!

[sumokadet]

Now i found out that no-one at all has access to the drive! Does anyone know how i can obtain access to the drive?

I have full control over the administrator-account, the screenshot is from it - therefore it amazed me, that the list of privilegies is empty!

Don't know if this makes any sence - but thanks, if anyone can answer...

[sumokadet]

After setting the security, i found out that i could change the permission over the drive - and then i gained access!

Maybe i'm slow or stupid - but thanks for your help, everybody!

[skylaris]

Originally posted by JustinLerner

Although I can't duplicate this, I do know that you have what is called BASIC disks, not DYNAMIC. What this means to you is that after you create and format a partition in 2000/XP, you need to reboot to be able to used the partition.

IF you upgrade to DYANMIC disks, (you can't, because of FAT32), you don't have to reboot to use a newly created/formated partition. (Also, with DYNAMIC and multiple harddrives, you can setup software MIRRORS, STRIPES . . .)

Mate, I use basic disks... Whenever I create and format a partition in Windows 2000 Professional and Windows XP Professional, I don't need to reboot to access them. :)

[JustinLerner]

Originally posted by skylaris

Mate, I use basic disks... Whenever I create and format a partition in Windows 2000 Professional and Windows XP Professional, I don't need to reboot to access them. :)

If your create a primary partition or an extended partion, with BASIC disks, you must reboot to use them. Sorry I wasn't very clear about this.

[SuperJediMedia]

This probably too late, but due to SImilar Experiences (Loss of Ownership, security, permissions) my C: drive (containing 6GB worth of data) was RAW (just like you)... if you have files on that partitionyou like to recover, try to take over ownership in everyway!

[c.w.]

where did you get that security tab? I got ntfs partitions and don't have that. How do I enable that?

[madscientist]

The problem you have is simple. When you use FAT32, (which you are) it is IMPOSSIBLE to view NTFS partitions/drives. The ONLY way you will be able to view them is by converting your primary boot disc (C:) to NTFS. From the Command prompt, type the following

convert c: /fs:ntfs /v /nosecurity

the /v will mean messages will be displayed on the screen during conversion, and /nosecurity will ensure that converted files and directory security settings are accessible by everyone.

Check out the help section in XP for more info.;)

[SuperJediMedia]

Please guys, BEWARE Don't mess with Security unless you know what exactly is going to happen.

Just read down a few threads to see my "Oh no...Nightmare" post.

I nearly lost all of the data on my computer because security got too tight!!!

IMO, The Security & Permissions would seriously be 3 separate classes (1 hour classes) if they teach you Windows XP in College.

I think it's complicated, there is so much involved with it. And, since WIndows XP gets rid of DOS, you could hardly recover from DOS.

Before you MESS with Security and alike, I STRONGLY suggest backup data files on a CD-RW in case!!!