FAT32 File System Corrupted

[Olivex]

Hi everybody,

I have a WD where all the folders are corrupted. I already got some raw data using softwares like RS, but i want to try to repair the file system. In winhex, the hdd shows like this:

I allready imaged the drive 100%.
Can anyone give me some tips to help with this.

Thank you all.

[michael chiklis]

Try with R-studio.

[lcoughey]

Let's take a huge step back.

1. What was the original problem with the drive?
2. What exactly did you do to "fix" the problem?
3. What tool did you use to mirror the drive? How does it handle bad sectors?

When I've seen cases like this in the past, it was because the process was flawed and corrupt data was transferred to the image.

[fzabkar]

I've seen cases like this when I had problems with a JMicron bridge in an external USB enclosure. The data transfer would hang, and the file system would become corrupted in much the same way.

If there is any chance of recovering files and folder names, there would need to be corresponding directory entries. I don't use WinHex, but a disc editor such as DMDE enables you to search for FAT directories (Tools -> Search for Special Sector).

Sorry if this sounds like an ignorant question, but the offset of 0x0 suggests that the hex dump is of logical sector 0 of a FAT32 volume rather than physical sector 0 of the physical drive. Am I right?

[Olivex]

Let's take a huge step back.

1. What was the original problem with the drive?
2. What exactly did you do to "fix" the problem?
3. What tool did you use to mirror the drive? How does it handle bad sectors?

When I've seen cases like this in the past, it was because the process was flawed and corrupt data was transferred to the image.

Ok, thanks for your time.

The drive is from an external hdd, WD Western Digital External Hard Drive HDD My Book WD MODEL WD2500I032-001.
The hdd is an ide WD2500JB-00REA0.

1 - All the folders disappeared, and only 16 files are visible in the root. But the occupied space in the drive still remains.
2 - I did nothing to fix the problem, i only scanned the drive with softwares like R-Studio and getdataback. I was able to recover files but only in raw. No folders or files names.
3 - I used Atola insight to image the drive. The drive imaged 100% with no errors.

I've seen cases like this when I had problems with a JMicron bridge in an external USB enclosure. The data transfer would hang, and the file system would become corrupted in much the same way.

If there is any chance of recovering files and folder names, there would need to be corresponding directory entries. I don't use WinHex, but a disc editor such as DMDE enables you to search for FAT directories (Tools -> Search for Special Sector).

Sorry if this sounds like an ignorant question, but the offset of 0x0 suggests that the hex dump is of logical sector 0 of a FAT32 volume rather than physical sector 0 of the physical drive. Am I right?

No problem fzabkar, thanks for your time. Yes, this dump is indeed from the logical sector. I will try DMDE.

[Olivex]

Special thanks to you, fzabkar. I was able to recover everything with DMDE.