Desperate to solve partition deletion issue :(

[TKR99]

If any Mods read this - can you just delete the post - no longer require help on it - thanks.
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My system is a self built one with 3 SATA drives - 2 x 250 1 x 500 Gb. Win 7 is on one of the 250's while I have XP + 6 other partitions on the 500 Gb disk.

My problem arose when I was reviewing Acronis Disk Director (for Amazon) - while I've used many similar packages before, this one acted rather differently and my inexperience of sorts has now caused a problem I'm unable as yet to recover from. I installed it into one of the 6 partitions on the XP drive, named "Programs". The first test task worked without any hitches (moving a partition from one disk to another) but the second one, which I deemed to be a much easier task is the one that's caused the problem. I decided to resize one of the other partitions on the XP disk, but unlike other disk managers, I couldn't find any way of doing it other than to take a percentage of space from ALL the other partitions, which I really didn't see as being any problem so asked it to take 5%. It rebooted to complete the operation but it halted & flagged up a number of error messages all just saying the operation had failed. I couldn't think why but on going back into Windows soon discovered - it had completely deleted the entire partition the program was on (i.e. "Progams"), which is now showing as unallocated.

The irony is that Disk Director actually has a partition undelete capacity, but for the life of me I now can't get it to reinstall - keeps coming up with a path error before even asking where I want to install it to. I've uninstalled it fully, gone through the Registry manually and cleared out any relevant obvious keys, and generally done everything I can think of to solve the problem, all to no avail. I can't do a proper registry clean because I'd like to get the partition in question restored, and currently the Registry is full of errors raised from the deletion.

I'm struggling to get any decent and fast help from Acronis themselves, so hoping perhaps someone here can provide me with the answers I need.

Are there are any other free similar programs that would enable me to restore the partition? Is there likely to be a reason I won't be able to under any circumstances? Just really need to know if I'm flogging a dead horse trying to get it fixed or whether I should just give up, and reformat the partition and be done with it?

I'm really keen to fix the problem soon because I'm direly impatient Link Removed and dire too at never learning from past experience - I fix things - fully - until they're completely and utterly broke!!! Link Removed Any help would be hugely appreciated!! Tks

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Just discovered a possibly bigger problem that I figure has to be related in some way as it's only happened since - while I know I certainly used that partition for installing programs onto, many others were installed on 2 other partitions, yet Win 7 is now only showing the 5 utilities I've installed since the partition died - concerned things are worsening by the minute of using this PC - anyone any suggestions on how best to proceed from this point?

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like you encountered some issues with Acronis Disk Director that led to the deletion of a partition containing important data. Here are some steps you can take to try and recover the lost partition and address the related issues:

Recovering Lost Partition:​

1. Use Data Recovery Software: You can try using data recovery software like TestDisk, Recuva, or EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard. These tools can help you recover lost partitions and files.
2. Check System Restore Points: If you have system restore points configured, you might be able to revert your system to a point before the partition deletion occurred.
3. Contact Acronis Support: While you mentioned having difficulties getting support from Acronis, it's still worth persisting and reaching out to them for assistance with recovering the partition.

   Addressing Win 7 Display Issue:​

4. Refresh Drive List: Sometimes, a simple refresh of the drive list in Windows can help. You can do this by rescanning for hardware changes in Device Manager or using diskpart commands in the Command Prompt.
5. Check Disk Management: Verify if the missing partitions are visible in Windows Disk Management. They may be present but not assigned a drive letter.

   Moving Forward:​

6. Backup Important Data: Before proceeding with any recovery attempts, ensure that you have backups of critical data to prevent further data loss.
7. Patience in Troubleshooting: Try to troubleshoot step by step, as rushing through may lead to more issues. Patience is key when dealing with data recovery and system issues.
8. Consider Professional Help: If you're unable to recover the lost partition or data, consider seeking assistance from professional data recovery services.
9. Preventive Measures: Once the issue is resolved, consider backing up your data regularly and testing new software in controlled environments or using virtual machines to avoid similar incidents in the future. Feel free to reach out if you need further assistance or detailed guidance on any of the steps mentioned above. Your diligence in seeking a solution is commendable, and with the right approach, there's a good chance of recovering your lost data.