Bootrec /nt60 C: killed my partition table and added a rogue efi partition

[Richman]

I had an issue originally with my system freezing every time I left it idle for a period. I traced it to possibly an ATI error, incompatibility or problem. Chkdsk was ran but I was not able to fully diagnose this for sure untill the REAL, BIG, problem happened. I was going to update my bios with the Gigabyte bios flash utility and decided to reboot and see what version I had before I upgraded and I accidentally pressed 'Delete' trying to enter the BIOS right when it went to the next screen where it says DMI Pool data which activated the 'press any key to ....' start Gigibyte's ExpressRecovery2. I exited out of ExpressRevocery 2 and should not have caused any issues, and even if I pressed 'OK' to run it, as I understand it would try to build a recovery partition at the end of your boot disk IF you had unallowcated space there and if not, spit out a message that there 'was not any space' and let you reboot.
After this, the system would not boot back into Windows 7. It appeared to be loading but then would reboot. I thought the BCD or partition boot record had acquired corruption so I loaded the DVD and started the startup recovery which ran for 1.5 hours and said there was partition table corruption that it fixed.
Rebooted but then it was in this infinite loop where it went back and forth from the "windows boot manager windows failed to start 0xc000000e ....... the disk is not accessible" to the Boot Manager saying to put in the Windows Disk and 'press any key to boot it' but when I put in the windows disk it would just reboot to the bios and end up right back in the same spot.
So I ran startup recovery two more times with the same result.
Then I ran diskpart and it did not show any partitions on the disk that had Windows 7 when in fact it had 2 Primaries and extended with 3 logical data partitions on this 1TB HDD which should have looked like so:

SIZE FS LABEL
100MB ...........NTFS........... System Researved
80GB .............NTFS........... Windows 7
818GB ..................Extended
160GB ...........NTFS.......... Data
70GB ............NTFS......... Data
260GB ..................... Unallowcated
10GB .............NTFS........ Data
180 ..............NTFS....... Data
160 ................NTFS..... Data

I then booted into UBCD and ran TestDisk which found all of the partitions and rewrote the partition tables and I thought I was finally getting somewhere.
I then rebooted and I think it may have spit out an error that said something about a boot record problem.
I read how to rebuild MBR or boot record which was to enter into the cmd "bootrect /nt60 C:
Yes, that was bootrecT, as that is what it said to do and not bootrec as I notice so9me other tutorials tell you. boocrec command previously met with a message saying it was an unknown command. I don't know what the difference would be between bootrec and bootrect.
It still does not boot so then I decide to boot into GParted recovery cd since it has other diag tools and I notice right of that my partitions on this disk now look like the following:

SIZE FS LABEL
100MB ................NTFS...... System Researved
30GB ..................NTFS...... (blank)
9.5GB .................FAT16 .... (blank)
892GB ..................Extended
21.4GB ............... Unallowcated
1.4MiB ................FAT16 .......EFISECTOR
22.4 ...................Unallowcated
160GB ..................... Data
70GB ..................... Data
260GB ..................... Unallowcated
10GB ...............NTFS......... Data
180 .................NTFS ........ Data
160 ..................NTFS ........ Data

How in the world did this happen? It seams that MS engineers just decided what EVERYONE must be using EFI and if you want to rebuild your boot records that the bootrec just puts it in there and rearranges your partitioning scheme and tables on top of it and thus destroying your partition tables and data.

Is there any way to remedy this? Or at least get all of my data back? This is really aggravating and I feel like I have been violated. All I wanted to do was rebuild the BCD after fixing the partition tables. Never had this kind of issue in the easy days back with XP.

 

[Digerati]

Hardly fair to blame Microsoft when UEFI is a "hardware" and "firmware" protocol initially created by Intel and HP in the mid 90s and is being pushed by the Unified UEFI Forum consisting mostly of hardware makers and BIOS developers, with representatives from Apple, Dell, IBM, the Linux community, with MS playing an advisory role. MS did not "push" for UEFI, though MS is on-board with it because it offers MUCH BETTER security over the traditional BIOS. But to that, MS did not jump fully on board with UEFI until Windows 8 - and that is only with factory built systems - not home or custom built.

As some times happens, it appears your tables somehow became corrupt, and in attempting to fix them, they became more corrupt. That does not automatically point to the OS as the culprit, but rather it typically points to hardware failure due either to a hardware component failing, or power anomalies disrupting data transfers - or even malware (or collateral damage from malware, or collateral damage from malware removal).

I note too a discrepancy in your first FS Label list that confuses me, and suggests other issues. You say this is a 1Tb drive but when I add the Gb+ sized partitions (80GB + 818GB + 160GB + 70GB + 260GB + 10GB), I get 1398Gb.

Is there any way to remedy this? Or at least get all of my data back?

A remedy now? Outside of a full format and reinstall, probably not. As far as getting your data back, you don't have current backup of all your data? Why not? It is pretty clear you are not a newbie with computers - I am not trying to get on your case (because just about everyone lacks backup discipline), I am just saying backing up your data BEFORE problems arise, or at least as soon as you noted problems instead of after trying to resolve them would have been prudent. You might be totally out of luck now!

You might try Recuva from the makers of CCleaner to see if any of your data files are recoverable, but I would not hold your breath.

Never had this kind of issue in the easy days back with XP.

Then you were just lucky. Hard drives have become corrupted since the beginning of time - or at least since they were invented. And that potential has not changed - hence the reason EVERYONE should have a robust backup plan, and use it.

Sorry I don't have better or cheerier advice to offer.

 

[Richman]

.Hardly fair to blame Microsoft

That is only since the tables were reported as fixed and then the /nt60 command added the efisector to my system when it doesn't even have a EFI BIOS. One thing I do know is that any software program does not make things up on its own and only does what it is programmed to do. The way Windows id obviously designed is to assume there is EFI via the /nt60 when in fact there is nothing of the sort.
nothing on my system told it there was EFI. It took that assumption on its own.

.............is being pushed by the Unified UEFI Forum consisting mostly of hardware makers and BIOS developers, with representatives from Apple, Dell, IBM, the Linux community, with MS playing an advisory role.

Maybe I have read totally different info but my research suggests that the Linux community is almost unilaterally against UEIF and in particular, the oens who run the Ubuntu and Dabian repositories and development as id doesn't offer nearly as much of a benefit for Linus systems.

MS did not "push" for UEFI, though MS is on-board with it because it offers MUCH BETTER security over the traditional BIOS. But to that, MS did not jump fully on board with UEFI until Windows 8 - and that is only with factory built systems - not home or custom built.

What my research also produced was that MS was one of the biggest advocates in pushing manufacturing to unilaterally adopt UEIF across the board. I further don't understand what differentiation there would be between factory produced units or home build and why MS wouldn't want all of their Windows 8 systems installed on UEFI.

.
As some times happens, it appears your tables somehow became corrupt, and in attempting to fix them, they became more corrupt. That does not automatically point to the OS as the culprit, but rather it typically points to hardware failure due either to a hardware component failing, or power anomalies disrupting data transfers - or even malware ......

Not Power issues, Malware was cleaned by several cleaners, only possibility along these lines are 5 sectors being reallowcated I noticed a few weeks before. I don't know when the reallowcations happened. It could have happened many months before as far as I know as I didn't monitor smart on every drive I know on a daily or weekly basis . I kept an eye on this and and is generally accepted that reallowcated sectors in themselves are not necessarily a bad thing but rather if the number continues to grow week after week. So, the number was not increasing. Only thing I can surmise is that the 5 reallowcated ones were system or maybe table files that were reallowcated and caused an issue or corruption.

..... damage from malware, or collateral damage from malware removal.

Don't know what that could be as I have never read anything about it.

.
I note too a discrepancy in your first FS Label list that confuses me, and suggests other issues. You say this is a 1Tb drive but when I add the Gb+ sized partitions (80GB + 818GB + 160GB + 70GB + 260GB + 10GB), I get 1398Gb.

Really, Because my calculator tells me 80GB+818Gb=898 and the aftermath is 30GB+9.5GB+892GB=930GB
So you may need to get a new calculator or put fresh batteries in it.

.

Is there any way to remedy this? Or at least get all of my data back?

A remedy now? Outside of a full format and reinstall, probably not. As far as getting your data back, you don't have current backup of all your data? Why not? ................... (because just about everyone lacks backup discipline), I am just saying backing up your data BEFORE problems arise, or at least as soon as you noted problems instead of after trying to resolve them would have been prudent. You might be totally out of luck now!

Yeh, we all lack perfect discipline and get lasy. Nuf said. I don't think this thread is about the woulda, shoulda coulda, questions that are really irrelevant at this moment and is more about 'this is where I am now and what avenues are there from here.'

.
You might try Recuva from the makers of CCleaner to see if any of your data files are recoverable, but I would not hold your breath.

Before I try thta or any data recovery, I want to somehow list and evaluate all options I have available at this point.

Never had this kind of issue in the easy days back with XP.

Then you were just lucky. Hard drives have become corrupted since the beginning of time - or at least since they were invented. And that potential has not changed - hence the reason EVERYONE should have a robust backup plan, and use it.

Actually this is not true as the potential for data curruption and hardware failure in HDD's has increased exponentially with the increase in the size of disks not to mention that added tech in firmware and hardware with add more possible failure points. there is an actual tech term for this (at least the data corruption increase issue) and I can't remember what it is at the moment. And this just adds to the argument of the need for backup, plan for backup and diligence in implementation.

.
Sorry I don't have better or cheerier advice to offer.

At least you wrote something of what you figured from your knowledge after over 30 views from other and nobody seams to have an idea.

I think there has to be some HDD or data specialist who knows exactly what to do or the best procedure from here. I think there is also a way of fixing tables and even tools to write them manually if need be as I remember reading some time ago but never had to do such.

 

[Digerati]

but my research suggests that the Linux community is almost unilaterally against UEIF

Not even. In fact, most Linux flavors have supported UEFI for many years - much longer than Windows.

The way Windows id obviously designed is to assume there is EFI via the /nt60 when in fact there is nothing of the sort.
nothing on my system told it there was EFI. It took that assumption on its own.

Oh? How do you know? I see nothing to suggest /nt60 is exclusive to UEFI - or that UEFI has anything to do with your problem.

What my research also produced was that MS was one of the biggest advocates in pushing manufacturing to unilaterally adopt UEIF across the board.

Oh? Got a link? Because as I said above, that is true for factory made computers coming preloaded with Windows 8, but that was NEVER true with Windows 7.

In terms of security, MS does want UEFI on all systems. So do security experts. But you have W7!

My calculator is right. Aftermath? Ummm, no.

..... damage from malware, or collateral damage from malware removal.
Don't know what that could be as I have never read anything about it.

Never read anything about it? ??? What is it you think malware does? A lot of malware destroys (corrupts) major system files. And sadly, it is common for malware removal processes to cause damage to major systems - networking for example. This why it is common for folks to return from malware removal forums to other help forums to then have the damage done during the repair fixed.

Before I try thta or any data recovery, I want to somehow list and evaluate all options I have available at this point.

That does not make sense to me. The more you do ANYTHING to these drive, the greater the risk of further corrupt. IMO, you should attempt to copy off any and all data NOW.

Actually this is not true as the potential for data curruption and hardware failure in HDD's has increased exponentially with the increase in the size of disks not to mention that added tech in firmware and hardware with add more possible failure points.

Sorry, but not really true. It IS true that bigger sizes means the potential to lose MORE data is greater, but it does NOT suggest a greater potential for disk failure. In fact, with today's added "tech in firmware and hardware" hard drives are more "robust" than ever.

And besides, that argument has absolutely nothing to do with XP - which is what you were talking about, and I was commenting on.

I think there has to be some HDD or data specialist who knows exactly what to do or the best procedure from here.

There are and I told you about them. But they are not cheap.

I think there is also a way of fixing tables and even tools to write them manually if need be as I remember reading some time ago but never had to do such.

And you tried those procedures.

 

[Tekno Venus]

Hi,

At least you wrote something of what you figured from your knowledge after over 30 views from other and nobody seams to have an idea.

I would just like to point out that we are a very small community in comparison to other forums such as SF. Many of us are in full time education (like me), and have other priorities than the forum. We help here in our spare time, as I am sure you are aware. I'm just saying don't expect such a fast response as you would get at SF because we are a very small forum in comparison.

Now, time to get back on with the seemingly endless pile of revision I have to do!

Kind regards,
Stephen