NTFS drive wont mount - "unknown filesystem"?

Thu Jan 21 21:08:31 UTC 2010

David McNally wrote:
> Regarding the first part: I'm using GMail. I clicked "Reply" at the
> bottom of the most recent message. I'm not sure if that should fix the
> problem. Just let me know and I'll change.
> 
	Nah, reply still on top. I think there may be a setting in GMail. Or at 
least it should allow you to scroll and insert at the bottom...

 > Anyway, I've tried plugging the hard drive into a windows xp computer,
 > and also into a vista VM in VirtualBox. In My Computer, the hard drive
 > does not appear at all. Keep in mind that Ubuntu does not show any
 > sign of the hard drive at all either, but it does show up in GParted
 > in Ubuntu, and it shows up in the list of USB filters in VBox, so
 > Ubuntu does recognise that there is a device. It just doesn't realise
 > that it's a hard drive. Seems like Windows Explorer is doing the same.
 >
 > However, when I plugged the hard drive into the XP computer and opened
 > up compmgmt.msc, the hard drive was there. When I right-clicked on the
 > partition, all of the options were grayed out, except for "format",
 > which would make me lose all of my data. I'm not sure that windows can
 > really help me.
 >
 > I also tried compmgmt in the vista VM, and the same thing happened.
 >

	Hmmm, sounds like the (information table?) for the drive is corrupted. 
Looks like time for some recovery tools. I believe there were mentions 
of resuce boot CDs earlier in this thread.
	'Course, if you have the cash, a local independant computer shop may be 
of help also... You could also look for a Linux User Group in your area. 
Or maybe there is a list member here that is local to you & willing to help?

> On Wed, Jan 20, 2010 at 4:02 PM, Dave Woyciesjes
> <woyciesjes at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>> ***David - Please note, standard here is to put your reply text at the
>> bottom of messages. I've fixed it, so it's easier to follow along... Thanks.
>>
>> David McNally wrote:
>>> On Wed, Jan 20, 2010 at 1:19 PM, Dave Woyciesjes
>>> <woyciesjes at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>>>> David McNally wrote:
>>>>> On Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 7:10 PM, sdavmor <sdavmor at systemstheory.net> wrote:
>>>>>> David McNally wrote:
>>>>>>> >From what sdavmor and Preston said, it seems as though I should plug
>>>>>>> it into a Windows machine and run chkdsk on it. I do have an old XP
>>>>>>> machine that still works properly, so I suppose I'll try it on that. I
>>>>>>> suppose I need to go into Start - Accessories and find chkdsk in there
>>>>>>> somewhere. Probably not too hard.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> If I do that, about how long should the chkdsk take? It's a 700 GB
>>>>>>> hard drive, with about 600 GB used. Will it need to run overnight?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Thanks.
>>>>>> Open a Windows DOS box (the cmd program). Then you can run:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> chkdsk driveletter /flags
>>>>>>
>>>>>> i.e. chkdsk z: /f
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I think you'll want /? to see what flags are available to you.
>>>>  >
>>>>  > If I log in as administrator, will I get all of the rights that I want?
>>>>  >
>>>>
>>>>        Yep, you'll be good to go. Preston also described how to do it via the GUI:
>>>> "...going to My Computer, right-clicking the drive, go to Properties,
>>>> then the Tools tab, then Check Now in the error checking section (that
>>>> is for Win XP, it may be some where a little different for Vista or 7).
>>>>  Make sure to check the "Automatically fix file system errors"  Once
>>>> you are done, make sure to either shut Windows down completely, or
>>>> right-click the drive in My Computer and click Eject to before removing
>>>> it..."
>>>>
>>>>        I'm not sure if there is a difference between doing it via the GUI or
>>>> doing chkdsk <driveletter> /f at the command line. You could always
>>>> hedge your bets and do both...;-)
>>>>
>>  > OK, I'm having a bit of a problem. When I plug the drive into the XP
>>  > computer, it does not appear in My Computer. Windows doesn't show any
>>  > sign of noticing it. There isn't even the little "installing device
>>  > drivers" balloon by the taskbar.
>>  >
>>  > I tried using the command line and using chkdsk, but I didn't know
>>  > what drive letter to use. I decided to try "chkdsk A: /f", and then
>>  > "chkdsk B: /f" and so on with every letter in the alphabet (except for
>>  > C). However, each letter returned with the same error message, telling
>>  > me that the drive could not be found or accessed. There were only two
>>  > disks in the computer (the 40 GB internal hard drive, and my broken
>>  > 700 GB external hard drive).
>>  >
>>  > Also, this windows computer needs to be used by other people during
>>  > the day, and I'm afraid that this drive might take longer than one
>>  > overnight to finish. However, I have a VirtualBox VM of windows vista
>>  > (which I haven't used in months), and I know that USB devices can be
>>  > plugged into VMs, so could I do it that way?
>>  >
>>
>>        Hmm, now we're getting in to Windows support, which isn't relevant here
>> completely. But it is, sort of, in your quest to get this drive running
>> with Ubuntu... Plus, other Ubuntu users may find this helpful...
>>        On the Windows computer, the chkdsk command only works if it is seen
>> and assigned a drive letter. Quick way, open the My Computer icon on the
>> desktop, and see what drive letters are there.
>>        To check if WindowsXP can see the drive at all: click on Start, choose
>> Run... and in the Open dialog box, type compmgmt.msc. In the Computer
>> Management window, choose the Disk Management category in the list on
>> the left. On the right side, you should (hopefully) see both HDDs
>> listed. The C: drive, and you 700GB external. In the bottom right,
>> assuming Windows can see the drive at all, it will give some info, kinda
>> like gparted does. Let us know what this shows...
>>
>>        The Windows Vista in VirtualBox should see the drive, assuming it has
>> USB support on. you can do the smae diagnostics in Vista as XP.
>>

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--- Dave Woyciesjes
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 From here to there,
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