Help recovering files

[void]

Error loading operating system

i was installing the xubuntu distrobution of linux on my old windows desktop hoping to install it on a partition on the hard drive. I got to the xubuntu install partition manager, set the options for a new partition, but cancelled without the installer making any changes to the hard drive (i thought) because i had something to do on win xp pro.

after the reboot to enter windows, i was greeted with the message 'Error loading Operating System'. realising the xp install might have been corrupted, i put in the xp pro install disc, and use the recovery console to(hopefully) repair the install. Unforunately it asked me which partition i wanted to install xp on.

after a bit of research i found this on the internet:

'Issue with drive's partitions

This issue can be cause if the disk drives are not properly setup or have been changed by another program, such as a utility that comes with a Linux distribution. To resolve this issue, delete and recreate all the partitions before running the Windows XP setup.'

Is there any way i can recover some important files which should theoretically, still be on the hard drive?

 

[Hades]

Yep. With the Live CD you can either repair the boot partition or use it to recover the data. I won't really be able to give you advice about fixing the boot partition because, although I have done it in the past, I'd hate to tell you the wrong thing and totally trash your system. So I'll leave that for someone with more experience.

But if you get a Live CD (Ubuntu or Knoppix for example) then you should be able ot just burn the important files to CD or copy them to an external drive, etc. e.g. using Ubuntu it should automatically mount all of the drives it can find on the system. Then use Applications --> Sound & Video --> X-CD Roast (from memory) to burn what you need to a CD. Or if you have an external USB drive or memory stick then just copy them there.

 

[void]

problem fixed using the 'TestDisk' utility of the ultimate boot cd for windows, by replacing the partition boot sector with the backup copy.