Well I had a crap load of spy and ad ware on my computer. So I decided to format and reinstall windows. So yea.. when you go to install windows you have to delete and then create a new partition, so that way you don't install windows over an existing version of windows. Anyways while I'm doing this I see another hard drive on my list (this is while I'm partitioning the hard drives) But I mistaked it for a partition on my windows hard drive. Anyways in case I lost you I have a 100g HDD that I partitioned and that had windows on it. Now I also partioned my 300g HDD that I don't want to partion that has all my mvoies and music on it. Anyways all I did was delete the partition on my 300g I didn't format it or anything like I did on my 100g. So right now it currently says "please format a partition in the unpartioned space" for my 300g. Is their a way to retrieve all my files or get the HDD working?


Thanks in advance for any help.

"... when you go to install windows you have to delete and then create a new partition, so that way you don't install windows over an existing version of windows..."

When installing XP, you are presented with the (found) disks/partitions, then given the choice of which of the partitions to install windows on, and then the choice of deleting/recreating or formatting that existing partition with the FAT32 or NTFS file system structure.

One of the most important elements of data recovery is to not utilize the disk/partition which you wish to recover data from. Physically disconnect it from the machine as indexing/swap files etc can write to the disk, thereby overwriting data. Leave it disconnected until you have a recovery utility installed and ready to use. Also do not save recovered data to the same disk. Place it on another disk/partition/CD/DVD-R/RW until the entire recovery process is completed.

There are quite a few (FREEWARE) recovery utilities available;

http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=...tilities&meta=

I can't recommend any as I have a purchased utility. I have read good things about Recuva;

http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&sa...q=recuva&meta=

Good luck and please post back with your results.