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I wanted to create dual boot machine with Windows 10 and Ubuntu 14.04.3 LTS but something went wrong and I accidentally formatted Windows partition. After formatting, I cancelled installation. I didn't click on "Install" and so I think that data hasn't been overwritten. So, how can I recover the partition with all data (if possible)?

I need this data badly as I don't have, unfortunately, a backup for them.

This is what GParted shows to me

I'm trying to use TestDisk on Ubuntu liveCD but I don't want to make another mistake. What do I have to do now?

I'm at this point:

testdisk deep search results

HPFS - NTFS [OS] and HPFS - NTFS [DATA] should be the old partitions of Windows (C: and D:). If I select the first one and press P the terminal crashes, but if I do the same with both NTFS [DATA] partitions it shows me the list of a part of my files. But now I don't know how to proceed...

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  • Use the backup you have made from your windows partition..... or try testdisk by reading the manual before
    – solsTiCe
    Nov 23, 2015 at 22:17
  • Windows in UEFI mode typically has partitions like this. Note the 128MB unformatted partition just before the first NTFS partition. Testdisk will not find that normally. technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd744301%28WS.10%29.aspx
    – oldfred
    Nov 23, 2015 at 22:33
  • @solsTiCe I didn't make a backup, unfortunately... and then oldfred what do you suggest?
    – frak
    Nov 24, 2015 at 0:06
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    Testdisk is about the only alternative. If you have data files without backup and testdisk does not work, then photorec or various similar Windows tools that scan partition/drive for anything that looks like a file may find some of your data.
    – oldfred
    Nov 24, 2015 at 0:13

2 Answers 2

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It's extremely unlikely that you'll recover a fully working Windows installation. Although you haven't written any files to your Linux partitions, their mere existence means that you've overwritten parts of the original partitions, irretrievably replacing some data on them. If you're very very very VERY lucky, nothing important will have been lost; but chances are at least one or two critical boot files is now toast. If you're merely very very lucky, TestDisk might recover the partition in an intact-enough state to enable you to copy your personal files off. If not, you'll need to use PhotoRec or a similar tool to do a file-level recovery.

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  • 99% of files recovered with TestDisk, I think I'm very very lucky man! :D
    – frak
    Nov 28, 2015 at 21:58
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This solution was written by frak in the question and was moved here as an answer.

I solved the problem in this way, recovering 99% of my files:

  • downloaded the latest version of TestDisk from the CGSecurity site (and not with sudo apt-get install testdisk, it installs an older one that crashes when you have to list files of some partition, at least in my case)
  • started testdisk and made a deeper search, pressed P for listing files and then copied them to an external device pressing C
  • reinstalled Windows and Ubuntu
  • copied files from the external HDD

And now it's all fine, thanks!

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