# Solved: input/output error ntfs drive



## sahra_kavir (Dec 26, 2012)

Hi,

I have ubuntu and windows on my laptop. I have a separate NTFS partition which I use for storing my files. I have been using Ubutu for read/write to the ntfs partition for a long time. 3 days ago I booted the windows and just opened the ntfs partition without writing any files. Once back in Ubuntu, I realized that some of the directories in the ntfs partition are gone! When I ls into the partition I get input/output error for those directories. The directories do not appear in windows also.


I have already made an image on the partition using ddrescue.
I have tested these with no success: testdisk, ntfsundelete, foremost under Ubuntu and chsdsk under windows

I appreciate any help to recover the data


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## saikee (Jun 11, 2004)

The way you described makes me think the missing files could be the system files used by the MS Windows.

The partition you are keeping could be also a backup or a clone of the MS Windows not originally generated by itself but by another operating system. M$ has a tendency to remove duplicate systems files it finds without telling the user as it is illegal to have them. You will not be able to keep a clone version online while runing the MS Windows. 

If you have a duplicate system file it can cause confusion to the MS Windows and so you should expect the OS will do something about it. To the MS Windows it can be regarded as a sign of infection!


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## sahra_kavir (Dec 26, 2012)

No actually it is not a clone of another partition. It is just an NTFS partition on the system which is visible through windows and mountable in ubuntu. It is not bootable.


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## DaveBurnett (Nov 11, 2002)

Ignore Saikee's post as it is not correct.
Your problem may have been caused by Windows though. Later versions of Windows use a later version of NTFS than most Linux Systems do. Had there been a discrepancy on the NTFS system when you opened it in Windows, Windows would have corrected it, thus writing to the drive.
Try these suggestions ( preferably on a true clone of the partition{all tracks} first).


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## sahra_kavir (Dec 26, 2012)

I think you forgot to include the suggestions


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## DaveBurnett (Nov 11, 2002)

I've forgotten what I was suggesting now, and I cannot get back into the same train of thought that I had last night..

Sorry


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

> I've forgotten what I was suggesting now


Now you can change your signature to "I remember that the last time I forgot something was Dec. 29, 2012."


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## DVOM (Jun 21, 2002)

TerryNet said:


> Now you can change your signature to "I remember that the last time I forgot something was Dec. 29, 2012."


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## sahra_kavir (Dec 26, 2012)

After testing many free recovery softwares, I finally used the software: Active file recovery from Lsoft, bought a personal software and recovered my files with all directory branches in windows
This was the cheapest working software I found

It was actually a headache to loose all files only because of using a drive on both ubuntu and windows.
Thank you for all the help


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## DVOM (Jun 21, 2002)

sahra_kavir said:


> It was actually a headache to loose all files only because of using a drive on both ubuntu and windows.
> Thank you for all the help


I don't think your problem was due to using the drive in both Ubuntu and Windows. l've been doing that for years. However, NTFS, like any file system, is subject to corruption. Of course, there's lots of things that can go wrong resulting in total loss of data.

Given the myriad ways things fail, the most important thing is redundant backups of important data.


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