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After installing Ubuntu, I can no longer boot into Windows. This issue was detailed here.

I've basically given up on accessing windows on this laptop again.

I would now like to know if there is any way I can check if the files on that windows partition have been wiped unintentionally during the dual boot installation process, or if I can access or restore that partition somehow from within Ubuntu (or any other way).

There is no 'mount' option available for that partition in gparted.

I'm not sure if there is any software available in Ubuntu for accessing files on such partitions, but I'm open to any suggestions.

user3175632
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    Ubuntu can by default work with partitions of windows in the ntfs format if they are "healthy". Your "Basic data partition" however has an exlamation mark, indicating a specific problem with the parittion. Try perhaps to reveal the cause of the issues by attempting to mount it: sudo mount /dev/sda4: if the system cannot mount it, error messages will give a first indication of what might be wrong. – vanadium Jan 15 '22 at 12:00
  • Try disabling hibernation: powercfg /h off https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-client/deployment/disable-and-re-enable-hibernation – Johan Palych Jan 15 '22 at 12:19
  • @vanadium, I just tried puttiing that in terminal, and got this response: mount: /dev/sda4: can't find in /etc/fstab. Does that mean anything to you? There were no other error messages. – user3175632 Jan 15 '22 at 14:41
  • @JohanPalych I don't think I can do that as I can't get into windows in order to follow the instructions. – user3175632 Jan 15 '22 at 14:42
  • Try installing grub-customizer and edit the grub boot menu to start Windows. To the terminal: sudo apt update && sudo apt install grub-customizer – Johan Palych Jan 15 '22 at 15:23
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    My bad, sorry. The command of course should include a mount point, i.e. should be like sudo mount /dev/sda4 /mnt. If that works, content becomes visible under /mnt, if not, there will be error outpur (like you had now, because no mount point was specified. /mnt by default is an exiting directory on most linux systems: you have to specify a directory that exists as mount point. – vanadium Jan 15 '22 at 15:54
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    Could you also check in gparted if you can get more information on the exclamation mark: can you click on that to see the error message or something? – vanadium Jan 15 '22 at 16:04
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    @Johan Palych: Once grub-customizer edits a grub configuration, doesn't it become very difficult for humans and impossible for other tools (like boot-repair) to read it? That seems unhelpful in this case because it means OP is putting all their eggs in one basket. My source for this is: https://easylinuxtipsproject.blogspot.com/p/grub-customizer.html – Matthew Jan 15 '22 at 16:30
  • Run the following on the command line (Ctrl+Alt+t): sudo os-prober If your Windows installation was found, you can run: sudo update-grub https://askubuntu.com/questions/197868/grub-does-not-detect-windows – Johan Palych Jan 15 '22 at 17:35
  • If you have an UEFI system with UEFI installs, you should always be able to boot both Windows & Ubuntu/grub from UEFI boot menu. Often f12, but varies by vendor, same key you used to select the flash drive installer in UEFI boot mode. Then in Windows turn off fast start up. And you may need to temporarily turn on os-porber as for secuity reasons grub2 is turning off os-prober in /etc/default/grub . Change to false : GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER=true run sudo update-grub then change back to true. – oldfred Jan 16 '22 at 01:45
  • @vanadium just tried that and the error message I get in terminal is as follows... Failed to open ntfs attribute: No such file or directory Failed to load $MFT: No such file or directory Failed to mount '/dev/sda4': No such file or directory – user3175632 Jan 16 '22 at 11:25
  • @vanadium in gparted, if I right click on the windows partition and select Information, the warning is detailed as follows: Failed to open ntfs attribute: No such file or directory Failed to load $MFT: No such file or directory Failed to mount '/dev/sda4': No such file or directory

    Failed to open '/dev/sda4'.

    Failed to open ntfs attribute: No such file or directory Failed to load $MFT: No such file or directory Failed to mount '/dev/sda4': No such file or directory

    Unable to read the contents of this file system! Because of this some operations may be unavailable.

     – user3175632 Jan 16 '22 at 11:29
  • @JohanPalych I believe grub is working, and I can get it to attempt to boot into windows, but that just goes directly to a 'Preparing Automatic Repair' screen and ultimately a few windows startup tools, but I wasn't able to boot into the OS. – user3175632 Jan 16 '22 at 11:31
  • Prefer to add information relevant to debug the problem to your question: use "edit". Comments may not be read or may disappear. – vanadium Jan 16 '22 at 11:48
  • NTFS recovery option from Ubuntu - gnome-disks: sudo apt install gnome-disk-utility (big risk) or Back to Windows. Recovery Options: https://www.itpro.com/operating-systems/microsoft-windows/359109/how-to-fix-automatic-repair-loop-in-windows-10 – Johan Palych Jan 16 '22 at 13:53

1 Answers1

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I would suggest Testdisk. It is a cli tool and you would have to read a couple how-to/turorials, but for partition/file recovery it is the tool most likely to get you the results you want.

To install it:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install testdisk

"Quick Scan" instructions -->

Choose Create on create a new log file.

The drive your partition was/is on when asked to select a media

Intel on partition table type,

and then analyse.

When the list appears, do [Quick Search].

Good luck ;)

Vikare
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    That is your last resource for self-service data recovery. It recovers recognizable chunks of bits into files with random file names. – vanadium Jan 15 '22 at 15:55
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    Actually I think it can do a quick search for lost partitions too (before the aforementioned "chunks of bits into files with random file names.") It's been a while since I last used it, could be wrong. Still, most powerful tool you can get before going 'professional.' – Vikare Jan 15 '22 at 16:00
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    you are right, I was confusing with the accompagnying tool photorec. The partition, however, is seen in gparted, so it is not actually lost, but may be corrupt.. – vanadium Jan 15 '22 at 16:04
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    My bad then. Trying to mount it is indeed an easier fix and if it doesn't work he can install testdisk. Shouldn't have rushed with an 'answer.' – Vikare Jan 15 '22 at 16:08
  • @user3175632 I would like to point out that Testdisk IS an actual option, and the most relevant advice given when attempting file recovery is the more you "fiddle" with a filesystem the less data is recoverable. That is if you care apo the files and have given up on booting windows (you could reinstall it?) as you state above. – Vikare Jan 17 '22 at 21:15