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I downloaded Ubuntu 14.04 and installed it via a bootable USB drive.

I wanted dual-boot for Windows and Linux.

I already had installed Windows 8 in C: partition. Now I installed Ubuntu in D: partition (with F: partition as swap area)

I'm unable to access D: and F: drives from Windows.

What do I do now?

I have my very important files in F: drive. How to recover or access it?

Please help me. Thanks :)

bain
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Gokul NC
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    Ubuntu does not use D: F: etc. When you installed Ubuntu did you choose "Something Else" option and select these partitions? If you did this, those partitions have been erased and reformatted to a format that Ubuntu uses ext4'. Windows does not understandext4' formatted partitions. So you can't see them in Windows anymore. Why Ubuntu does not show up in the boot menu is another matter. – user68186 May 08 '14 at 16:42
  • swap partitions should be unused space not a location where you keep very important files. If you have done as you say, backup your very important files prior to attempting to resolve the ubuntu doesn't boot problem. This is your #1 priority. if you didn't format the partition with the installer you may still be able to get your data back – Elder Geek May 08 '14 at 16:47
  • If he did select the F: partition as swap, wouldn't that automatically format it? – Nattgew May 08 '14 at 17:11
  • BOOT PROBLEM SOLVED.

    I'm a complete newbie to Linux. As far as i know, while I was installing, the F: partition was not formatted.

    Now, my question is, how do I recover the data in it?

     – Gokul NC May 08 '14 at 17:16
  • When you chose F: as your Swap partition it was formatted in a special format called Linux Swap. The image shows various types of formats recognized by Ubuntu There is not much you can do about it now, especially now that you are using Ubuntu, the swap partition is being used, and the data that may have been recoverable, is being permanently deleted. See How to recover lost data / partition? – user68186 May 08 '14 at 17:52

2 Answers2

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It appears that you did not repartition the drive, but chose an existing Windows partition as swap space in the Ubuntu installer. This means your NTFS partition will be corrupted (mkswap was run on it). mkswap does not do a full format, so you should be able to recover the majority (perhaps all) of your files.

Boot Windows and run Microsoft Checkdisk (chkdsk) on your F: drive. You might need to change the partition type from 82 (Linux swap) to 07 (HPFS/NTFS/exFAT) if it does not recognise the drive as being a Windows drive.

If that does not work, try TestDisk

The MFT (Master File Table) is sometimes corrupted. If Microsoft's Checkdisk (chkdsk) failed to repair the MFT, run TestDisk. In the Advanced menu, select your NTFS partition, choose Boot, then Repair MFT. TestDisk will compare the MFT and MFT mirror (its backup). If the MFT is damaged, it will try to repair the MFT using the backup. If the MFT backup is damaged, it will use the main MFT.

If both MFT and MFTMirr are damaged and thus cannot be repaired using TestDisk, you might want to try commercial software like Zero Assumption Recovery, GetDataBack for NTFS or Restorer 2000.

bain
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Did you install Ubuntu in UEFI mode or Legacy BIOS mode? If you have installed Ubuntu through legacy mode, then you won't be able to access Ubuntu when UEFI is enabled and vice versa.

Also, if you assigned your F: partition, i.e /dev/sdxy as your swap area, Ubuntu has to format that partition for using it as swap. You won't be able to get back your data (unless you did backup it or perform a data recovery).

Make sure GRUB is properly installed and configured.

Bhavesh Nande
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