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I have dual boot system with Ubuntu 14.10 and Windows 8.1, both 32bit, with 5 partitons in windows 8.1.

I have insatalled Ubuntu 15.04 64 Bit. Now the 5 windows partitions are not visible and I cannot boot into Windows 8.1. How can I recover my partitons without loosing data.

Note that GRUB Menu is not showing the option to boot into Windows 8.1.

Here's the output of sudo parted -l, run from a live Ubuntu:

enter image description here

s3lph
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Sachin
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2 Answers2

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From the screen photo, It seems like the installer wiped your hard drive. This was a known issue before 14.04, but it should have been fixed since, according to the bug status. If it really is as you said, please file a new bug report for the Ubiquity package.

I hope you made a backup before attempting a reinstall. If not, let this be you a lecture.

If you are using a SSD, you can basically give up all hopes. SSDs use a feature called TRIM, which erases deleted and invalid data blocks as to keep the drive fast.

If you need to recover files, stop using the installed system immediately and find another harddrive which you can use to back up your data, preferrably empty and big enough to hold your files - at least those which you manage to recover. Please always keep in mind that file recovery is basically gambling, no matter which tools you use.

Now boot the Live Ubuntu on the installation medium ("Try without installation") and open a terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T). In there, use the following command to install the recovery suite TestDisk:

sudo apt-get install testdisk

This will not affect your problematic hard drive, as the program will be installed to RAM (or live system persistency, if set up) only.

Now, TestDisk is a pretty straight-forward, interactive recovery suite. To start it, you use the following command:

sudo testdisk

You may first want to search for lost partitions. It should be TestDisk's first menu option. (Partition table Intel/PC/msdos). If you are lucky, TestDisk will manage to find the deleted partitions and gives you the option to create a new partition table. This will likely make the installed system unbootable.

When the program manages to restore the partition table (even partially), you should be able to mount the formerly lost partitions and you may find your personal files. If so, copy them to an external hard drive (the one I advised you to get before.)

If not, use another tool called PhotoRec. It should already be installed with TestDisk and is also very simple to use. In this case, you may however not be able to restore the files' names.

For further information, read this very good article.

Good luck! (You'll need it, if you don't have a backup)

As for your Windows, the default recovery partition is now gone. If you want to reinstall it, get a installation disk image from Microsoft (I hope they still provide any), put it on an USB or DVD and install it using the product key provided with your computer (may be inside the case). If you can't find any PK sticker, you should contact the PC manufacturer and ask for help. Some don't provide those stickers any more.

Edit: Sometimes, the PK is stored in the BIOS, so a destroyed partition won't erase it. You will know, if your Windows activates itself without you entering a PK.

Btw. you can take screenshots using the PrtSc key in Ubuntu, and they will be saved in ~/Pictures.

s3lph
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  • +1, anyway from OP's comment and this screenshot I'm brought to think that OP deliberately (mistakenly) deleted his own installation. – kos Apr 26 '15 at 19:30
  • I was careful when installing Ubuntu. Among the instructions given First Option was disabled so I went with the second one i.e "remove Ubuntu and reinstall" – Sachin Apr 26 '15 at 19:42
  • Yes, what I meant is that despite what's written on it, which I agree it's misleading, the second option always wipes everything, so that this it's not a bug intended as as an unexpected behavior, but rather a misleading label which mentions only one of all grub's entry, but now I see that this is exactly what's explained in your link, so nevermind what I've just said :) – kos Apr 26 '15 at 20:02
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Try opening a Terminal window (Ctrl + Alt + T) and run these commands:

sudo su
update-initramfs
update-grub

Reboot and see if Windows is added as a menu entry.

Eduardo Cola
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  • It won't help, the hard drive was wiped, as you can see in the screenshot the OP added. – s3lph Apr 26 '15 at 18:31