topic Re: how to copy data from crashed disk in Operating System - HP-UX

how to copy data from crashed disk

Irek_1 — Mon, 14 Feb 2005 07:02:40 GMT

Hi,
after system (or disk) crash i cannot mount /dev/vg01/faktury. I started fsck -ofull, but it is working 2 days without result (still in pass1). Is there other way to copy data from this volumin to other disk?
My system HP-UX B.11.00, volumin size 8GB.

Re: how to copy data from crashed disk

Peter Godron — Mon, 14 Feb 2005 07:08:24 GMT

Irek,
if the system can not mount the disk, it can not see that data on the disk.
So either you somehow get the system to mount the disk and copy with dd or you try to sector copy the disk via a third-party recovery tool. Either way you will probably loose data and should restore from backup!!
Regards

Re: how to copy data from crashed disk

harry d brown jr — Mon, 14 Feb 2005 07:23:10 GMT

You could send the disk out to a data recovery company, but unless they have the same tools as the NSA, then I doubt they will recover much if the disk platter is damaged. I only had one experience with such a service and unfortunately the platter was seriously damaged and unrecoverable.

good luck!

live free or die
harry d brown jr

Re: how to copy data from crashed disk

Mobeen_1 — Mon, 14 Feb 2005 07:28:06 GMT

Irek,
If you are unable to mount the file system, i am afraid you would not be able to recover the disk contents yourself. You may have to settle for any of the following depending on how important the data is for your organization

1. Use some DATA RECOVERY TOOL

2. Seek some DATA RECOVERY COMPANIES services

3. Use the last backup to restore the data

If you don't have a valid backup, then you are left with only 2 choices really.

All the best

regards
Mobeen

Re: how to copy data from crashed disk

B. Hulst — Mon, 14 Feb 2005 09:55:01 GMT

Hi,

Did you try to boot from cdrom already?

When booted from cdrom you can mount each lvol
at a time to a temporary mount point and try to recover what ever is left to another lvol.

But if there is a hardware failure then this option won't work.

Regards,
Bob

Re: how to copy data from crashed disk

Bill Hassell — Mon, 14 Feb 2005 10:01:44 GMT

You can copy the data using dd but when it encounters the bad area on the disk, it will abort. This assumes that the reason for the crashed disk is that the heads have touched the surface and there is damage to the disk. NOTE: fsck never fixes problems with the disk! It's purpose is to reconstruct directories and tables in the directory that may have been corrupted due to a software error. If fsck cannot read a needed sector of data, it will abort, or in yor case, the disk is not working correctly and the I/O is just hanging.

If you absolutely must have this data (ie, no backups) then contact a data recovery company. Be prepared to spend thousands of dollars as the task to recover the data can be extremely labor- and equipment-intensive.

Re: how to copy data from crashed disk

V. Nyga — Mon, 14 Feb 2005 10:47:03 GMT

Hi,

if the system doesn't mount without fsck, you can try to mount it with the option -f (for force).

Sometimes it works.
Then you could copy datas from this disc.

HTH
Volkmar

Re: how to copy data from crashed disk

Bill Hassell — Mon, 14 Feb 2005 14:14:51 GMT

Be very careful with the mount -f option on a production machine. The corruption in the directories may be so severe that it may cause a panic (system crash) when the filesystem is accessed.

Re: how to copy data from crashed disk

Irek_1 — Tue, 15 Feb 2005 03:25:22 GMT

i'tried to mount -o ro. It worked! Now I'am copying the data. Many thank's to all!
Irek

Re: how to copy data from crashed disk

Rory R Hammond — Tue, 15 Feb 2005 10:01:24 GMT

I know you are successfull recover the data. I think fsck needs a lost+found directory. Make sure all of your file system have one. Not having one might be why fsck did not finish.

Roryu