Linux Mint Forums

Sir/ Ma'am,

We are overseas enjoying time well spent with a humanitarian organization. I have a couple of LM dual boots here. The organization has several external drives with problems which I believe Spinrite could help. I've been using Linux Mint, for many reasons, and (adding this one to the list) it reads most PC and MAC drive formats. Shabaam ! I came across a post from some time ago, from a user who was attempting the same and I am working to understand and adapt his code:

https://www.linuxquestions.org/question ... 175546458/

I am a retired mechanic, not a programmer, and have a bit to learn. The ISO is in /boot/images and on a cd drive, and neither are working just yet, though I do now have a menu option in Grub2.
Here is my version:
"insmod part_msdos" .... spinrite needs dos bootup environment
"insmod fat"..... fat appears to be the format the Linux Mint ISO used for my LM installation.
"set root='hd0,fat2' "....... this appears to be the position of the Linux Partition, and where the ISO now resides.
"C4DB441B-C4F4-11E3-8028-C67EAAF5D749" ....... Disk identifier: C4DB441B-C4F4-11E3-8028-C67EAAF5D749

Device Start End Sectors Size Type
/dev/sda1 2048 2099199 2097152 1G Windows recovery environment
/dev/sda2 2099200 2303999 204800 100M EFI System
/dev/sda3 2304000 2566143 262144 128M Microsoft reserved
/dev/sda4 2566144 1729804287 1727238144 823.6G Microsoft basic data
/dev/sda5 1934604288 1953523764 18919477 9G Windows recovery environment
/dev/sda6 1729804288 1934604287 204800000 97.7G Linux filesystem

scottb@scottb-Satellite-S55t-B:~$ lsblk
NAME MAJ:MIN RM SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
sda 8:0 0 931.5G 0 disk
├─sda1 8:1 0 1G 0 part
├─sda2 8:2 0 100M 0 part /boot/efi
├─sda3 8:3 0 128M 0 part
├─sda4 8:4 0 823.6G 0 part
├─sda5 8:5 0 9G 0 part
└─sda6 8:6 0 97.7G 0 part /
sr0 11:0 1 1.8M 0 rom /media/scottb/SPINRITE_V6_BOOT

scottb@scottb-Satellite-S55t-B:/etc/grub.d$ sudo update-grub
Sourcing file `/etc/default/grub'
Sourcing file `/etc/default/grub.d/50_linuxmint.cfg'
Sourcing file `/etc/default/grub.d/60_mint-theme.cfg'
Generating grub configuration file ...
Found theme: /boot/grub/themes/linuxmint/theme.txt
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-5.3.0-53-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-5.3.0-53-generic
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-5.3.0-51-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-5.3.0-51-generic
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-5.3.0-46-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-5.3.0-46-generic
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-5.0.0-32-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-5.0.0-32-generic
Found Windows Boot Manager on /dev/sda2@/EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi
Adding boot menu entry for EFI firmware configuration
Found memdisk: /boot/memdisk
done
scottb@scottb-Satellite-S55t-B:/etc/grub.d$

I have a feeling for the CD drive to work I need to insert the CD drive Disk identifier (unable to determine yet), not the hard drive Disk identifier: C4DB441B-C4F4-11E3-8028-C67EAAF5D749

Grub error codes when Spinrite option is selected:

error: no such device found: c4db.....
error: not a regular file.

What is wrong with the drives? If they are noisy then probably best to open them up and BE CAREFUL OF THE MAGNETS but play with the magnets.
Have you tried fsck or chkdsk in Windows?

Sometimes it is good to just delete all the partitions and re-format (not quick).
Do you know how to do any of those? (It isn't a facetious question, just don't know if you do).

Gittiest,

You sound as though you know quite a bit about drives. There are likely a dozen +/- with good information on them to be retrieved, then saved to a backup drive. All of them with different maladies to be sure. Spinrite will possibly only get a few and whatever advice you give is invaluable as I fully intend to break them open as all-else possibly fails.

Gratefully,
3Focus1

that Sprinrite from Gibson Research has been around for quite some time.

you can also utilise TestDisk from the LinuxMint repositories, as well.
- - you can even load that from an LinuxMint Live Media, as well.

what files are on those HDDs that you are trying to recover ?.
- - pictures - - documents .. etc ?.

Pierre,

Thank you for your interest. There is actually another drive here which does need actual file recovery from an accidental format. Between Testdisk, Autopsy, and Sleuthkit I have had no joy as of yet, because this obviously is not (yet) my area of expertise. Back in the day, I would have pulled out trusty Pctools.exe, figured out the 1st character of every file (Lord willing) and been back in action. Testdisk doesn't give me comfort in my ignorance and Autopsy (GUI which uses Testdisk) for Linux, from the LM repository is an old version which wants an image, and there isn't the free-space for all that here. Autopsy for Windows will not open the disk in question, because it is a Mac format external drive.That dual-boot Linux Mint will not open the Spinrite without effort is a separate, yet connected issue. I know from being a mechanic for many years that what the mechanic knows is half the solution, the other half is his tools. I am hoping to get (updated) Spinrite back, as is Testdisk also is Spinrite, a peculiar and useful too.

Gratefully, 3Focus1

If the format was a quick format, you've got a better chance at recovering the data.
As Pierre said, Spinrite is very old software. I only tried it once and didn't get anything out of the hdd that I didn't get with other software (except it was running for a couple of days) - but different problems need different tools - it could be better, or not.
If it is a rattling noisy drive, you know as well us as that it could go at any time.

If you have Windows, I can recommend a couple other utilities that would give it NTFS/Fat32 drives a good shot if, mechanically, the disks hold up - except I doubt that most would work with Mac file systems. Also, are you willing to pay or are you looking for free software?

R-studio (free) worked quite well for recently deleted files - but most software will otherwise its a waste of a download. I have an old free version kicking around but won't be as good as new paid version. Not even sure if my old version does APFS. Also, the new Linux version doesn't do APFS, but the Windows version does.
https://www.r-studio.com/
You are welcome to try the old version I've got though, for Windows but I can't vouch for its vulnerabilitie/security/bugs in newer OS, if it will even work at all etc.

Hi 3Focus1,

I just read your post and the good replies to it. Here are my thoughts on this as well.

Exactly what operating systems, if any, are on the drives and or what data and file systems do they have?

Spinrite was an excellent program, but from what I can tell its last version is from 2004? Never used it in Linux.

Need a way to run Spinrite 6 via GRUB2. Can do either ISO or image file
https://www.linuxquestions.org/question ... 175546458/

* GitHub - jackwasey/linuxrite: Read or re-write bad sectors in linux to force block reallocation, a la Spinrite (tm)
https://github.com/jackwasey/linuxrite

Spinrite - GRC | Hard drive data recovery software
https://www.grc.com/sr/spinrite.htm

linux drive recovery tools - Google Search
* look for newer articles
https://www.google.com/search?ei=L93LXv ... ent=psy-ab

Obviously, if there is anything that you want to save from those drive disks, try copying them to a known good disk drive. Mark the ones that have trouble or don't work for later forensic recovery. "Safecopy" is a great app in the Software Manager or Synaptic Package Manager (SPM) that you might consider trying on problem drives that allow access.

You can boot to a Linux system and run a partition manager like gparted on the drive's partitions to check the disks for errors. Using testdisk and related apps like photorec are for "last resort" recovery efforts and there are many articles on the Internet and posts in this forum on using them.

How to Install and Use TestDisk Data Recovery Tool in Linux
https://www.tecmint.com/install-testdis ... -in-linux/

Any MS Windows drives and or bootable partitions can be checked and possibly repaired using a bootable version of Minitool Partition Wizard.

If you install the Linux smartmontools, then you can check the health status of most of the drives. I always install these as one of the first things I do.

How to monitor harddisk health with smartmontools on Ubuntu
https://www.howtoforge.com/tutorial/mon ... on-ubuntu/

Smartmontools - Community Help Wiki
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Smartmontools

Good luck...

Hope this helps ...

PHD21,

Thank you for your time and I look forward to examining your materials. That article from Jack Wasey adds some good insight. Linux people are pioneers, are willing to work hard/ ask questions, and find answers which are complete. You are from this group.

I love the Chinese as some favorite scientists are in fact Chinese. Value systems are SO critical to business and everyday life. Easeus, is owned by a Tech company in Beijing and Minitool's original office was in Hong Kong. I don't know Wayne Ming's story (Minitool), because their office is now in BC (according to Manta). ... <big sigh>. Wayne Ming, might actually be an interesting story. I'll keep an ear out as we may need to go with his Minitool product.

I heard lately on a podcast that Steve Gibson is working on a new update even as we speak. It's hard to watch Microsoft going the path it appears to be. ... <another big sigh>. American techs needs MS, even if it is just for the competition. MS Updates, part of the rollup, KB4532693 was apparently a disaster (Windows 10). Watching other things transpire, I held my Windows 8.1 (not my favorite) close and worked hard not to let it go, but its time is coming too.

Linux is a bright spot. Thank you all for keeping Linux progressing.

Gratefully,
3Focus1

Now to make sure spinrite ISO is Grub2/ Linux friendly?
Latest:

Rev 6

menuentry "Bootable ISO Image: SpinRite" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,gpt6'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,gpt6 --hint-efi=hd0,gpt6 --hint baremetal=ahci0,gpt6 02081086-2c98-430f-abf2-f0ffd08e62d4
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 02081086-2c98-430f-abf2-f0ffd08e62d4
fi
linux16 /boot/memdisk iso
initrd16 /boot/images/SpinRite.iso
}

did you create that ISO file from an Installed version of the Spinrite Program ?.
- - on which Windows version ?
and have you "Tested" that ISO file in an VirtualBox environment ?.

and, does that Installed version 'see' the HDDs that you are trying to recover ?.

I heard lately on a podcast that Steve Gibson is working on a new update even as we speak.

Quite possibly.
However 10+ years ago I remember that he was saying the same thing.
Spinrite should be a last-ditch attempt for data recovery in my opinion - not that it doesn't work - there are many testimonials to say it does, but there are more modern software that is most likely to be written for more modern hardware/firmware.

Anyway - please do post back with your results either way. Best of luck with the recovery. Its always good to hear what has been tried and what was achieved.

Hi 3Focus1,

You are welcome...

And, thanks...

Pierre wrote: ⤴Tue May 26, 2020 6:23 am did you create that ISO file from an Installed version of the Spinrite Program ?.
- - on which Windows version ?
and have you "Tested" that ISO file in an VirtualBox environment ?.

and, does that Installed version 'see' the HDDs that you are trying to recover ?.

This will be my checklist. I intend to work through them, today if possible. Thank you!

Rev1 - Checked the file type and realized that it was an *.exe; though, it works on the DVD, go figure. Spinrite recreated it into an ISO this afternoon. Hopefully, getting closer. Good thoughts.

Rev2 -
Your input got me to thinking and I went back and corrected an image problem. There is now an authentic SpinRite.iso in the /boot/images folder. Somehow, Windows has been using it, but it wasn't an iso image. Upon sudo update-grub, grub now, for the first time, finds the iso. Exciting !

• Now, however, there are two instances of "Bootable ISO Image: SpinRite" in the startup Grub menu. Selecting either just gives a blank dark screen. Hard-drive light stays lit.
• So, to test, I deleted everything in 40_custom which I put into that document and rebooted. This time only one copy of "Bootable ISO Image: SpinRite" appeared in the Grub menu. Though, still a dark screen. Hard-drive light stays lit.
• I assume, the OS-prober must now be finding SpinRite.iso and Grub is also loading from 40_custom? Is either looking at the Insmod's so that Grub will know what to do with it?Feeling encouraged as it seems some progress is being made. Though, not fast. Wondering if grub-imageboot package and OS-prober conflict a bit?

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Actually enjoying the mystery of it all. Linux is seems very logical. Would love to get things working; though, impressed nonetheless.

Everyone,

None of the problems I have had operating Spinrite from a Linux dual-boot appear to be problems which arise from Linux Mint.

• It appears, the problems are between Grub, Spinnrite and my own laptop at home, as I was able to get Spinrite working, with a genuine ISO formatted CD after installing the grub-imageboot package, to get the program working on a dual-boot old core-duo desktop and another HP laptop at the office.

• Spinrite would not work on a Windows 10, all-in-one machine, as FreeDOS/ Spinrite were having trouble with AHCI drives. -Some similar issue on my home laptop?

Anyway, I am reading through the Grub manual and looking for ways to enable Spinrite to operate, then to be able to find ailing drives, which then perhaps make us able to solve similar problems with other programs/ apps. I like those guys/ gals at Grub.

Similar to the Grub community, I enjoy the Linux guys/ gals too. Both small and purely talented; yet loyal, good-hearted, and resourceful.

Gratefully,
3Focus1