i lost a partition

[tapakeg]

On my computer I have 2 hard drives, ( C: is for operating system and is mostly used )  (  D:  is for backup stuff only )  I lost the partition on my D: drive.  In the "my computer" it only now see's the C: drive.  I went to download.com and tried some tools to get the partition back with all the info on the disk.  One found all the info, then wanted money to recover  + partition.  Is there a free way to do it?  I am running Win XP.

thanks in advance


Tapakeg

[Kev367th]

Try here for free partition recovery stuff

http://www.download.com/3120-2001_4-0-1-0.html?qt=partition&author=&titlename=&desc=&dlcount=&daysback=&swlink=&gfiletype=&os=&li=49&dlsize=&ca=

[JB66]

If your are using a ntfs file system...you might be able to recover the partition with your win xp cd.
I would disconnect the c drive just to avoid making a mistake.  Then boot your win xp cd.  It will give you a choice as to what you want to do.  Choose recovery.  You will get to a dos prompt.  One of the commands you want to look at is fixmbr.  Which is fix main boot record.  Then fixboot, which should make the new boot partition work.
It's been awhile since I've used this utility, so you should google "repairing a disk partition" just to make sure.

If you can't recover the partition.  There is a free utility called PC Inspector file recovery that will give you access to the files on the bad drive, and it will allow you to copy them to another drive.  

http://www.pcinspector.de/file_recovery/UK/welcome.htm

I hope this helps.

[tapakeg]

I used win xp cd to put a partition back on the HD.  It now has a partition and i can see the drive under the my computer.  I ran the recovery software you linked and I was able to get my pics back.  I still have mp3's and some other stuff it didn't get.  Oh well, the pics is what i was after.  Once again there are other programs that I saw from download.com that will find your stuff, but you have to pay to recover.  When I now click on the HD it says I have to format it before I can do anything to it.  Going to wait until maybe I can get the rest of the info before I do that.  Thanks for the replies

Tapakeg