info recovery

Asked by Tim Cisney

HP laptop died, took HD out and tried to boot to it but can't. Have files I would like. Drive shows in device manager but not when I open my computer. I was using 14.04.2 AMD 64. Been trying to download different copy to older Dell with xp pro

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Manfred Hampl
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Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said :
#1

What is the operating system of the computer where you now want to access that disk? If it is Windows, then it will not work, because Windows in unable to access Unix-formatted hard disk partitions.

You might have success with the following:
Create an Ubuntu Installation DVD or a bootable USB stick with Ubuntu, boot into it selecting the 'try Ubuntu without installing' mode, and you should be able to access the files of your old hard disk.

Revision history for this message
Tim Cisney (cisneyt) said :
#2

I thought that might be my problem, since the Dell has XP Pro installed. I made DVD but it won't boot. I've tried a few thing but no luck so far.

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Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said :
#3

You might have to reconfigure the BIOS of the Dell computer that it boots from the DVD if there is one available.

Information from the web:

Dell

XPS, Dimension, Inspiron, Latitude. OptiPlex, Precision, Vostro

•Press F2 when the Dell logo appears. Press every few seconds until the message Entering Setup appears.
•Older Dell desktops and laptops may instead use Ctrl+Alt+Enter or Del to enter BIOS.
•Older Dell laptops may use Fn+Esc or Fn+F1.

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Tim Cisney (cisneyt) said :
#4

Thanks Manfred Hampl, that solved my question.

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Tim Cisney (cisneyt) said :
#5

One hopefully last question. Now the drive shows on the desktop with a paddle lock on it asking for my passphrase. When I type my password I used for that drive I get nothing.

Revision history for this message
Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said :
#6

Was the drive of the old computer encrypted? Then you have to type the encryption passphrase to get access, not your password.

if you open a terminal window, what is the output of the commands

whoami
id
df -h
sudo fdisk -l

Revision history for this message
Tim Cisney (cisneyt) said :
#7

opening terminal I see this tc@tc-ME051:~$

When I set up Ubuntu on my last system it asked for a password and I assume the passphrase if that is what was required when I installed a new program or wanted to make a change or remove program. I have tried all these and different variations to no luck. Do I need to some how designate by letter which drive I am trying to access link in Windows

Revision history for this message
Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said :
#8

Please explain your current status:

On which computer do you now have your hard disks connected (and how - internal or external)?
From which medium are you now booting?
Please provide also the output of the commands that I asked for in my previous message

Revision history for this message
Tim Cisney (cisneyt) said :
#9

The system I am using is an older Dell Inspiron with Xp pro and Ubuntu installed. The drive I am having trouble accessing has Ubuntu only and is connected thru usb ports. I guess I'm not sure what output or commands your referring to. I click on the usb image of the drive, click open and it ask's for the passphrase. I type then nothing happens. Is there someway of over riding the passphrase?

> To: <email address hidden>
> From: <email address hidden>
> Subject: Re: [Question #267032]: info recovery
> Date: Wed, 20 May 2015 06:31:39 +0000
>
> Your question #267032 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/267032
>
> Manfred Hampl requested more information:
> Please explain your current status:
>
> On which computer do you now have your hard disks connected (and how - internal or external)?
> >From which medium are you now booting?
> Please provide also the output of the commands that I asked for in my previous message
>
> --
> To answer this request for more information, you can either reply to
> this email or enter your reply at the following page:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/267032
>
> You received this question notification because you asked the question.

Revision history for this message
Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said :
#10

Please provide the output of the following commands when running Ubuntu on the Dell with the old hard disk connected

df -h
sudo fdisk -l

Revision history for this message
Tim Cisney (cisneyt) said :
#11

are these commands separate or together?

Revision history for this message
Tim Cisney (cisneyt) said :
#12

file:///home/tc/Pictures/Selection_003.png

Revision history for this message
Tim Cisney (cisneyt) said :
#13

file:///home/tc/Pictures/Selection_003.png

Revision history for this message
Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said :
#14

Linking to images on your hard disk does not work. We cannot see anything.

Please execute the commands, then use the terminal window's menu entries "edit - select all" and "edit - copy" to copy all output and paste everything into this question document.

Revision history for this message
Tim Cisney (cisneyt) said :
#15

tc@tc-ME051:~$ df -h
Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/sda5 11G 4.0G 5.7G 41% /
none 4.0K 0 4.0K 0% /sys/fs/cgroup
udev 743M 4.0K 743M 1% /dev
tmpfs 151M 1.1M 150M 1% /run
none 5.0M 0 5.0M 0% /run/lock
none 752M 76K 752M 1% /run/shm
none 100M 40K 100M 1% /run/user
/dev/sdb1 236M 218M 5.6M 98% /media/tc/16254c77-5c81-43a4-aa2f-07542fd847d8
tc@tc-ME051:~$ sudo fdisk -l
[sudo] password for tc:

Revision history for this message
Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said :
#16

You have to provide your password on the "[sudo] password for tc:" prompt. (Note that you will not get any feedback when typing in the password, no echo, not even '*' placeholders).

How many hard disks are there on the Dell?

Is /dev/sdb1 the old disk from the HP machine on another additional hard disk on the Dell?

If you open nautilus (the file explorer program) and navigate to /media/tc/16254c77-5c81-43a4-aa2f-07542fd847d8 do you see the files from the old hard disk, or is it something else?

Revision history for this message
Tim Cisney (cisneyt) said :
#17

tc@tc-ME051:~$ df -h
Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/sda5 11G 4.0G 5.7G 41% /
none 4.0K 0 4.0K 0% /sys/fs/cgroup
udev 743M 4.0K 743M 1% /dev
tmpfs 151M 1.1M 150M 1% /run
none 5.0M 0 5.0M 0% /run/lock
none 752M 76K 752M 1% /run/shm
none 100M 36K 100M 1% /run/user
/dev/sdb1 236M 218M 5.6M 98% /media/tc/16254c77-5c81-43a4-aa2f-07542fd847d8
tc@tc-ME051:~$ sudo fdisk -l
[sudo] password for tc:

Disk /dev/sda: 40.0 GB, 40007761920 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 4864 cylinders, total 78140160 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0004f271

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 63 53196361 26598149+ 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2 53196798 78139391 12471297 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 53196800 75012095 10907648 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 75014144 78139391 1562624 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Disk /dev/sdb: 160.0 GB, 160041883648 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders, total 312581804 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x000c6a70

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 * 2048 499711 248832 83 Linux
/dev/sdb2 501758 312580095 156039169 5 Extended
/dev/sdb5 501760 312580095 156039168 83 Linux
tc@tc-ME051:~$

Revision history for this message
Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said :
#18

How many hard disks are there on the Dell?

Is /dev/sdb1 the old disk from the HP machine or another additional hard disk on the Dell?

If you open nautilus (the file explorer program) and navigate to /media/tc/16254c77-5c81-43a4-aa2f-07542fd847d8 do you see the files from the old hard disk, or is it something else?

what is the output of

file /dev/sdb5

(if that fails with missing access rights, use sudo file /dev/sdb5 )

Revision history for this message
Tim Cisney (cisneyt) said :
#19

2 drives, 1 installed with xp pro and Ubuntu. The other a Sata drive connected by usb with Ubuntu only
these files are on the installed drive on the Ubuntu partition 16254c77-5c81-43a4-aa2f-07542fd847d8

Revision history for this message
Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said :
#20

On which partition are the files that you want to access?

Revision history for this message
Tim Cisney (cisneyt) said :
#21

         Unable to access "160 GB Encrypted"

Error unlocking dev/sdb5: Error spawning command line `cryptsetup luksOpen"/dev/sdb5" "luks-31dfafd6-5e26-4b56-85c8-193c0db197e0"': Failed to execute child process "cryptsetup"( no such file or directory) (g-exec-error-quark, 8)

Revision history for this message
Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said :
#22

This now seems to be bug Bug #1310174

install cryptsetup and try accessing the device again

Revision history for this message
Tim Cisney (cisneyt) said :
#23

OH boy. Now when I try and open the drive I want, I type in the password and enter and the drive with the lock on it disappears

Revision history for this message
Tim Cisney (cisneyt) said :
#24

when I click on my computer it shows lots of folders, but if I click desktop noting changes. I'm in search of movie files from recent family funeral memorials. I cannot seem to find them. It appears I'm able to open the HD but don't know if files are still hidden?

Revision history for this message
Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said :
#25

What is now the output of

df -h
sudo fdisk -l

Revision history for this message
Tim Cisney (cisneyt) said :
#26

tc@tc-ME051:~$ df -h
Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/sda5 11G 4.0G 5.7G 42% /
none 4.0K 0 4.0K 0% /sys/fs/cgroup
udev 739M 4.0K 739M 1% /dev
tmpfs 151M 1.1M 150M 1% /run
none 5.0M 0 5.0M 0% /run/lock
none 752M 76K 752M 1% /run/shm
none 100M 40K 100M 1% /run/user
/dev/sdb1 236M 218M 5.6M 98% /media/tc/16254c77-5c81-43a4-aa2f-07542fd847d8
tc@tc-ME051:~$ sudo fdisk -l
[sudo] password for tc:

Disk /dev/sda: 40.0 GB, 40007761920 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 4864 cylinders, total 78140160 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0004f271

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 63 53196361 26598149+ 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2 53196798 78139391 12471297 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 53196800 75012095 10907648 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 75014144 78139391 1562624 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Disk /dev/sdb: 160.0 GB, 160041883648 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders, total 312581804 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x000c6a70

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 * 2048 499711 248832 83 Linux
/dev/sdb2 501758 312580095 156039169 5 Extended
/dev/sdb5 501760 312580095 156039168 83 Linux
tc@tc-ME051:~$

Again I thank you for your patience

Revision history for this message
Tim Cisney (cisneyt) said :
#27

I hope you haven't given up on my problem

Revision history for this message
Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said :
#28

On which partition (/dev/sd**) are the files that you want to access (or at least where you think they are)?

Did you use encryption on that partition on the old HP computer, or did you use LVM on that old computer's hard disk partitions?

Revision history for this message
Tim Cisney (cisneyt) said :
#29

when I check under disks I get this for the 160 gb dr

filesystem partition 1 255MB ext2

extended partition partition 2 160gb

partition 5 160 gb luks

160gb lvm2 pv

Revision history for this message
Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said :
#30

ok, it seems a luks encrypted lvm

Try the steps under the heading "Setup ~ Desktop (Live) CD, Adding the tools to manage encrypted partitions" in http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=726724 (stop before the heading "resizing").

You should then be able to mount the old disk's encrypted partition.

Revision history for this message
Tim Cisney (cisneyt) said :
#31

so I need to use the cd I initially created then select the drive I want. The information I need to proceed will be there?

Revision history for this message
Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said :
#32

There should not be the need for a CD.

Just execute the commands I the Ubuntu system running on the Dell.

Revision history for this message
Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said :
#33

Sorry, typo and wrong autocorrection:

There should not be the need for a CD.

Just execute the commands on the Ubuntu system running on the Dell.

Revision history for this message
Tim Cisney (cisneyt) said :
#34

tc@tc-ME051:~$ sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install lvm2 cryptsetup
[sudo] password for tc:
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security InRelease
Ign http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty InRelease
Ign http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates InRelease
Get:1 http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security Release.gpg [933 B]
Ign http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports InRelease
Get:2 http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security Release [63.5 kB]
Hit http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty Release.gpg
Get:3 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates Release.gpg [933 B]
Get:4 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports Release.gpg [933 B]
Hit http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty Release
Get:5 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates Release [63.5 kB]
Get:6 http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/main Sources [81.9 kB]
Get:7 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports Release [63.5 kB]
Get:8 http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/restricted Sources [2,061 B]
Hit http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/main Sources
Get:9 http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/universe Sources [25.2 kB]
Hit http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/restricted Sources
Hit http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/universe Sources
Get:10 http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/multiverse Sources [2,333 B]
Hit http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/multiverse Sources
Get:11 http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/main i386 Packages [261 kB]
Hit http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/main i386 Packages
Hit http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/restricted i386 Packages
Hit http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/universe i386 Packages
Hit http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/multiverse i386 Packages
Hit http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/main Translation-en_CA
Hit http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/main Translation-en
Hit http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/multiverse Translation-en
Get:12 http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/restricted i386 Packages [8,846 B]
Hit http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/restricted Translation-en
Get:13 http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/universe i386 Packages [105 kB]
Hit http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/universe Translation-en_CA
Hit http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/universe Translation-en
Get:14 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/main Sources [206 kB]
Get:15 http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/multiverse i386 Packages [3,840 B]
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/main Translation-en
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/multiverse Translation-en
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/restricted Translation-en
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/universe Translation-en
Get:16 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/restricted Sources [3,433 B]
Get:17 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/universe Sources [118 kB]
Get:18 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/multiverse Sources [5,152 B]
Get:19 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/main i386 Packages [513 kB]
Get:20 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/restricted i386 Packages [11.8 kB]
Get:21 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/universe i386 Packages [283 kB]
Get:22 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/multiverse i386 Packages [12.1 kB]
Hit http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/main Translation-en
Hit http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/multiverse Translation-en
Hit http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/restricted Translation-en
Hit http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/universe Translation-en
Get:23 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/main Sources [5,851 B]
Get:24 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/restricted Sources [28 B]
Get:25 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/universe Sources [26.2 kB]
Get:26 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/multiverse Sources [1,898 B]
Get:27 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/main i386 Packages [6,285 B]
Get:28 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/restricted i386 Packages [28 B]
Get:29 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/universe i386 Packages [29.9 kB]
Get:30 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/multiverse i386 Packages [1,249 B]
Hit http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/main Translation-en
Hit http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/multiverse Translation-en
Hit http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/restricted Translation-en
Hit http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/universe Translation-en
Ign http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/multiverse Translation-en_CA
Ign http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/restricted Translation-en_CA
Fetched 1,907 kB in 19s (97.6 kB/s)
Reading package lists... Done
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
cryptsetup is already the newest version.
lvm2 is already the newest version.
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  account-plugin-windows-live libupstart1 linux-headers-3.16.0-30
  linux-headers-3.16.0-30-generic linux-image-3.16.0-30-generic
  linux-image-extra-3.16.0-30-generic
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 35 not upgraded.
tc@tc-ME051:~$ sudo modprobe dm-crypt
tc@tc-ME051:~$ sudo cryptsetup luksOpen /dev/sda5 crypt1
Device /dev/sda5 is not a valid LUKS device.
tc@tc-ME051:~$ sudo vgscan --mknodes
  Reading all physical volumes. This may take a while...
  Found volume group "ubuntu-vg" using metadata type lvm2
tc@tc-ME051:~$ vgchange -ay
  /dev/mapper/control: open failed: Permission denied
  Failure to communicate with kernel device-mapper driver.
  WARNING: Running as a non-root user. Functionality may be unavailable.
  No volume groups found
tc@tc-ME051:~$

Revision history for this message
Best Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said :
#35

You need to put sudo in front of the last command, too.

sudo vgchange -ay

Revision history for this message
Tim Cisney (cisneyt) said :
#36

Thank you for all your time and patience. It means a lot to me to be able to recover these files. Thank you again.