[jaclaz]

To clarify the meaning of my post you cited, that lists the available drivers:

• cfadisk.sys
  
• dummydisk.sys (and rdummy.sys)

they are for 32 bit only, and should work under Win7 allright, only I never tested them on that OS, nor I have seen a report about them.

The Lexar boot-it utility works ONLY with sticks by Lexar or that use the same controller the Lexar uses, see here:
http://www.911cd.net...showtopic=21850

There are other utilities (in practice EVERY controller has one, problem may be finding it, and very few are as simple to use as the boot-it program ).

Here is where you should start:
http://www.boot-land...?showtopic=4661
with the info thus gathered start looking here:
http://flashboot.ru/...php?name=iflash

A couple examples of a Manufacturer's Tool search and use:
http://www.msfn.org/...howtopic=135120
http://www.msfn.org/...howtopic=137990

BTW, if you ONLY have one copy of your (precious) DATA on a USB stick, it's time for you to back it up, NOW.


jaclaz

This post has been edited by jaclaz: 12 May 2010 - 03:11 AM

[BdN3504]

Thanks for the heads up, I'll dig into the links you posted!

[BdN3504]

PANIC!!!
Windows 7 with its Microsoft Security Center automagically removes the partition table of partitioned usb sticks. I have plugged in two different sticks, which worked seamlessly on many different xp machines. I have only tested this on win7 home premium 32bit, but as the Security Center is an essential part of 7, I don't think there'll be a difference. The Security Center gives out a warning, that it has found a DOS Virus on both of the sticks and then automagically "solves" the problem. after that, the sticks are displayed as devices containing one raw partition and i am asked to format the stick, when i try to access it.
Major suckage! I hope i can restore the sticks on xp...
Edit: Looks really bad. I hope testdisk will help me, but i think all is doomed.
The Virus Microsoft Security Essentials warns me about is named DOS/Stoned_Spirit.

This post has been edited by BdN3504: 31 May 2010 - 07:46 AM

[jaclaz]

DON'T PANIC!

If all that happened is a MBR wipe, TESTDISK will be able to recover the partritions allright.

Since there are now confirmed reports that the filter drivers work allright under 7, it is very possible you did actually get a MBR virus of some kind:
http://www.msfn.org/...os/page__st__54

jaclaz

[BdN3504]

jaclaz, on 31 May 2010 - 08:33 AM, said:

DON'T PANIC!

If all that happened is a MBR wipe, TESTDISK will be able to recover the partritions allright.

As with everything, 42 is not the answer and no, that ain't all that happened. I was able to recover the first partition on the stick alright.
But (<-big but) the second partition can only be repaired, if I have the volume header backed up, which I don't.
I have backed up my data. Unfortunately, I was also curious about that virus and thought: "Maybe this really is a Virus, Microsoft likes me and Open Source Software and wouldn't produce false positive messages on drives which don't have a standard MBR." Following this naive thought, I plugged in the stick containing my backup. The thing is, this is also a manually partitioned stick and posed a threaT to MS which had to be removed.
If you tell me how to restore the encrypted partition, I'd be most thankful!

[jaclaz]

Well, you didn't mention you were using an encrypted partition.

The bad news are that most probably you won't recover anything.

The good news are that you learned two lessons:

• NEVER use encrypted volumes unless you really, really need them (like you are a spy, a police officer, an outlaw or a political activist, or, in other words, you have actual, compelling and unavoidable security concerns)
  
• always, always, ALWAYS backup the data (no matter if encrypted or not) and, if using encrypted thingies, backup at least the needed parts for recovery

I wouldn't be surprised that the thing that "triggered" the MS tool was the byte scheme derived by the encryption.

jaclaz