Trying to recover PFS partitions from 40GB Sony HDD

**root670** · 02-18-2012

Earlier today I was using uLaunchElf to add a partition to my PS2's HDD for OpenPS2Loader. After creating the partition, I thought the partition needed to be formatted, so I chose the Format option. Stupidly, I blindly selected OK on the next screen and realized I had just formatted my entire drive! :dammit:

Does anyone know of a method or tool to recover the partitions that were on the drive? AFAIK, it was just a quick format, probably just the partition table was nuked. It uses PFS partitions, so it might be hard to find the right software. I had 5+ years of game saves on the drive, so it would be quite a loss of it's not fixable.

Thanks.

**unclejun** · 02-19-2012

hdl-dump2 might be of some help, it's still available at http://forum.ps3korea.com/t4938/#post28063

**root670** · 02-19-2012

Thanks for the link. I was able to recover all my HDLoader partitions with it! I screwed up the partition that holds saves though. When I plugged the Harddrive back into my PS2, the HDD OS needed to be reinstalled using the "HDD Utility Disk v1.10". This removed the listing for all folders in the "_common" partition (which holds game saves). :(

I browsed the harddrive with HxD and I can see all the saves are still there, but the file table must have been erased. I've had some luck manually copy and pasting data from the saves to rebuild them by hand, but it's not practical. Is there a tool that might be able to rebuild the partition's file table, or at least let me extract individual files?

**unclejun** · 02-19-2012

hdldump2 should have recognized all partitions, not just HDLoader ones, what switch did you use?

**root670** · 02-19-2012

I used the switch that recognized all of them, including __common. When I turned my system on after hdldump2 did its thing, the harddive spun up, then spun down by the time I got to the browser. The system had completely ignored the harddrive at this point. This is when I decided to reinstall the HDD OS with the utility disk. It took longer than normal (about a minute) for it to install, but when it was complete, my system rebooted and could detect the harddrive in the browser once again.

I could see all the HDL stuff, but the folders that had been there were nowhere to be found. The utility disk must have formatted the __common partition.

**unclejun** · 02-19-2012

Does Ulaunchelf sees the __common partition now?

**richi902** · 02-19-2012

i had the same prolem with my ps2, when i accidentally erased my partitiontable(with hdldump), and i was able to recover them all but the hdd-osd wouldnt wanted to work anymore so i had reinstall it again(like in your case), but i think my savegames where still there, cant remember exactly anymore. but you ccould try using l_oliviera's hacked ule to get into the __common partition. the folders will only show up in the browser if the are special flagged while they are being created, so chances are that your savegames are still there.

edit:
now if i remeber correctly the __common partition might not even be password protected, so if you cant see them with your standart ule, then they might be lost.

**root670** · 02-20-2012

I tried using hacked uLE and the __common folder came up empty. But, like I said, I know the data is in there somewhere because I can see raw directory structures in a hex editor. I'm looking for some way to either move this data back to the appropriate place or remake the file table with the right things in place. I made a full image backup of the drive yesterday to prevent further damage.

**l_oliveira** · 02-20-2012

I once committed a mistake and ran an hacked PSBBN installer disc which destroyed my hard drive contents, including the Bishi Bashi Champ Special demo which was a PS1 emulator for PS2 HDD. :shrug:

I sucked it up and formatted the harddrive. :crying:

Why ? The partitions had their internal headers mangled and it would be way beyond my knowledge to repair them. :rolleyes:

Only things that cannot be restored are DNAS protected HDD software which no longer can be installed (PSBBN games and demos) and DNAS protected DISC software for the HDD which has reached "end of service" status.

**richi902** · 02-20-2012

what did you hack the installer disc for ?

and i also noticed when using the partition restore function from hdldump
that official hdd software refuses to use that restored partitions, and moan that they are corrupt, eventhough they show up normal in the HDD-OSD/BB-Navigator with correct size and icons.

**l_oliveira** · 02-20-2012

Originally Posted by richi902

what did you hack the installer disc for ?

and i also noticed when using the partition restore function from hdldump
that official hdd software refuses to use that restored partitions, and moan that they are corrupt, eventhough they show up normal in the HDD-OSD/BB-Navigator with correct size and icons.

I never had it moan about anything (only last time when everything on my harddrive got corrupt due to the PSBBN installer). I had deleted, format and "revive" contents on my harddrive several times before.

The disc was hacked by "hackchip" because it was meant to install PSBBN on a non Japanese PS2. I did put it on my PS2 by mistake thinking it was a copy of a normal PSBBN disc and it went straight to the install. In a shock I turned the PS2 off while it was processing the install and that's half of the problem. :shrug:

What is lost, is already lost. We have it decrypted and analyzed so nothing of value was lost. :lol:

**richi902** · 02-20-2012

i had the problem that all games refused to use the installed cache files when they
were restored via hdldump, but i could still access the partitions via the hacked ule
and browse the installed files normal without any problem, even writing still worked
:/. hdl installed games worked fine after restoring. the same happens if i use the
reapair function of winhip? or windip? cant remember which tool it was lol.

hackchips disc went straight to the PSBBN install? you didnt had the PSBBN installed
i guess ? cant remember if that is normal, and also cant remember how it behaves
on my console. as far as i know, when reinstalling PSBBN it dose NOT delete any
partitions, only if you manualy format, i know because i once installed it while already
having games installed, and i also reinstalled it once, and it keept my music on the
hdd :D.

**root670** · 02-22-2012

After realizing many of my HDL games had been corrupted, I just formatted the drive in the end :/ In the end I realized I hadn't really lost anything of value (other than the game saves).

**richi902** · 02-22-2012

i also lost all of my savegames on my hdd once, due to a mistake i made with "hdfiller.elf" from PSBBN......
all i can say is dont run that elf lol

**l_oliveira** · 02-22-2012

Originally Posted by richi902

i also lost all of my savegames on my hdd once, due to a mistake i made with "hdfiller.elf" from PSBBN......
all i can say is dont run that elf lol

hdfiller.elf is invoked when you give a specific command through PSBBN settings menu and it only exists so people can securely wipe the harddrive in case they intent to sell the PS2 hardware to a third party. Not that anyone would bother with formatting their HDD before selling the hardware away.

Anyway, we SHOULD make a effort to backup and mantain Japanese HDD games for the PS2 as they're being lost everywhere and every time some someone formats a PS2 HDD. :shrug: