USB hard drive not seen by Window XP after loading Lunix

[choiwahchow]

I tried to install Mandrake Linux on my Dell PC, with dual boot. The file system was too fragmented (according to the linux installer), and I have a usb drive, so I tried to partition that disk for linux. 45G goes to windows and 10M goes to Linux. After partition, I can't read the usb drive anymore. I connect the usb drive, and windows xp see that there is a mass storage there, but it does not assign any letter to the drive, so I have no access to that drive at all. Any help is appreciated. I need to get the data back. Thanks.

 

[JohnWill]

It sounds like Linux formatted the drive, why was it plugged in when you were installing Linux?

 

[choiwahchow]

I did not know that it shouldn't be there. I had the computer running XP, and wanted to install Mandrake Linus to make it a dual-boot. Is there anyway to rescure the disk (ie get the window sector and the data back)? I don't care about the linux part as it is new and is empty. Thanks.

 

[JohnWill]

You could try one of these, I have no direct experience with them...
Handy Recovery - Data Recovery Software
PC INSPECTOR File Recovery
Quick-Data-Recovery.com