DATA LOSS!!

[jvr968]

Hi,
I made a big mistake.
I tried VMWare vSphere Hypervisor (ESXi) I downloaded it and installed it in a bootable USB drive.
I bought a new hard drive to test it.
I created the USB drive in another hard drive a CentOS 7 system where I have a lot of work and projects.
I was in a rush and I forgot to change the cables of the hard drives when I started to install and I installed the VMWare vSphere Hypervisor (ESXi) where I had the CentOS 7 system with my work.
I just installed the VMWare vSphere Hypervisor (ESXi) I didn't do anything else.
I have old backups but I will loss important data if I don't recover it.
Could you recommend me the best way to recover the data.?
Or even better recover the partitions that I had before the wrong the installation?
If there is away to recover the partitions probably i will not lose almost anything because the system it was empty only the fresh installation installation.
Thank you.
Regards

 

[dos2unix]

By default. ESXi tries to use the entire disk, but even it you tell it not to...
ESXi rebuilds a new (MSDOS type) partition table, and re-formats the disk during install.

Once this happens, you pretty much need a professional data recovery. $$$$
Even then they will likely only recover whatever wasn't over-written by the install.

 

[jvr968]

Then I dont even try to recover it.
Ok, I will use the backups
Thank you

 

[wizardfromoz]

G'day @jvr968 and welcome to linux.org

Christophe Grenier's TestDisk might do the trick, it features on products such as Rescatux, SuperGrub2 etc.

Mostly Debian-based, but there is a version downloadable for CentOS.

Have a read of

https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk

https://www.ubuntupit.com/top-15-linux-data-recovery-tools-the-professionals-choice/

https://www.supergrubdisk.org/tag/centos/

or just Google

testdisk centos

and see how you go.

I have had success with it before, but a couple of years ago now, and you might need to go to something like "Deep Search" within it, which will take some time.

Good luck

Chris Turner
wizardfromoz

 

[CptCharis]

Hello @jvr968 !!!

There are some good tools out there that, may help you such as PhotoRec or Testdisk but usually is difficult to recover everything and in order.