When a partition disappears, it usually takes your drive letter and all your files with it — but not the data itself. A partition is really just an entry in a table saying where your files begin and end; lose that entry and the files are still on the disk, simply no longer pointed to. Don't create a new volume, and we can rebuild the partition and bring everything back, in-house.
$ bdr diagnose /dev/sdb → Device: Seagate HDD (2 TB) → Status: PARTITION LOST — drive reads as RAW → Client: confidential · Belfast $ bdr engineer-working → Read-only image: taken · source untouched → Partition table: rebuilt + remounted → File system: structure intact · files visible $ bdr verify → ✓ documents — 14,210 files → ✓ photos — 21,540 files → ✓ partition recovered — files back
A missing partition means the map to your data is gone, not the data. If you now create a new partition, initialise the disk, or let Windows “set it up,” you begin writing over the very files that are still there. Leave the drive exactly as it is — unallocated, RAW or otherwise — and talk to us before doing anything else.
A partition can vanish for several reasons — but in nearly all of them the files are still on the disk, waiting to be re-mapped. These are the ones we rebuild most.
We rebuild lost partitions on every kind of storage and every major make — drives, cards and sticks alike.
Spinning hard disks · solid-state drives · USB sticks · memory cards of every format (SD, microSD, CompactFlash) · portable and desktop externals · plus the internal drives from laptops, desktops and Macs.
A missing partition is a rebuild job, not a repair. We image the drive, find where your partitions and file systems actually sit on the disk, and reconstruct the map — all from a read-only copy.
We confirm the partitions are missing rather than the drive failing, check the data is still present, and send a written quote — usually within 48 hours.
Your original media is only ever read, never written: we clone it sector by sector under write-protection and carry out every repair on the clone.
We scan the image for the boundaries and boot records of your old partitions, mapping out where each file system really begins and ends.
We reconstruct the partition table and file system so your files reappear with their folders and names, not just as raw fragments.
Recovered files are checked to confirm they open and are intact before anything is returned to you.
Your data comes back sorted and ready to use, on fresh media.
We copy your data to an external drive and post it back, or offer a free download of up to 75GB — whichever suits you.
From deleted partitions and corrupt tables to RAW volumes and drives that show as unallocated, we rebuild the map to your data and bring the files back — always from a read-only image, so the original is never altered.
Describe what went wrong and an engineer will be in touch — normally before the next working day is out.
We will get back to you soon. If it is urgent, call 028 9002 0144.
A free diagnostic first, then a fixed written quote before any work begins. A logical recovery of a lost partition starts from £250 + VAT; where the drive has physically failed, that's quoted after the free diagnostic, with no fix, no fee on most jobs.
A representative selection of missing-partition recoveries across different devices — device types and outcomes shown, customer details kept private.
The GPT partition table had been damaged. We rebuilt it from the image and every partition, folder and file reappeared intact.
The partition entry was gone but the files were untouched. We located the old file system and rebuilt the partition, recovering it in full.
Windows wanted to format it, but the partition was recoverable. We rebuilt the file system from the image and the files came straight back.
Verified reviews from lost-partition recoveries for Belfast clients will be shown here as we gather them.
No invented reviews here. We're collecting verified, named reviews from our Belfast customers and will publish them here as they come in. In the meantime you're welcome to call and talk an issue through with an engineer on 028 9002 0144.
Post or drop in your device for a free diagnostic, with a note on what happened — an engineer reviews it and confirms your exact quote in writing before any work begins.
First step: get the device onto our Belfast bench. Wrap it well, tuck your contact details in the box, and post it over — the diagnostic costs nothing, and you’ll have a firm written price to approve before we touch a single sector.
Posting it? A tracked, insured service is best. Dropping it off instead? You’re welcome Monday–Friday, 9am–5:30pm — please still pack the device as above.
Not ready to send anything yet? Use the form to describe the fault in your own words and one of the engineers will come back with a quote tailored to your situation.
We will get back to you soon. If it is urgent, call 028 9002 0144.
The questions we're asked most about missing and lost partitions.
Usually, yes. Losing a partition normally means losing the entry that points to your files, not the files themselves — they're still on the disk. As long as nothing new has been written over them, we can find the old file system and rebuild the partition around it.
Almost never straight away. Unallocated usually means the partition table is damaged or missing, while the data sits untouched behind it. The important thing is not to initialise or create a new partition on the drive, which is what actually starts to overwrite it.
No, not if it holds anything you need. Initialising writes a fresh, empty partition structure over the top of your existing data. Leave the drive as it is and let us rebuild the real partition from a copy first.
On a healthy drive it can sometimes work, but it writes to the very disk you're trying to recover, and on a drive that's also failing it can make things worse. If the data matters, imaging the drive first and rebuilding from the copy is far safer — which is what we do.
Recovering a lost partition logically starts from £250 + VAT — free diagnostic, no fix, no fee on most jobs, and one of the least expensive services on our list. Drives that turn out to have physical faults as well are quoted after diagnosis, always in writing.
Most partition rebuilds are completed within 1 to 3 working days. The diagnostic itself is usually finished within 48 hours, and urgent cases can normally be prioritised — just let us know.
You can hand the device in at Cromac Square any weekday between 9am and 5:30pm, or send it by insured post. Box it securely with a note of your name, contact number, email and address inside — that’s everything we need to log it, run the free diagnostic and issue your quote.
A lost partition takes the map to your files, not the files. Leave the drive untouched and send it in — we'll rebuild the partition and recover your data. Free diagnostic, no fix no fee on most jobs.