[Bug 1358543] Re: "Replace Windows with Ubuntu" produces unintended results

[Guanyang Luo]

*** This bug is a duplicate of bug 1265192 ***
    https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1265192

Just want to post a short tutorial on how to recover files (took me the
entire US Labor Day weekend to figure it out). If you think this may
useful to other people (such as those in ubuntuforums, askubuntu, and
ubuntu launchpad "Answers" section), please share this with them.

The following is mostly derived from
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/DataRecovery

1. Stop using the wiped hard drive.
 2. Use/borrow another hard drive or computer for recovered data.
 3. Make a live-CD/usb if necessary (I used lubuntu and pendrivelinux's Universal USB Installer)
 4. Run the live-CD or the recovery computer and use GNU ddrescue to make an image of the wiped hard drive so that we have a !backup!. Store the image on the recovery hard drive or computer.
 5. Use testdisk on the image to recover the lost partitions and copy desired files http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Step_By_Step

If everything goes well, you should be good to go. For me, some
additional challenge occurred.

6. testdisk shows that my NTFS partitions have the correct sizes, but does not show any file. Still, use testdisk on the image to get the partitions back.
 7. On a Windows computer, use OSFMount to mount the image http://www.osforensics.com/tools/mount-disk-images.html
 8. Use chkdsk on the mounted partitions, use the "/f" option if fix is needed
 9. Copy files from the mounted partitions, or unmount the partitions and use testdisk under live-CD (or Windows) on the fixed image

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1358543

Title:
  "Replace Windows with Ubuntu" produces unintended results

Status in “ubiquity” package in Ubuntu:
  Confirmed

Bug description:
  "Replace Windows with Ubuntu" in 14.04 acts the same  as "Erase disk
  and install Ubuntu" in previous version.

  If this is intended , then the current description is very misleading.
  The option and warning message suggest Windows and Windows related
  files are the only things being removed, while in reality the
  partition table has been rewritten, effectively removing all files.

  I thought Ubuntu was able to detect Windows installation partition and
  try to install Ubuntu in that area of the hard disk, but I was
  horrified when my data storage partition has seeming merged with the
  system partition.

  Note that the warning message for the old option isn't exactly very
  clear neither. Both the new and old options talk about files and
  operating systems at the same time. People know files are separate
  from OS because they can open files in different OS, so when the
  description puts the two together, they will assume it is specifically
  about the files of the OS.

  I suggestion using more overreaching and simple wording such as "erase
  hard drive", "remove all files on computer", and "re-partition" to
  make sure everyone is truly warned, even those action might not
  technically be the action the installer is performing. Reminder such
  as "data loss will occur, please backup important files" would be
  exceedingly useful as well.

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