The NTFS file system enables you to associate the computer files with data structures that are not interpreted by file system using the Extended file attributes feature. The regular file system attributes have strictly defined purposes. Such attributes are generally limited in size. In order to access the files associated with Extended attributes, the attributes must be intact and working. If these attributes get damaged, you can not access files from NTFS file system partition and may encounter severe data loss. At this point, you must have an absolute backup of your significant data to get your mission critical data recovered and prevent need of NTFS file recovery solutions.
As a practical example of this behavior, the Chkdsk may scan your NTFS file system partition after a dirty system shutdown and find some of the extended file attributes, which are damaged. Chkdsk may give you the following message:
"The type of the file system is NTFS.
Volume label is test1.
CHKDSK is verifying files (stage 1 of 3)...
File verification completed.
Deleting corrupt extended attribute set in file 2566.
Deleting corrupt extended attribute set in file 4358.
Deleting corrupt extended attribute set in file 4461.
Deleting corrupt extended attribute set in file 5317.
Deleting corrupt extended attribute set in file 5320.
Deleting corrupt extended attribute set in file 5321.
Deleting corrupt extended attribute set in file 5322."
Furthermore, you may encounter the below error message:
"ERROR_EA_FILE_CORRUPT
276 (0x114)
The extended attribute file on the mounted file system is corrupt."
After this behavior, you can not access the files associated with Extended Attributes, leading to file loss. To extract lost files in such cases, NTFS file recovery is required.
Root of the problem:
The problem may take place because the extended attributes aren't protected by the NTFS transaction logging. Dirty system shutdown may damage these attributes.
Resolution:
The only possible solution to recover the extended file attributes is by restoring affected files from recent backup. However, if the backup is not valid or updated, you need to opt for NTFS partition recovery" using third-party applications.
The NTFS data recovery software systematically scan entire Windows hard drive and extract all inaccessible data. They are incorporated with simple user interface and non-destructive conduct for easy and secure recovery.
