I help folks out quite a bit here, but this time it's me that needs the help... Anyone know of a program that runs under XP, and works with NTFS, that will tell me what file is occupying a particular sector? That is, I'd like to be able to enter a sector number, like 27,939,273, and be told what file that sector is (currently) a part of. Anyone know of such a beast (preferably free)? Thanks!

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

i don't believe it works that way. i don't think files are stored as one distinct blob on the drive that can be located. i may be wrong but you should check that out before you go mad trying to locate it.

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Some files are contiguous, and others have their bits scattered all over the drive. But at any given time, each sector on the drive either has nothing on it, or has some tiny portion of some file on it.


On Saturday, May 17, 2008 at 7:13 pm, mel wrote:
>i don't believe it works that way. i don't think files are stored as one distinct
>blob on the drive that can be located. i may be wrong but you should check that
>out before you go mad trying to locate it.

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Hi Ari

Guess you have searched . . . 

Just possible?? Sector Editor
http://www.roadkil.net/program.php?ProgramID=24

Never used it but had it in the toolbox just in case for file recovery . . . 

David






On Saturday, May 17, 2008 at 4:26 pm, Ari wrote:

>I help folks out quite a bit here, but this time it's me that needs the help...

>

>Anyone know of a program that runs under XP, and works with NTFS, that will tell 

>me what file is occupying a particular sector?  That is, I'd like to be able to 
enter 

>a sector number, like 27,939,273, and be told what file that sector is (currently) 

>a part of.   Anyone know of such a beast (preferably free)?

>

>Thanks!
 

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

You don't understand what he wants.







On Saturday, May 17, 2008 at 7:13 pm, mel wrote:

>i don't believe it works that way.  i don't think files are stored as one distinct 

>blob on the drive that can be located.  i may be wrong but you should check that 

>out before you go mad trying to locate it.   

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

There used to be, but I haven't seen a disk tool like that in over 15 years. I think 
the size of the drives might have made it impractical, or maybe just a general lack 
of interest.







On Saturday, May 17, 2008 at 9:31 pm, Ari wrote:

>Some files are contiguous, and others have their bits scattered all over the drive. 

> But at any given time, each sector on the drive either has nothing on it, or has 

>some tiny portion of some file on it.

>

>

> 

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

That's a nice program! Doesn't do just what I want, though. It shows you (and allows you to edit) the contents of any sector on the disk....but it doesn't tell you what file the sector maps to. If the sector in question were part of a text file, you'd be able to figure it out, but if it's part of an executable, or swap file, or something else that just looks like gibberish, it's doesn't help with this particular problem.


On Sunday, May 18, 2008 at 5:53 am, David wrote:
>Hi Ari
>
>Guess you have searched . . .
>
>Just possible?? Sector Editor
>http://www.roadkil.net/program.php?ProgramID=24
>
>Never used it but had it in the toolbox just in case for file recovery . . .
>
>David
>
>

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Hi Ari

Guess you will need to move on from file recovery and look in computer forensics 
 - although I have not seen anything that meets your needs

David






On Sunday, May 18, 2008 at 7:14 am, Ari wrote:

>That's a nice program!  Doesn't do just what I want, though.  It shows you (and 
allows 

>you to edit) the contents of any sector on the disk....but it doesn't tell you what 

>file the sector maps to.  If the sector in question were part of a text file, you'd 

>be able to figure it out, but if it's part of an executable, or swap file, or something 

>else that just looks like gibberish, it's doesn't help with this particular problem.

>

>

> 

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Take a look at Runtime Software's DiskExplorer. Sounds like it might be what you're looking for. Looks like they have a lot of interesting data recovery, editing, and even forensic software. I've been meaning to download and try their disk imaging software, DriveImage XML, for some time now but haven't yet. http://www.runtime.org/diskexplorer.htm


On Saturday, May 17, 2008 at 4:26 pm, Ari wrote:
>I help folks out quite a bit here, but this time it's me that needs the help...
>
>Anyone know of a program that runs under XP, and works with NTFS, that will tell
>me what file is occupying a particular sector? That is, I'd like to be able to enter
>a sector number, like 27,939,273, and be told what file that sector is (currently)
>a part of. Anyone know of such a beast (preferably free)?
>
>Thanks!

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Hi Ari,

This is a cool program I was introduced too sometime back.  

It has the capability to display what and where different files are actually located 
on your hard drive and breaks them down in a colored chart setting.   Check it out 
and see if it will meet your needs.  

Windirstat Information

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Phil



" ....Nuff Said!  Keep Smiling Because I'm Smiling Too..."




On Saturday, May 17, 2008 at 4:26 pm, Ari wrote:

>I help folks out quite a bit here, but this time it's me that needs the help...

>

>Anyone know of a program that runs under XP, and works with NTFS, that will tell 

>me what file is occupying a particular sector?  That is, I'd like to be able to 
enter 

>a sector number, like 27,939,273, and be told what file that sector is (currently) 

>a part of.   Anyone know of such a beast (preferably free)?

>

>Thanks!
 

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Thanks...unfortunately, neither that one nor "Disk Explorer" seems to have the capability to tell me which file is sitting on any particular sector.


On Monday, May 19, 2008 at 3:44 pm, Phil wrote:
>Hi Ari,
>
>This is a cool program I was introduced too sometime back.
>
>It has the capability to display what and where different files are actually located
>on your hard drive and breaks them down in a colored chart setting. Check it out
>and see if it will meet your needs.
>
>Windirstat Information
>
>Hope this helps.
>
>Regards,
>
>Phil
>
>
>
>

" ....Nuff Said! Keep Smiling Because I'm Smiling Too..."

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Hi Ari,

I appreciate your feedback.

Nothing ventured ... nothing gained.

Have a good week!

Regards,

Phil



" ....Nuff Said!  Keep Smiling Because I'm Smiling Too..."




On Monday, May 19, 2008 at 5:49 pm, Ari wrote:

>Thanks...unfortunately, neither that one nor "Disk Explorer" seems to have the capability 

>to tell me which file is sitting on any particular sector.

>

>

> 

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

VOPT disk defrag utility can get you close. Once you "analyze", mouse over brings up the files under cursor, left click brings up........oh, hell, just try it.

NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Appreciate it Tom... tried it out, but it doesn't do what I want. It tells you what files occupy a particular CLUSTER, but doesn't have any information about sectors. Thanks, though!


On Monday, May 19, 2008 at 9:13 pm, tom56 wrote:
>VOPT disk defrag utility can get you close. Once you "analyze", mouse over brings
>up the files under cursor, left click brings up........oh, hell, just try it.

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Many suggestions so far... here is my two penny's worth:

At home I have a program called "Directory Snoop". It comes in FAT and NTSC versions.
It is not free. I am not sure if it goes to the detail that you request, but have 
a look at briggsoft.com. Limitations: 25-use trial

Regards
Quasimodo









On Saturday, May 17, 2008 at 4:26 pm, Ari wrote:

>I help folks out quite a bit here, but this time it's me that needs the help...

>

>Anyone know of a program that runs under XP, and works with NTFS, that will tell 

>me what file is occupying a particular sector?  That is, I'd like to be able to 
enter 

>a sector number, like 27,939,273, and be told what file that sector is (currently) 

>a part of.   Anyone know of such a beast (preferably free)?

>

>Thanks!
 

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Thanks VERY much, but it's yet another one that goes down to the cluster level, but not sector level. (It's pretty cool for what it does, though!)


On Tuesday, May 20, 2008 at 9:51 am, Quasimodo wrote:
>Many suggestions so far... here is my two penny's worth:
>
>At home I have a program called "Directory Snoop". It comes in FAT and NTSC versions.
>It is not free. I am not sure if it goes to the detail that you request, but have
>a look at briggsoft.com. Limitations: 25-use trial
>
>Regards
>Quasimodo
>
>
>
>
>

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