NTFS (New Technology File System) is a journaled file system, developed by Microsoft Corporation for Windows operating system. It is the successor of FAT file system and provides enhanced reliability, functionality, and performance. Some advanced features of Windows NT-based operating system are supported only by the NTFS file system. The file system uses a new structure for easy storage, access, and manipulation of data. However, in some situations, the structure of NTFS file system may corrupt and the NTFS file system partitions may become inaccessible. It causes Windows partition loss and requires partition recovery to be resolved.

The NTFS file system structure uses a number of system files, which are responsible for performing specific operations. Some of the major attributes of NTFS file system are as given below:

Multiple Data Streams- It supports various data streams, where stream name recognizes new data attributes on file. You can open a handle to every data stream.

Reparse Points- These are new objects of NTFS file system, which have definable attributes having user-controlled information and are employed for extending functionality in I/O (Input/Output) subsystem.

Change Journal- It is used by the NTFS file system to offer a pertinacious log of all the modifications made to Windows files on NTFS partition.

Sparse File- It enables Windows applications to create large files, however to use hard drive space only as required.

Data Encryption- It improves data security and prevents unauthorized access of your valuable data. In some cases, the structure of NTFS file system corrupts and you come across error messages similar to the following ones while accessing the partition:

Event ID: 41 Source: Diskperf Description: The file system structure on disk is corrupt and unreadable. Please run the chkdsk utility on the device with label “Volume_name”

Event ID: 55 Source: NTFS Description: The file system structure on disk is corrupt and unusable. Please run the chkdsk utility on the volume “Drive_letter:”

In such cases, you need to format your hard drive and reinstall operating system to fix the file system problem. However, it removes all the disk partitions and causes further partition loss situations, raising the need of Windows partition recovery.

You can easily recover partition using commercial partition recovery software. They are capable of systematically scan the Windows hard drive using advanced scanning algorithms. The applications are pretty safe and easy to use. Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery software recovers lost, missing, deleted, and inaccessible Windows hard drive partitions. The software retrieves all exFAT, NTFS5, NTFS, FAT32, VFAT, FAT16, and FAT12 file system partitions. It is usable with Microsoft Windows 7, Vista, 2003, XP, and 2000.