How can I recover a lost Mac partition?

Data Recovery
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I accidentally deleted a partition on my Mac and lost important files. Is there a way to recover the lost partition and restore my data? Need help ASAP!

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Oh no! Deleting a partition can be a major headache, but don’t lose hope just yet. You have a few routes you can try to recover your lost partition and, with some luck, your files, too.

First off, if you haven’t done extensive changes to your disk after the partition was deleted, chances are good that your data is still there and can be recovered. Here’s a rough guide:

  1. Check Disk Utility:
    Open Disk Utility (you can find it via Spotlight search). Sometimes, deleted partitions can appear as unmounted volumes. If you see your lost partition listed but unmounted, you can try to mount it again by selecting it and clicking on the “Mount” button.

  2. Use Terminal:
    You might want to try accessing the data via Terminal. Enter diskutil list to see if your deleted partition shows up as a disk. If you spot it, you can try mounting it with a sudo diskutil mountDisk /dev/diskX (replace X with the disk number of your lost partition). This could bring back your lost partition temporarily, enough to salvage the files.

  3. Third-Party Recovery Tools:
    You’ve got solid tools that can help in these situations. Here’s where Disk Drill

    comes in handy. It’s a powerful data recovery software that can recover lost partitions and files. It supports macOS and has a pretty user-friendly interface. You can download it from Disk Drill.

Once you have Disk Drill installed:

  • Open the app and select the disk where your lost partition was located.
  • Choose “Recover” and allow the software to scan for lost partitions and files.
  • Review the results and select the files you need to recover.

  1. Boot from a Recovery Drive:
    If the above doesn’t bring joy, consider booting from a macOS recovery drive or installation media. This way, you avoid writing new data to the affected disk. From there, you can access Disk Utility or third-party tools to attempt the recovery.

  2. Professional Data Recovery Services:
    If all else fails and the data is of critical importance, professional data recovery services are an option. They can be pricey, but they are your best bet if standard software solutions don’t pan out.

A few additional steps to keep in mind:

  • Back-Up Regularly: Once you manage to recover your data, set up a consistent backup routine to avoid this kind of headache in the future. Time Machine on macOS is a very effective solution for regular backups.
  • Minimize Disk Usage: Until you recover your lost data, try to avoid writing new data to the drive. The more changes you make, the higher the risk of overwriting files you wish to recover.
  • Partition Wisely: When re-partitioning in the future, always double-check to avoid accidental deletions. A little caution can save a lot of trouble.

Generally, recovery success heavily depends on how much the disk has been used post-incident. The lesser the activity, the higher the chances you’ll get everything back without significant loss.

Hope that helps and you manage to recover your important files!

2 Likes
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If you’ve lost a partition, maximizing recovery chances hinges on minimizing further use of your affected disk. Some solid paths already mentioned, but let’s pepper in a few more complementary tactics.

Explore Time Machine: No mention of this yet, but assuming you’ve been utilizing Time Machine for backups – it’s a godsend at times like these. Connect your backup drive, enter Time Machine, and potentially restore that lost partition. Even if no direct solutions, it can still retrieve vital files from before the mishap.

FSCK Command in Terminal: Another avenue is running a filesystem consistency check with fsck. Open Terminal and run something like sudo fsck_hfs -fy /dev/diskX (replace X with your disk identifier). While not specifically designed to retrieve deleted partitions, sometimes correcting filesystem inconsistencies can bring back ghostly data.

GParted Live USB: Talking all Gran Turismo guru tactics here, but considering a Linux route might do the trick. Download GParted Live and create a bootable USB. Use it to inspect your disk and potentially resurrecter your deleted partition.

Comparing Some Tools:

As suggested Disk Drill rocks – intuitive UI, broad macOS support. But it’s worth knowing that there is no free lunch; demo’s free scans reveal files, but full recovery needs a paid upgrade. And just a heads up - recovery success isn’t universal, so manage expectations. Competitors like EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard and Stellar Data Recovery offer similar functionality yet might seem equally promising. Exploring a couple might be insightful; having options empowers user agency.

Advanced Data Salvage Tools:

Leveraging command-line aficionados, testdisk is a notable inclusion. An open-source beast for partition recovery. Navigate to their CGSecurity site and delve into a swathe of Linux/Windows/multiplatform guides.

  1. Install TestDisk:
brew install testdisk
  1. Running:
sudo testdisk

Browse the onscreen prompts to search for lost partitions. Command line can be intimidating, but it’s a free alternative to proprietary paid solutions and works wonders if you’re adept.

When Local Falls Short:

Should your local efforts all fall flat, another level is professional recovery services. Yeah, pricey and potentially slow, but LandauLab, DriveSavers and Ontrack are industry-respected for critical data recovery.

Situational Awareness:

Lastly, be vigilant during future partitioning. Always confirm current instantaneous status via Disk Utility. What got accidentally axed today might be dodged tomorrow with reversing the un-thoughtfulness.

Ah, and just double-down – Disk Drill is solid. Expect user-friendly data sifting yet the cost is non-trivial. Before swiping that credit card, use the freebie scan to gauge its efficacy for your scenario specifically; you’ll ensure investment-worthy results including chancing ahead of commitments.

Efforts invested here can determine recovery success, be methodical. Plot your pathway, rejoice in recovered data and foster a routine that shields you from future digital disasters.

Hope this adds layers to your recovery toolkit here! :vulcan_salute:

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Hey, it sure sucks to lose a partition, especially with important files on it. The method offered by @techchizkid and @codecrafter are great and thorough. However, let me sprinkle a bit more flavor into the mix and perhaps contest a point for depth.

Firstly, about Time Machine Recovery. Although they touched on it, if you’ve been running Time Machine, you’re sitting on a gold mine of restore options. But what often goes unsaid is the ease of restoring an entire partition versus individual files. Dive into Time Machine from your Applications or menu bar, navigate to the point before the deletion, and give it a spin. It might just save you the hassle of using heavy-duty recovery tools straight away.

Now, about fsck from Terminal, which was discussed by @codecrafter. It’s a solid option for fixing filesystem issues, but be cautious. Sometimes, running filesystem repairs post-deletion can cause more harm than good. In some cases, fsck can correct inconsistencies but solidify the loss if fragmentation or overwriting happens in those bad sectors. My advice: try this only if you’re comfortable with wielding terminal commands and the potential risks involved.

Jumping back to Disk Drill, it’s undeniably solid. However, let’s talk competitors a bit more in depth because having options empowers better decisions:

  1. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard – Similar to Disk Drill, EaseUS provides an intuitive interface and effective recovery features. It might come down to pricing and personal preference. Don’t just go jumping in blind. Download trial versions and let them scan to see which one retrieves what you need. You can find EaseUS easily on their website.

  2. TestDisk – This is more of a DIY solution compared to the sleek commercial tools but tends to have a hardcore following because it’s open-source and robust. If you have the stomach for some command-line action, it’s a brilliant tool.

brew install testdisk
sudo testdisk

Step through the wizard to search for lost partitions. The trade-off here is time and ease-of-use compared to a polished GUI tool.

A slight tangent here, but if data recovery is super critical and literally worth its weight in gold, consider professional services carefully. They can stretch a penny, but places like DriveSavers or Ontrack have impressive accuracy records.

Returning to @techchizkid’s suggestion about minimizing disk usage - this can’t be stressed enough. Every action you take on your drive risks overwriting those lost files. Practice restraint and be surgical in your recovery attempts.

For a little unconventional yet sometimes effective method, utilize Linux-based recovery. Making use of a GParted Live USB (as suggested) or even booting into a Ubuntu Live Session and using their disk tools like gparted can give surprising results.

Let’s clarify what these steps mean. Creating a GParted Live USB involves:

  1. Download GParted Live ISO: GParted Live.
  2. Burn Image to USB: Using Etcher or UNetbootin.
  3. Boot from USB: Restart Mac, holding down the Option key, then select the USB drive.

Once in GParted, you can analyze and attempt to restore your lost partition without risking your macOS environment.

Coming to a practical spin on @codecrafter’s mentioning of checking Disk Utility. An often-missed trick involves re-installing macOS on an external drive then booting from it. This way, you use Disk Utility or recovery tools within this fresh environment. The upside? You keep your damaged disk untouched and avoid further risks.

Lastly, one slight personal plea — consider multiple backups. Time Machine is fantastic, but redundancy is king. Pair it with cloud backups (pCloud, Google Drive, etc.) or another hardware-based backup solution to cover all bases.

The specifics lie in your need – if the files were imperative and your drive has been relatively untouched, jump straight to Disk Drill. It’s comprehensive and frequently updated for the latest macOS compatibilities. Check out more here: Disk Drill Data Recovery Software.

Rolling all these mentioned tools and strategies can inherently boost your chances. It’s a combination of right tools and timing. Take it one step at a time, be contemplative with your actions, and best of luck navigating your way back to digital redemption.