How to Use TestDisk Data Recovery to Recover Data

Step 1 Download and Launch the Program

As you may already know, continued operation on the drive from where your lost files were saved, including searching and downloading of a software, can lead to permanent data loss. Therefore, if you want to recover data from a Mac-based drive, you'll have to get another computer and use it to download Recoverit (IS). You'll then install it to a USB flash drive and recover the lost files with the program installed on the USB flash drive. From the main interface, select the data types to recover. then click on the "Next" button.

Step 2 Select Data Recovery Mode

Then a new window like the one below will appear. Here, you'll select the drive where you have lost your files and then click on the "Start" button at the top of the software's interface. If your drive isn't listed, click the refresh icon and it will appear.

Step 3 Recover Lost Data

A new window appears on the screen once the scanning process is completed. It's where you can preview files and determine file validity before recovery. Recover your data by first checking the files on the scan results and then select the "Recover" button located at the top of the program's interface. Save the files to the selected path and not to the same drive where the lost data were saved.

The "Deep Scan" will allows the software to do the deep scan on the TestDisk drive and search more files for you.

Step 1 Log Creation

First, go to https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Download and download TestDisk. Install it on your computer and then launch it. Once the program is successfully launched choose "Create" so as to instruct it to create a log file that contains technical information and messages. Press the enter button to proceed to the next step. The program will detect all your hard drives and list them with their correct sizes. Use the up/down buttons to select the hard drive that needs recovery and then press the enter button to proceed.

Step 2 Partition Table Type Selection

The software will display partition table types like the ones shown in the image below. Select the default one, in this case, its "Intel" and hit the "Enter" button. For a normal recovery attempt, just select the "Analyze" option with the "Enter" button so that you can use it to check your current partition structure, and even search for the lost partitions.

Step 3 Recover Lost Data

The next screen will display a listing of your current partition structure. Hopefully, you'll find the lost partitions here. If that doesn't happen, you'll have to opt for a quick or deep search to scan the lost partitions.

TestDisk provides you with an option to write the recovered data to the disk. You just need to press the "Enter" button and then you'll be taken to the main menu. Select "Write" and then hit the "Enter" button.

Shortcomings of TestDisk Data Recovery Method:

• The "Deep Search" option takes a lot of time to scan the lost partitions.
• If there is a problem with drive detection, data recovery is likely to fail.
• The program isn't perfect for newbie and less experienced users.