Recovering lost data from an external hard drive can be a critical task. First, ensure that the drive is properly connected to your computer and check if it is recognized. If the drive is not visible, try using a different USB port or cable, and test it on another computer to rule out connectivity issues. If the hardware seems fine, avoid writing new data to the drive to prevent overwriting lost files. Use data recovery software, such as Recuva, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, or Stellar Data Recovery, which can scan the drive for recoverable files. Download and install the recovery software on a different drive to avoid overwriting data on the affected one. Follow the software instructions to begin a scan of the external hard drive. The scanning process could take time, depending on the drive's size and condition. Once the scan is complete, review the recoverable files and select the ones you want to restore. Save the recovered files to a different location, such as your computer’s internal drive or another external device. If software recovery is unsuccessful or the drive is physically damaged, consider seeking professional data recovery services, but keep in mind that this can be expensive. Maintaining regular backups in the future can help mitigate data loss risks.
Best External Hard Drives of March 2025
How to recover data from an external hard drive using Linux tools?
Recovering data from an external hard drive using Linux tools can be accomplished with several open-source utilities. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to do it:
Prerequisites
- A computer running a Linux distribution.
- The external hard drive you want to recover data from.
- Sufficient storage space on another drive to save recovered files.
Step-by-Step Guide
1. Identify the Drive
First, identify the device name of your external hard drive. You can use the lsblk or fdisk command for this:
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lsblk
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or
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sudo fdisk -l
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Look for your external drive in the list, often named something like /dev/sdb or /dev/sdc.
2. Install Required Tools
You will need to install some tools like testdisk, photorec, or ddrescue. You can install them using your package manager.
For Ubuntu/Debian:
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sudo apt update sudo apt install testdisk gddrescue |
For Fedora:
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sudo dnf install testdisk ddrescue
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For Arch Linux:
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sudo pacman -S testdisk ddrescue
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3. Create a Disk Image (Optional)
Creating a disk image with ddrescue helps in preventing further damage to the disk.
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sudo ddrescue -f -n /dev/sdX /path/to/image.img /path/to/logfile.log
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Replace /dev/sdX with your actual drive identifier, /path/to/image.img with your desired image file path, and /path/to/logfile.log for the logfile.
4. Run TestDisk
TestDisk is a powerful recovery tool that can restore lost partitions and make non-booting disks bootable again. Run it by typing:
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sudo testdisk
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- Select “Create” to create a new log file.
- Choose the disk to analyze.
- Select the partition table type if prompted (usually it detects automatically).
- Choose "Analyze" for partition analysis, follow the prompts, and let it search for lost partitions.
- If partitions are found, you can select and recover them.
5. Use PhotoRec for File Recovery
If you only need specific files, you can use PhotoRec, which is also included with TestDisk.
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sudo photorec
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- Select the drive or image to recover data from.
- Choose a partition, or "Whole" disk.
- Select the file formats you want to recover.
- Specify the destination folder to save recovered files.
6. Using Foremost or Scalpel for File Carving (Optional)
If you need to recover files based on headers or if the above tools don't work completely, you might try foremost or scalpel.
Foremost:
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sudo apt install foremost sudo foremost -i /dev/sdX -o /recovery/output/directory |
Scalpel:
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sudo apt install scalpel sudo scalpel /dev/sdX -o /recovery/output/directory |
Edit scalpel.conf to enable specific file types before running the command.
7. Review and Verify Recovered Files
Once the recovery process is completed, review the files in the destination folder and verify their integrity.
Note:
- Always try to recover data to a different drive to avoid overwriting the existing data.
- Data recovery is never guaranteed, but using these tools improves your chances significantly. If the drive has hardware issues, consider professional data recovery services.
These steps should help you recover data from your external hard drive using Linux tools.
How to recover data from an external hard drive that makes clicking noises?
Recovering data from an external hard drive making clicking noises is a challenging task, as the noise may indicate a mechanical failure. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you attempt recovery, but remember that there are risks involved, and seeking professional help might be the best option to avoid permanent data loss.
- Stop Using the Drive Immediately: A clicking noise often signals a physical problem, such as a failing read/write head or a problem with the spindle motor. Continued use can worsen the damage.
- Verify Connections: Ensure that all cable connections (USB, power, etc.) are secure. Try using a different cable and USB port to rule out connection issues.
- Check Power Supply: Hard drives require proper power supply to function correctly. If your drive uses an external power supply, make sure it is working fine. You might try using another compatible power adapter.
- Use a Different Computer/Device: Connect the drive to a different computer to determine if the problem is with the drive or the original computer.
- Listen Carefully: Clicking can sometimes result from insufficient power. If you can hear the drive spinning up completely before clicking, this may indicate a more serious mechanical issue.
- Use Data Recovery Software: If the drive is recognized by the computer despite the noise, you might try data recovery software. Keep in mind this is more likely to work if the problem is not mechanical: EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Recuva Disk Drill Important: Install any software on a different drive, not the failing one. Do not overwrite any data on the failing drive.
- Freezing the Drive (With Caution): Some suggest placing the drive in a sealed plastic bag and freezing it for a short period. This method is highly controversial and can often cause more harm than good. It should be a last resort if you have nothing to lose.
- Seek Professional Help: If the above steps do not work or if the data is critical, it’s wise to contact a professional data recovery service. These services have the expertise and equipment to open the drive in a cleanroom environment and safely recover data.
- Prevent Future Problems: Regularly back up important data, especially if unusual noises occur. Consider replacing the drive if it’s growing old.
Professional recovery services can be expensive, but they offer the best chance of recovering essential data from drives with mechanical failures. Always remember that taking quick action and avoiding further tampering often increases the likelihood of successful data recovery.
How to use chkdsk to repair an external hard drive?
Using chkdsk to repair an external hard drive involves running the command from the Command Prompt. This tool can help fix various file system errors and recover readable information from bad sectors. Here's how you can do it:
- Connect Your External Hard Drive: Ensure your external hard drive is properly connected to your computer.
- Open Command Prompt: Press Win + S to open the search bar, type in cmd. Right-click on "Command Prompt" and select "Run as administrator" to ensure you have the necessary permissions.
- Identify the Drive Letter: Before proceeding, you need to know the drive letter assigned to your external hard drive. You can find this in "This PC" or "My Computer".
- Run CHKDSK: Type the following command and press Enter: chkdsk X: /f /r /x Replace X with the drive letter of your external hard drive. Options Explained: /f: Fixes errors on the disk. /r: Locates bad sectors and recovers readable information. /x: Forces the volume to dismount first, which may also resolve issues related to open files.
- Wait for the Process to Complete: The time it takes will depend on the size of the drive and the number of issues found. Do not interrupt the process until it is complete.
- Review the Results: Once the process is finished, chkdsk will display a summary of the actions taken. Look for any indications of found and fixed errors.
Remember, running chkdsk can potentially lead to data loss if the system attempts to repair sectors with critical errors. It's a good idea to back up any important data beforehand if possible.
How to determine if a USB port is causing my external drive to malfunction?
If you suspect that a USB port is causing your external drive to malfunction, there are several steps you can take to diagnose the issue:
- Test with Different USB Ports: Connect your external drive to different USB ports on your computer. If it works on some ports but not others, this may indicate that a particular port is faulty.
- Use Another Computer: Connect the external drive to a different computer. If the drive works normally, it's likely that the issue is with the original computer's USB ports.
- Try Another USB Cable: Swap out the USB cable used to connect the external drive. Faulty cables can lead to connectivity problems that might mimic a bad port.
- Check Device Manager (Windows): Open the Device Manager by right-clicking on "This PC" or "My Computer," selecting "Manage," and then clicking on "Device Manager." Expand the "Universal Serial Bus controllers" section and look for any devices with a yellow exclamation mark or red X, which may indicate a problem with the USB controllers or ports. You can try to update the drivers or uninstall and then reinstall them.
- Check System Information (Mac): Go to "About This Mac" > "System Report," and check the USB section. Ensure that your external drive is listed when connected. If not, try other USB ports.
- Examine the Port Physically: Inspect the USB port for any physical damage, debris, or dust. Clean it if necessary, using compressed air to remove dust particles.
- Try a Powered USB Hub: If your external drive requires more power than the USB port can supply, try connecting it through a powered USB hub, which provides its own power source.
- Check for Power Issues: Ensure the external drive itself is adequately powered, especially if it requires an external power source beyond the USB connection.
- USB Port Testing Software: Consider using USB port testing software or diagnostic tools that can provide more details on the USB port's performance and any possible errors.
- Update Your Operating System: Sometimes, a new update can solve compatibility or driver issues related to USB ports.
If after troubleshooting the USB port appears to be the problem, you may need to consider hardware repair or replacement for the faulty port, especially if it’s a critical part of your workflow.
What is RAID recovery and how can it help in data retrieval?
RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) recovery is the process of recovering and restoring data from a RAID storage architecture after a failure or data loss event. RAID systems use multiple hard drives to provide data redundancy, improve performance, and enhance storage reliability. However, failures can occur due to hardware malfunctions, software issues, or human errors, necessitating RAID recovery.
Here’s how RAID recovery can help in data retrieval:
- Redundancy Utilization: RAID systems, especially those configured with redundancy like RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 6, and RAID 10, store duplicate copies or parity information that can be used to reconstruct data if one or more drives fail.
- Using Parity Information: In configurations like RAID 5 and RAID 6, parity data is distributed across drives. RAID recovery leverages this parity to rebuild lost data from the remaining healthy drives if one or more drives fail.
- Replacing Faulty Drives: In many RAID levels, you can replace a failed drive with a new one and use the redundancy or parity information to restore the lost data onto the new drive, minimizing downtime and data loss.
- Reconstruction of RAID Parameters: RAID recovery involves determining the original RAID parameters (such as stripe size, disk order, parity allocation) to accurately rebuild the array and retrieve the data.
- Specialized Software Tools: Various RAID recovery software tools can help in automatically rebuilding the RAID structure and recovering lost data. They analyze the RAID setup and attempt to reconstruct the damaged or lost data.
- Professional Data Recovery Services: For complex RAID failures or when sensitive data is involved, professional data recovery services can provide expertise and sophisticated tools to recover data from physically damaged or severely corrupted RAID arrays.
- Partial Recovery: In cases where complete recovery isn’t possible, RAID recovery can often salvage a significant portion of the data, minimizing overall data loss.
Overall, RAID recovery is crucial for businesses and individuals relying on RAID systems for critical data storage because it helps in effectively reducing the risk of data loss and the impact of hardware failures.
What is the impact of formatting on data recovery?
Formatting can have significant implications for data recovery, and understanding these impacts can help in making informed decisions when dealing with data loss issues. Here are the key points to consider:
- Data Deletion vs. Formatting: Deleting files typically just removes the pointers to the data, making the space available for new data but leaving the actual data intact until it is overwritten. Formatting, on the other hand, often involves a more thorough cleaning of the storage device. A "quick format" typically erases file system structures, like the file allocation table or master file table, but doesn't wipe the actual data, making recovery still possible in many cases. A "full format" may overwrite the storage space, significantly reducing the chances of data recovery.
- File System Changes: Reformatting a drive to change the file system (e.g., from FAT32 to NTFS or from HFS+ to APFS) typically involves rewriting the file system structure. This process can overwrite existing data structures, making recovery more difficult and sometimes impossible without advanced recovery techniques.
- Impact on Data Recovery Tools: The effectiveness of data recovery tools may vary depending on how the formatting was done. Quick formats may allow for relatively easier recovery using software that can reconstruct file systems or retrieve files based on file signatures. Full formats, which may involve zeroing the data blocks or using encryption, can thwart most consumer-level data recovery tools, necessitating more sophisticated methods employed by professional data recovery services.
- Overwritten Data: Once a sector is overwritten, the previous data is usually irretrievable by conventional means. Every additional write operation reduces the probability of successful data recovery.
- Importance of Immediate Action: If accidental formatting occurs, it's crucial to stop using the drive immediately. Continued use increases the risk of new data overwriting the old data, leading to permanent loss.
- Professional Services: In scenarios where data recovery is critical, and the impact of formatting is significant, consulting with professional data recovery services might be the best course of action as they possess the tools and expertise to potentially recover data that consumer-grade software cannot.
Understanding these factors can help manage expectations and aid in devising a strategy for data recovery following an unintended format.
