How to restore a deleted partition on a Mac?

I accidentally deleted an important partition on my Mac and lost access to all the files on it. The partition contained critical work documents that I need to recover urgently. What are the steps or tools I can use to restore this deleted partition on a Mac? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Restore a deleted partition on Mac? Serious… good luck with that. If you accidentally deleted something super critical, you’re already in a tight spot. People keep recommending Disk Drill for Mac, and yeah, it can recover some partitions and files, but it’s not some miracle software. Expect a hefty price tag for anything beyond basic recovery. Plus, no guarantee you’ll get everything back exactly as it was.

You can also try the built-in ‘Disk Utility’ on macOS or backup from Time Machine if you had it set up. Anyway, better pray they work or else you’re calling up data recovery pros and that won’t be cheap. Next time, maybe keep backups, yeah?

Accidentally deleting a partition on a Mac is a serious issue, but it’s not the end of the world. With the right steps, you can restore your lost partition along with the critical work documents. Here’s a detailed guide to help you through the process:

Step-by-Step Guide to Restore a Deleted Partition on Mac

  1. Avoid Writing New Data: First things first, avoid using the system or writing new data to your hard drive. This reduces the risk of overwriting the lost data, thereby increasing the chances of successful recovery.

  2. Backup What You Can: If possible, create a backup of your current system before attempting any recovery procedures. Use an external hard drive or time machine backup just to be safe.

  3. Check Disk Utility: Open Disk Utility (Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility) to see if the deleted partition is still listed but not mounted. Sometimes, the partition table might need a little tweak.

  4. Try Using Terminal: You can use Terminal commands to scan and repair disk partitions. Use the command diskutil list to see available disks and partitions. For advanced users, diskutil and fsck can sometimes revive deleted partitions.

  5. Using Data Recovery Software: Disk Drill for Mac: One of the most recommended tools for recovering deleted partitions is Disk Drill for Mac. This software can help retrieve lost data even from formatted partitions. Here’s how to use it:

    • Download and Install: Get Disk Drill from Disk Drill (Mac). Install it on an unaffected drive or external storage.
    • Run Disk Drill: Launch the application and choose the main Mac hard drive (the one with the deleted partition).
    • Scan for Lost Partitions: Use the “Search for lost partitions” option. Disk Drill will scan your drive for any remnants of deleted partitions.
    • Recover Data: Once the scan is complete, it’ll show a list of recoverable files. Select the critical work documents you need and save them to an external drive.
  6. Recreate Partition (Optional): After recovering the important files, you might want to recreate the partition. Go back to Disk Utility and create a new partition using the ‘Partition’ tab. Make sure it’s appropriately formatted as APFS or HFS+.

  7. Restore Backup (If Needed): In case you had a backup from before the deletion, restore the contents using the Time Machine.

Advanced Techniques

  • TestDisk: If you’re comfortable using software with a bit more technical interface, TestDisk is a free utility that can also recover lost partitions. It’s a command-line tool but is quite powerful.

    • Download and install from its official site.
    • Open Terminal and run TestDisk.
    • Follow the guided steps to analyze and recover the partition.
  • Boot from a Recovery Disk: If all else fails, booting from a macOS Recovery Disk can sometimes help in managing partitions that Disk Utility inside the macOS cannot fix.

Considerations

  • Check File System Compatibility: Ensure that the file system format of the restored partition matches your Mac’s OS compatibility. Using an incompatible file system can result in inability to access the files even after recovery.

  • File Integrity: After recovery, verify the integrity of the recovered files. Corrupted files are a common issue, so it’s better to check them all.

  • Seek Professional Help: If you’re uncomfortable with these methods or if the data is extremely critical, consider professional data recovery services. They can be pricey, but worth it for irreplaceable data.

Remember that time is of the essence when it comes to data recovery. The sooner you act, the better your chances of a full recovery. Good luck!

Oh man, that’s a rough spot to be in. Here’s a strategy you can try. First, take a deep breath; there’s hope yet. Your best bet is to use specialized software for this situation. Disk Drill for Mac is a solid choice. It’s quite intuitive and renowned for its ability to recover deleted partitions and files.

Here’s a basic “how-to” for Disk Drill:

  1. Stop Using the Affected Drive: First off, stop using the drive immediately to avoid overwriting any data.
  2. Download and Install Disk Drill: Head over to the CleverFiles website to get the installer. The direct link for their ‘Data Recovery Videos on YouTube’ is pretty useful too: https://www.youtube.com/@cleverfiles. They have tutorials that can guide you through the setup process.
  3. Run the Software: Launch Disk Drill and select the drive with the deleted partition. Use the “Recover” button to scan for lost partitions.
  4. Follow the Prompts: Disk Drill should detect your deleted partition. Follow the prompts to restore it or at least recover the files.
  5. Recover Files: Once the scan is complete, save all the crucial files to a different drive to ensure they’re backed up before you attempt any further recovery.

A bit of a side note, always remember to keep backups of important stuff. Mac’s Time Machine is pretty handy but there are other backup solutions as well that can save you from future headache.

If for some reason Disk Drill doesn’t do the trick, there are other tools like TestDisk that are effective too but can be more complex to use.

Backup, backup, backup – let that be your mantra moving forward!