Table of Contents
TestDisk
TestDisk is a powerful open-source data recovery tool designed to recover lost partitions, repair damaged file systems, and restore deleted files across various platforms. Developed by Christophe Grenier, it is widely used for data recovery on systems running Linux, Windows, and macOS. TestDisk supports multiple file systems, including ext2/ext3/ext4, NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, and HFS+, making it versatile for a wide range of recovery scenarios.
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- **Key Features of TestDisk**
* **Partition Recovery** [[TestDisk]] can recover lost or accidentally deleted partitions and rebuild damaged partition tables, making drives accessible again.
* **Boot Sector Repair** It can repair corrupted boot sectors and restore them using backups stored on the disk.
* **File Recovery** [[TestDisk]] allows users to recover deleted files from supported file systems like [[ext3]], [[ext4]], [[NTFS]], and [[FAT]].
* **Rebuild File Systems** The tool can repair corrupted file systems, ensuring that data remains accessible.
* **Cross-Platform Compatibility** Available for [[Linux]], [[Windows]], and [[macOS]], it allows recovery from multiple operating systems and file systems.
* **Open Source and Free** [[TestDisk]] is completely free and open source, making it accessible for everyone, including professionals and home users.
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- **How to Use TestDisk**
1. **Install TestDisk:** Install it via the package manager on [[Linux]]: ```bash sudo apt-get install testdisk ```
2. **Run TestDisk as Root:**
Launch it with superuser privileges:
```bash
sudo testdisk
```
3. **Select Disk and Analyze Partitions:**
Choose the affected disk, analyze the partitions, and search for lost ones.
4. **Recover Deleted Files or Partitions:**
Depending on the scenario, you can recover specific files or entire partitions.
5. **Write Changes to Disk:**
Once satisfied with the recovery preview, [[TestDisk]] allows users to write changes and restore the partition table.
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- **Supported File Systems**
- [[ext2]], [[ext3]], [[ext4]] - [[NTFS]], [[FAT32]], [[exFAT]] - [[HFS+]] and [[APFS]] - [[ReiserFS]] and more
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- **Limitations of TestDisk**
* **No Graphical User Interface (GUI)** [[TestDisk]] runs entirely in the terminal, which may be challenging for users unfamiliar with command-line interfaces.
* **Limited Deep File Recovery** For more advanced file recovery, [[PhotoRec]] (a companion tool) may be necessary, especially for individual file formats.
* **No Shrinking or Partition Resizing** While it repairs partitions, it does not provide features for resizing partitions.
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- **Documentation and GitHub Resources**
- GitHub Repository: https://github.com/cgsecurity/testdisk - Official Project Page: https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk
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Conclusion
TestDisk is a reliable and versatile tool for recovering lost partitions, repairing boot sectors, and restoring deleted files. With its broad support for multiple file systems and operating systems, it is widely used by system administrators, digital forensics experts, and home users alike. Though it lacks a graphical interface, its effectiveness in partition recovery makes it a crucial utility for handling data loss scenarios on drives. When combined with PhotoRec for deep file recovery, it becomes an even more comprehensive solution.