Data Recovery Help!!

[jstrum]

I just had an external hard drive corrupt and upon using a demo for a Data recovery program, realized that I have to pay 150 bucks to actually recover the files. Is there any kind of free data recovery software out there for mac? Please help I am desperate.

 

[mark2288]

I don't know of any free data recovery programs but can vouch for Prosoft's Data Rescue. It saved 70 GB of photos I accidentally deleted and helped me recovery some data off a friend's corrupt hard drive.

 

[mrkgoo]

I know you don't want to be told this, but at least one backup system should be used by everyone. Time Machine at a bare minimum. Apple have literally made it a one button setup, and then nothing after that. People say they can't afford to do it, but really can you afford not to?

I'm not really pointing fingers, jstrum, I'm just referring to anyone in general.

 

[miles01110]

There are no viable free alternatives to programs like Data Rescue II or any of the other programs out there. If it's not worth paying to recover, it's probably not worth recovering.

 

[kmaute]

Grab a linux live disk, like Ubuntu, use Synaptic to install Autopsy and give that a go. Best free file recovery I've ever used. It's saved many a Phd dissertation when I worked at the help desk (although, I thought many times I should have allowed them to lose their dissertation - idiots for not backing up.)

 

[Jethryn Freyman]

Testdisk/Photorec is free and very good.