Recommended software to recover files?

[cSalmon]

Looking for recommendations for a file recovery software for files that were deleted off an external ss drive?
Trash was emptied

Reading up on drilldisk, but could use some recommendations would prefer something from the App Store

Thanks

Ps using 2018 MacBook Pro Mojave 10.14.6, is this even possible with the t2 chip?

 

[hobowankenobi]

Can confirm Disk Drill is good. Arguably the best I have used...out of 4 or 5 over the years.

Keep in mind Apple has strict limits on low-level access to disks, booting, and other things...so a lot of good utilities can't be sold on the App Store.

Try the free version of Disk Drill...as I recall it will show you what is recoverable, but you have to pay to recover files. No risk to test/try.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"deleted off an external ss drive?"

Do you mean "SSD drive"?

If so, good luck on getting those files back.
Data recovery -might- work, but I wouldn't be too optimistic.
If any kind of encryption was being used, forget it.

Disk Drill might be worth a try.
Also... Data Rescue.

 

[bogdanw]

Even data on encrypted SSDs can be recovered "Stellar® recovers 400GB data from a FileVault encrypted and erased MacBook® SSD" https://www.stellarinfo.co.in/case-study/data-recovery-from-encrypted-macbook-ssd.php
I prefer Ontrack EasyRecovery "Recover up to 1 GB of data free" https://www.ontrack.com/products/data-recovery-software/
I didn't find any good recovery app in the App Store.

 

[chrfr]

Do you mean "SSD drive"?

That's like saying ATM machine. SSD means "solid state drive."

 

[Gregg2]

...or HIV virus, among many others with this "pattern"

 

[cSalmon]

Thanks everyone for your insights, I went ahead bought Disk Drill and tried it, too panically to test demos. Results maybe 30% of the files. While Disk Drill did get some of my files all the databases were destroyed and none of my layered .afphoto files were recovered so lost a lot of man-hours. Im on the road at present so my backup procedures were not as strict as they should of been so yes everything is my fault.

I'm questioning whether to reformat the SSD and start fresh or hold on to it without using it and try something else.
This incident has me, a computer NOOB, really wishing software companies didn't place their caches all over my OS, because with the databases missing files and now not knowing where Disk Drill is placing files I feel the best action is a clean install for the laptop

Again thanks for all the responses

 

[hobowankenobi]

Sorry you didn't get more. It is not uncommon when restoring data to lose metedata....file names and info.

What application do you use for storing photos? Depending on what you use, you could add the library/catalog to your backups to prevent future losses.

It would be good to backup up to cloud so you can be sure to get stuff while traveling...as long as you have an internet connection....or, consider a couple external drives to rotate for redundancy.

 

[Ambrosia7177]

Do yourself a favor and buy, and start using regularly, Carbon Copy Cloner (CCC) to clone your SSD.

Best money you will ever spend if you use it regularly!