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Wiped everything, any way to get it back?

W

WeirdPixel

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 7, 2003
7
0
United Kingdom
Hi,
I just accidently wiped my mac, and need the data back!

I had 3 partitions, OSX, OS9 and Save Disk, i put everything on save disk and intended to wipe osx and os9.

I booted from the OSX2 disks and then went to Disk Manager, I didn't click on a partition to erase before i hit erase so it lost all 3 partitions and erased the lot, as soon as it done that, i powered it down, and thats where it is now!


is there ANY way to get it back? (maybe put in another hard drive, put the current one in as a second and run a application to get it back?)

I soo need this data, I am a web / graphic designer and its all my portfolio for the past 9months, and all my music etc.. etc..

Please can sombody help me?
 
Depending on what settings you had the erase function set to at the time, all you've probably done is killed the directories, go and buy DiskWarrior 3, boot from the disc and get it to recreate your directory systems.

Your info is still on the disc, but the computer no longer knows where it is.

If you had the delete function set to "Write 0's"., it would have taken a long time to complete, and all your data is gone.

DiskWarrior is an essential utility IMO.
 
I have alook at more options first, before buying anything, but thanks alot for you reply.

The process took less than 5secs it just come on 'unmounting partitions' quick flash, and i had a 38gb hard drive, no partitions.

So from what you have said, it might all still be there, as it takes a while to wipe it, correct?
 
Originally posted by WeirdPixel
I have alook at more options first, before buying anything, but thanks alot for you reply.

The process took less than 5secs it just come on 'unmounting partitions' quick flash, and i had a 38gb hard drive, no partitions.

So from what you have said, it might all still be there, as it takes a while to wipe it, correct?
Click to expand...

Yes, a few minutes at least, probably more, I havn't done that in a while, it sounds as though you've just erased the directories.

The new version of Norton should be able to get your data back with the Unerase utility. but DiskWarrior will get the discs back and running.

I know no other way short of Disaster Recovery (sector by sector disc copy) to get the data off that drive, and DR is expensive.

Les Kern

I think if he had a backup he wouldn't be asking the question.
 
ok thanks :D

yup, if i had a backup, i would restore it!!

Its not something i could backup very often when its 30gb of stuff thats all very important.
 
If all else fails I would give Data Rescue X a shot.
The old version in os9 saved my a$$ more times than I can remember.

You can download the demo and see if it can recover your data. I think it
will only let you recover one file at a time in demo mode. Check the users guide
for details. The full version is a bit steep at $89 but it does work.

http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/1133

You will need to use another drive to copy the data to.

Good luck
 
The important thing is DO NOT INSTALL ANYTHING on the drive. Only boot from CDs. Any writing to the drive is probably going to cause some data loss.
 
Originally posted by springscansing
The important thing is DO NOT INSTALL ANYTHING on the drive. Only boot from CDs. Any writing to the drive is probably going to cause some data loss.
Click to expand...

A very good point, as your Mac no longer knows where the data is on your drive it will overwrite the existing data.

Les Kern

I get it, a lesson in point eh?:D
 
backup 101

Originally posted by WeirdPixel
ok thanks :D

yup, if i had a backup, i would restore it!!

Its not something i could backup very often when its 30gb of stuff thats all very important.
Click to expand...

not to sound rude, but what were you thinking???

first, if your stuff is THAT important, i think you would be ok backing up no matter how much it is. do you sleep? great time to backup! i'm no backup role model, but i guarantee i have at least three copies of my important stuff (including my iTunes library :D) spread across just as many drives/disks.

second, if you absolutely can't back up regularly, at least back up when you're doing something like partitioning! the chance of something catastrophic happening in just day-to-day activities is minimal, but working with partitions and such is major business.

what you did is like driving across country with no oil in your car because you didn't have to time to add it--then your engine melts and you want to know how to break the pistons from the block!!!! i have NO sympathy for you. nonetheless, good luck! the tips above are good ones.
 
On my PC's I have 3 partitions, all my stuff is backed up regulary onto one of them, and i backed up all my stuff onto one of my mac partitions, i just didn't think i would hit a wrong button and lose the lot!

I should really get a external HDD, but even on USB2.0 4gb would take like a hour to transfer, dunno how fast firewire is :-/
 
if that data was important, call DRIVESAVERS! :p
i once lost a lot of data that was very important, right before i did a backup and Drivesavers got most of it back for me...but it was really expensive.
DriveSavers are like the experts in data recovery, some of their customers include Apple and the US Government.
 
Originally posted by redAPPLE
speaking of backing up data...
speaking of backing up data...

which backup software is good? a cheap good backup software would be nice... any ideas?
Click to expand...

I use Carbon Copy Cloner to make copies of volumes, although Retrospect Express will do a full volume copy to another disc or folder.
 
Originally posted by redAPPLE
CCC creates images, that means the data gets compressed... right?
Click to expand...

Just because it's an image doesn't mean it's compressed (but it can be). I haven't used CCC, so I don't know whether it compresses them or not.
 
You can choose to compress if you wish, or go with a 1 to 1 map of the target volume.

Retrospect Express does a disc duplicate that is an uncompressed copy, it'll do a full disc into a folder on another disc for multiple machine B/ups onto big drives, very useful:D
 
With 38GBs, if you had "zeroed" the drive, it would've taken a VERY long time, so the data is still there. Like the others said, if the data is that important, then call a recovery company, but it is expensive. Did you have any other OSs on the other partitions? Boot from them and check.

Regards,
Gus
 
Nope I didn't have any other OS's on the other partitions.

I have bought diskwarrior and should get it within a couple of days, hopefully that should sort it out :D
 
Originally posted by redAPPLE

which backup software is good? a cheap good backup software would be nice... any ideas?[/COLOR]
Click to expand...

i use SilverKeeper (it's free) to back up all my user data to one firewire drive, a smaller but more important set to another firewire drive, and my home directory to my ibook.

i use the .mac Backup utility to back up my really important files (luckily, they total about 50 meg). all told, this set of files exists in 5 places, one of which is off-site.

*********

regarding the partitioning issue, i don't do it and don't recommend others do, either, unless they really know what they're doing. drives are so cheap these days -- why not just buy another drive and save yourself the hassle (and possible diaster, as seen here) of partitioning?
 
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