Is there any Data Recovery Software for Linux ? It needs to be able to handle externals drives connected via USB. Preferable free.


Thanks in advance

It depends on what do you want to recover - data on the damaged drives, deleted data, smashed partitions, etc.

I have a corrupted external HDD. The HDD can't be access in any way cause its need to be formatted before doing it.

The files are there cause a couple of months ago, when I was still on Windows, I found a software that can recover my files, it was Restorer 2000 PRO, but it was kinda expensive.

Anyway, I want to recover data on a corrupted drive.

You may be interested in 'Autopsy Forensic Browser' which I'm sure you can find using Google.
It's a pretty full featured set of tools for analyzing destroyed disks and stuff.
I can't recall all its features, but have a look. It's free atleast.

Thanks I already download it and installed it, using the Synaptic Package Manager.

I have one problem tho, the link for instructions in the Autopsy's main page is broken, and I don't know how to run this software.


Edit:
The webpage where I get reference to install stuff in Linux is gone, expired a few days ago.

http://monkeyblog.org/ubuntu/installing/

Could you help me start it or hook me up with a link with instructions on how to use it?

Thanks again

Something like photorec is easier to use but I'm not sure whether it does external drives. You'll have to find out for yourself.

http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/PhotoRec

Yeah, it works with my Sygate external HDD.

Thanks a lot

It still recovering, but I already saw some pics that I had lost. Thats a great freeware.

I can't help with Autopsy, because though I downloaded it and *I think* I even installed it once, I never did use it! My destroyed HD at the time was REALLY borked. I never did get anything off of it, and eventually gave up. I had to buy a new HD. It was that event which finally switched me to Linux --- Windows deestroyed that drive, in effect 'burning down its own home for the last time'.

I downloaded autopsy but never manager to make it run, so I try Photorec and it works with my external HDD, except for the mp3s, I think I lost my mp3 library, I'm not sure cause it haven't finished yet.


And yes, my HDD's corruption was Windows fault too. I'm not going back, and this is another reason for it, if it wasn't for Linux, I wouldn't use this forums at all, and I'll probably be in the need of paying $50 bucks for a data recovery software that I will use only once! Now with Linux and the bunch of freewares, I refuse to pay again for any kind of software! Unless its like the last option. :P


Anyway, Thank you all.

You can try Stellar Phoenix Linux Data Recovery Software. It provides data recovery from Ext2 & Ext3 file system volumes.
This software does the following task.

* Provides Linux partition recovery from a deleted logical partition.
* Allows data recovery from missing files and folders.
* Provides recovery of deleted file(s) for Ext2 File system only.
* Volume recovery on Linux systems with damaged Super Block or Inode List.
* The software scans the disk trying to find previously existing partitions and restore the file(s), allowing Linux Partition Data Recovery.
* File recovery from IDE/EIDE/ATA & SCSI hard drive media.
* File & Folder recovery under sub-directories after the parent directory is deleted or missing.
For demo, download it from: http://www.stellarinfo.com/linux-data-recovery.htm

FOr the record, unless something's changed, Stellar Phoenix costs money. The demo is next to useless. I tried a half dozen versions of it as 'freeware' and trial software. While a couple releases did seem like they might work, I wanted a free solution.