Posted by Tim to Mac Data Recovery Tips on July 11th, 2019
APFS file system
TestDisk (Windows, Mac, and Linux) Designed to recover lost partitions and make non-booting disks bootable again, TestDisk is an excellent solution to many desperate data loss scenarios, but its text-only user interface puts it out of the reach of many users. 0 GB, 24 bytes Disk /dev/sdb: 251. TestDisk for Mac, free and safe download. TestDisk latest version: Recovery tool for lost data and damaged partitions. If you’re looking for a completely free data recovery tool for Mac computers, TestDisk for Mac is a great option. Unlike Disk Drill for Mac, TestDisk for Mac doesn’t have a well-designed user interface that allows even complete beginners to use it without feeling intimidated by it. There are many alternatives to TestDisk for Mac if you are looking to replace it. The most popular Mac alternative is Disk Drill, which is free.If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to TestDisk and many of them are available for Mac so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement.
Apple File System (APFS) is a file system for macOS, iOS, tvOS and watchOS, developed and deployed by Apple Inc. It aims to fix core problems of HFS+ (also called Mac OS Extended), APFS's predecessor on these operating systems. Apple File System is optimized for flash and solid-state drive storage, with a primary focus on encryption.
Testdisk Windows 10
TestDisk
TestDisk is a powerful free data recovery software. It was primarily designed to help recover lost partitions and make non-booting disks bootable again when these symptoms are caused by faulty software, certain types of viruses or human error (such as accidentally deleting a Partition Table). Partition table recovery using TestDisk is really easy.
Download Testdisk Recovery
Does TestDisk support APFS file system?
According to TestDisk official document from: https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk, TestDisk supports lots of file systems, including FAT32, exFAT, NTFS, ext2, ext3, ext4, HFS, HFS+ and HFSX, but up to now, it doesn't support APFS file system and encrypted APFS.
Can TestDisk recover lost files from APFS drive?
TestDisk doesn't support APFS file system and encrypted APFS, so TestDisk cannot recover lost data from corrupted, unreadable, unmounted, failed, crashed APFS hard drive, external drive.
Can TestDisk recover deleted/lost APFS partition?
TestDisk can find deleted/lost partitions for all of these file systems, including FAT32, exFAT, NTFS, ext2, ext3, ext4, HFS, HFS+ and HFSX, but up to now, it doesn't support APFS file system and encrypted APFS.
APFS data recovery software
APFS data recovery requires us to find a APFS data recovery software, there are a few software which can support APFS Data Recovery in market due to technical difficulty, M3 Data Recovery for Mac is such a APFS data recovery software which can undelete files from APFS drive, recover lost data from corrupted, unreadable, unmounted, crashed, failed APFS drive, recover lost data from deleted/lost APFS partition, etc. on macOS 10.15 Catalina/10.14 Mojave/10.13 High Sierra/10.12 Sierra and Mac OS X 10.11/10.10/10.9/10.8.
Tutorial to recover lost data from formatted, corrupted, crashed, unreadable, unmounted APFS drive
Step 1: Download and install this APFS Data Recovery software on your Mac computer.
Step 2: Run this APFS Data Recovery software - M3 Data Recovery for Mac.
Step 3: Select the formatted, corrupted, crashed, unreadable, unmounted APFS drive.
If APFS partition is not found, please click 'Find Lost APFS Partitions' to find previously existing APFS partition and then recover lost data from APFS partition.
Step 4: This APFS Data Recovery software is scanning the lost data from corrupted APFS drive.
Step 5: Select the found data and then click Recover to save them.
Tutorial to recover lost data from deleted/lost APFS partition
Step 1: Download and install this APFS data recovery software: M3 Data Recovery for Mac on your Mac computer.
Step 2: Run this APFS data recovery software: M3 Data Recovery for Mac.
Step 3: Please click 'Find Lost APFS Partitions' at the right upper corner.
Step 4: Select the hard drive where deleted/lost APFS partition and click Next to start the scan.
Step 5: After the deleted, lost, missing, disappeared APFS partition is found, please select it and then click Next to scan lost data.
Step 6: After the lost data is found, preview the documents, photos, videos, audios, or select the files and click Recover to recover them.
Tutorial to recover lost data from encrypted APFS drive that is formatted, corrupted, crashed?
Step 1: Download and install this APFS Data Recovery software on your Mac computer.
Mac wireless magic keyboard. Step 2: Run this APFS Data Recovery software.
Step 3: Select the encrypted APFS drive.
If APFS partition is not found, please click 'Find Lost APFS Partitions' to find previously existing APFS partition and then recover lost data from APFS partition.
Step 4: Click Next to enter the password for encrypted APFS drive.
Step 5: This APFS Data Recovery software is scanning the lost data from corrupted APFS drive.
Step 6: Select the found data and then click Recover to save them.
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Summary: In this blog post, you will discover the best free alternative to TestDisk data recovery application. We will share a thorough insight into the following aspects of Mac data loss situation when using TestDisk tool and how the alternative software can provide a more reliable and comprehensive solution. So here you go:
1. TestDisk Mac Data Recovery Utility
2. Pros & Cons of the Utility
3. Stellar Data Recovery Free Edition for Mac
4. How to Use Stellar?
5. Pros & Cons of Stellar
But before you proceed, download a free trial of Stellar Data Recovery Free Edition software for Mac and keep it handy.
1. TestDisk Mac Data Recovery Utility
2. Pros & Cons of the Utility
3. Stellar Data Recovery Free Edition for Mac
4. How to Use Stellar?
5. Pros & Cons of Stellar
But before you proceed, download a free trial of Stellar Data Recovery Free Edition software for Mac and keep it handy.
Regardless of the way one uses their Mac machine, data recovery is an area every Mac user comes across at least once in a while. Most aware users take a good amount of security measures to safeguard their data from threats of leakage, theft, and corruption and also engage in regular backup routines. However, data loss evolves with each passing day; hence, new loop-holes are discovered now and then. Awareness of the latest and most efficient Mac data recovery products is thus, the only way one can consider oneself as covered.
Let us now look at the popular free Mac data recovery tool and compare it to test the worth.
TestDisk
TestDisk is open-source software licensed under the GNU General Public License. It’s a free utility that restores lost data from MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac Mini and other file systems.
Further, TestDisk Mac data recovery utility can recover Mac partitions and data and helps make non-booting MacOS boot again. This tool helps fight data loss resulting from accidental formatting, unintentional deletion of data, partition table damage, faulty software, etc. Some of the core features of this software include:
- Recovers data from HFS, FAT, NTFS, EXT, ex-FAT file systems
- Fixes MFT using MFT mirror
- Fixes partition table and recover deleted partitions
In addition to Mac, TestDisk can run under DOS, Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, and SunOS and can find lost partitions for 20+ file systems.
TestDisk Mac Data Recovery – Pros vs. Cons
TestDisk is aimed at recovering different types of data from a variety of platforms. As such, TestDisk has similar advantages and disadvantages.
Pros:
- TestDisk recovers lost partitions and help rebuild boot sectors
- TestDisk recovers lost documents, photos and media files from a number of storage devices
- It provides detailed information and fulfills the exact purpose
- It’s free, open-source utility
Cons:
- TestDisk is purely command-line based utilities, meaning they lack a Graphical User Interface (GUI)
- TestDisk is not suitable for novice or less experienced users
- TestDisk has no live update feature that shows which files have been found
- It can often take a lot of time to complete the process
- TestDisk doesn’t yet support APFS data recovery
Although TestDisk is a popular free data recovery Mac software, it has some very strong drawbacks, the biggest one being the missing GUI. In the absence of an adequately explained interactive interface, non-technical users may find these tools complicated to work with.
The Best Alternative to TestDisk Mac Data Recovery
Testdisk Mac Os
Leverage Stellar Data Recovery Free Edition for Mac to overcome the shortcomings of the TestDisk and to recover Mac data quickly, accurately, and in a risk-free manner. This Mac data recovery free application restores deleted or lost documents, photos, music files, as well as videos from APFS, HFS, HFS+, FAT, an ex-FAT and NTFS format based file systems.
How to use Stellar Data Recovery Free Edition on Mac Easily?
How To Use Testdisk
It deftly reclaims permanently deleted data from iMac, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac Mini, and Mac Pro. Further, the product facilitates Deep Scan recovery on severely corrupt hard drives, lost Mac volumes and supports data recovery from Encrypted file systems as well as Time Machine backup drives. The software can be downloaded and installed easily, and its highly advanced and interactive GUI makes it super easy for all types of users to work with it.
Pros:
- The free edition retrieves 1 GB of lost/deleted data for free
- Equipped with one of the best & easiest graphical user interface
- Option to recover a corrupt drive with Deep Scan
- Previews recoverable Documents, Photos, Videos and more
- Supports hard drives, SSDs, external media, SD, Time Machine & more
Cons:
- It’s not open source like TestDisk
- The free version allows limited data recovery
- The deep scan might take several hours depending upon the size and condition of the storage drive
Testdisk Manual
The Way Forward – Stellar Data Recovery Free Edition
Therefore, instead of using a command line utility to perform Mac data recovery, employing the secure and reliable Stellar Data Recovery Free Edition for Mac software would be a more preferred option. Which notable features such as live-update of recoverable files, file preview before recovery, option to save recovered data at the desired location, and many more, Stellar Data Recovery Free Edition for Mac software is a cut above TestDisk!