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Linux Data Recovery

Among the problems with recovering files on Linux is the fact that it is often a multi-user system, with processes writing to the disk at any time with any amount of data. As it is important in data loss situations to not write anything to the affected drive, this can complicate matters and decrease the likelihood of a successful recovery.

Another problem is that Linux (UNIX in general) is unlike other operating systems when it comes to undeleting files. Under Linux the procedure typically involves (in short) unmounting the file system, finding the data blocks on the raw device, and manually copying the blocks to another partition. This requires a fair degree of knowledge of how the file system works. It is therefore imperative with Linux, as it is with other operating systems, to keep backups. Commercial backup software is available from Storix, PowerQuest and Arkeia, and many other free options are also available.

In common with all other operating systems, if a hard disk has one bootable partition which is 'gone', or your operating system files are corrupt or missing, the computer can't boot normally. In this situation you can install the drive in another computer which recognises the file-system, preferably running the same operating system. If the file system is still inaccessible, you will need to use data recovery software. A number of commercial and free data recovery programs run on Linux, while others can recover data from ext* file system partitions under Windows. Before you do though, it may be a good time to call a data recovery specialist.

Some typical signs that may indicate hard drive failure are:

• Grinding, ticking or clunking noises when trying to access files or powering up
• Operating system not booting, with or without error messages
• Inability to read files which are apparently on the disk.