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How to recover data from an erased disk?

I accidentally formatted the wrong drive with Boot Camp, seeking urgent help to recover data and files. The drive was formatted to MS-DOS (FAT32). Looking for quick solutions given the time constraints. Thanks a lot.

Best Answered by

Yuri Zhang

Answered on Tuesday, August 27, 2024

You may think about using Disk Utility, but it is not designed to recover data from an erased disk. For advanced data recovery from an erased disk or formatted drive, you will typically need to use specialized data recovery software or services for rapid recovery.

Firstly, stop using the drive immediately to prevent data overwrite. Then use free or trial versions of data recovery software like iBoysoft Data Recovery for Mac and follow recovery software Instructions. Typically, you'll need to connect the affected drive to your computer (you may need an external enclosure if it's an internal drive), run the recovery software, and scan the drive for lost files and partitions.

Secondly, most data recovery software will try to recover files based on their content rather than their original structure. You may need to manually organize the recovered files back into their original folders and structure. This can be time-consuming but is necessary for regaining your data's organization.

Thirdly, once you've recovered your data, ensure you have backups in the proper place to prevent such accidents afterward. Consider using cloud storage or additional external drives for backups.

If the above steps yield unsatisfactory results, you may seek help from professional technicians. They have specialized tools and expertise but can be costly. 

You can also read How to Recover Erased Hard Drive on Mac?