Recovering data from Macs
As a companion to backing up, there are several options for data recovery.
This is a newer version of My Data is inaccessible and I don't have a backup.
Keep in mind, external hard drives running Sierra (Mac OS 10.12.6) or earlier can't see the content of drives with APFS and High Sierra (Mac OS 10.13) or later when booted off the older system
http://www.apple.com/support third party authorized service providers and stores offer their own data recovery options in many cases. And individuals may choose to use external hard drives to recover data to using one of the following software.
First off, if you don't feel any mechanical failure or data corruption has led to your data loss, the first step is to locate the files in other folders, conversion to hidden files, or other sites on the internet. The most common places:
- Invisible files: Do not touch any invisible files unless you know they are the files containing the missing documents. Command+Shift+Dot (where command is the Apple logo key, and dot is the period key) will toggle all visible and invisible files.
- Files relocated locally can be located by name or date easier with Devon Technologies EasyFind. These include files that were not indexed by Spotlight. Be sure to search the entire computer with it, and not just the home folder, in event you logged into another user by mistake.
- Indexing of Spotlight needs to be redone.
- OneDrive, Google Drive, and iCloud all may be storage points where you stored the data elsewhere off your computer as well as other backups such as iPhones, iPads, and other computers.
- Photos App and iTunes App may have the documents in their own libraries.
- Past emails and attachments within emails. Many attachments find their way into the Downloads folder on your Users-> yourname folder.
- Make sure your active user that you are logged into with Go menu -> Home folder is in fact the user that has the files.
If none of these six places appear to have your documents then I would look at possible mechanical or data corruption led failure to access documents. Here are the different options in that regard.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202731- Apple's repair diagnostics and https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201257- Hardware test can do health tests on hard disks.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210898 - Apple Disk Utility offers limited data recovery functionality in rebuilding the directory structure of the machine, and can test the health of drive.
Its repair disk function only available in recovery mode, installer discs of comparable Mac OS version being booted, and command line single user mode does this directory repair of the file system.
The Terminal can be accessed from both Mac OS X installer discs and recovery. This can at least let you know if the system is visible without loading the operating system fully. Recovery is available through command-R if installed properly on an OS installation in Mac OS X Lion (10.7) or later, or command-option-shift-R on Macs released after Lion's release date of July 22, 2011. Some earlier Macs also offer internet recovery. Do not run the installer on recovery, unless the system is of the same age of what is installed, or you are comfortable creating a partition or use a separately formatted hard drive.
Discuss with an Apple Certified tech if the file system repair by Apple is recommended at your stage of data access.
Its functionality from system restore, and boot media running on compatible installer discs offers more repair options than the disk utility from the operating system itself. Although the version on the operating system can act on non-boot systems.
The File System's directory is much like a catalog of books at a library. It assists the computer in finding the files on the computer. As long as the links alone are damaged, and not any physical damage to the media, there is a good chance at success. This is why a certified tech needs to verify the drive is in good health before you attempt it.
Note: None of these options can guarantee success, as media damage from magnetic, electric surges, spills, drops, and bumps of drive case can all create situations of failure. Theft of equipment, and hackers let onto computers can also make data inaccessible. Only having multiple digital and/or hard copies in physically secure areas can guarantee the safety of your data, and verifying regularly the data's integrity is your responsibility.
That said, these third party software packages have varying levels of success of data recovery:
Recoverit - has the capability to maintain original volume structure when that is not lost.
Alsoft Disk Warrior - their approach to data recovery is slightly different than the above. They also attempt to recover the directory of the hard drive in the process of doing data recovery. This can both be beneficial because of speed, and detrimental if the media is too far damaged to piece together whole fragments of the data. Depending on the health of the drive, you may have great success or no success. Generally such recoveries can be supplemental to existing backups, and should not be tried when there is no backup but access to such backup is limited. It expands on Disk Utility's capabilities.
For all of the above utilities, booting off an external drive or medium with the utility and then attaching a secondary hard drive is usually the safest means of recovering data. Keep in mind, external media that is underpowered can be risky to boot from, so make sure any hubs or external drives have their own power.
DriveDX - Offers the ability to do an extensive health evaluation on existing drives that are working, which is good preventive checkup on existing backed up systems. A comparable tool while running Windows is Hard drive sentinel.
http://www.drivesavers.com/ is the one company this tip's author is aware will maintain most drives through clean rooms that Apple's warranty normally is happy with. Be sure to check if believe you have a mechanical failure and need recovery with both Apple and Drive Savers the conditions of such a repair, as we can't comment on Apple's policy here as end users. It has recovered data from the most severe stresses to hard drives. Should only be used if budget is not an issue and your data is worth more than the computer.