sertac.orcun

Q: urgent!!! mavericks wiped out my entire backups and data on external devices

I've upgraded to Mavericks recently. It's working fine on my 13-inch retina macbook. I'm currently using 2 external drives for time machine backups and also storing my work related data and iTunes files on these external drives. This morning when I when switched on my macbook strangely it gave me incorrect external drive name. When I looked into the 3TB disk it was blank. I've ejected the drive without writing to it.

 

Any suggestions or tools to retrieve data wiped in OSX?

 

My entire music and dvd archive and 20 years of work related data are gone!!!

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Sertac Orcun

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Oct 26, 2013 10:39 PM

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Q: urgent!!! mavericks wiped out my entire backups and data on external devices

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  • by ssgp,

    ssgp ssgp Oct 26, 2013 10:47 PM in response to sertac.orcun
    Level 1 (70 points)
    Oct 26, 2013 10:47 PM in response to sertac.orcun

    I doubt your disk has suddenly lost all its data. Do you have another machine to check your disk?

    What is the file system on the disk? Is it MacOS extended, NTFS, FAT or something else?

  • by sertac.orcun,

    sertac.orcun sertac.orcun Oct 26, 2013 10:51 PM in response to ssgp
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 26, 2013 10:51 PM in response to ssgp

    I have only one macbook. I recently sold my old iMac. I've been using MacOS Extended file system since I moved all my stuff to Mac in 2007.

     

    Is there a tool for disk recovery?

  • by ssgp,

    ssgp ssgp Oct 27, 2013 12:01 AM in response to sertac.orcun
    Level 1 (70 points)
    Oct 27, 2013 12:01 AM in response to sertac.orcun

    There have been several problems reported with WD RAID drives.

    See this thread for example : https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5489867?tstart=60

     

    If yours is one of these drives then you're out of luck for now. Still, I'd try asking a friend to access his non-Mavericks machine to at least recover your important stuff.

     

    In the past I've used "disk warrior" to recover my data. It is a paid application, but has worked well for me.

  • by sertac.orcun,

    sertac.orcun sertac.orcun Oct 27, 2013 12:09 AM in response to ssgp
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 27, 2013 12:09 AM in response to ssgp

    Thank you.

     

    I have one WD MyBook Studio II and one Seagate Expansion 3TB (USB3). It's a nightmare!!!

     

    I was looking at Data Rescue 3. I will also check Disk Warrior.

     

    Wish me luck!

  • by sertac.orcun,

    sertac.orcun sertac.orcun Oct 27, 2013 12:54 PM in response to sertac.orcun
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 27, 2013 12:54 PM in response to sertac.orcun

    I've purchased and run Data Rescue 3. It found (I suppose) most of the files in 3TB Seagate drive. It seems I need a new large drive to recover and move these files...

     

    I realized that WD MyBook has been wiped and used as a new backup disk by Time Machine... Of course, without my knowledge, without any prompts etc... Still trying to Deep Scan WD drive using Data Rescue 3...

     

    I keep seeing that people are trying to locate the source of the problem... To my knowledge, Time Machine is the only application that has all the privileges to wipe and overwrite and external drive on my system...

     

    I recon that Apple Team should also be looking at Time Machine... I've disabled it...

     

    I've also disabled iCloud keychain on all my Apple devices. It seems to work inconsistently or I've developed paranoia...

     

    Wish me luck... Because I really need it...

  • by PlotinusVeritas,

    PlotinusVeritas PlotinusVeritas Oct 27, 2013 1:05 PM in response to sertac.orcun
    Level 6 (14,806 points)
    Oct 27, 2013 1:05 PM in response to sertac.orcun

    FIrewire & Thunderbolt drives are having issues with Mavericks, avoid same until a fix is issued if you can.

     

    many are reporting same, there is a firewire fault and TB HD on external HD from LaCie (Seagate) and from WD especially.

     

    Technicians are looking into it.

     

    Until there is resolution, consider setting up a USB ext. Time machine HD.

     

     

     

    Until then consider confining Mavericks use with USB HD.

     

    Ive tested a very long line of USB HD on Mavericks, all seem fine.

     

    *However some are reporting now even USB HD are having problems IF they are running WD software


     

     

    Recommend anyone DO NOT ATTACH any WD MyBook externals (firewire, thunderbolt or otherwise).     

     

    I dont have same to test, so I dont know if the problem is in the firmware on the SATA bridge or if its a problem with the WD software

     


  • by sertac.orcun,

    sertac.orcun sertac.orcun Oct 27, 2013 1:06 PM in response to PlotinusVeritas
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 27, 2013 1:06 PM in response to PlotinusVeritas

    Thanks for the heads up.

     

    But I am using only USB 2 (WD MyBook Studio) and USB 3 (Seagate Expansion) external drives. I'm afraid firewire does not apply to my case.

  • by PlotinusVeritas,

    PlotinusVeritas PlotinusVeritas Oct 27, 2013 1:10 PM in response to sertac.orcun
    Level 6 (14,806 points)
    Oct 27, 2013 1:10 PM in response to sertac.orcun

     

    thats why I said :

    *However some are reporting now even USB HD are having problems IF they are running WD software

     

     

    Yes, some external USB HD are having the same issue, ALL HOWEVER indicate currently the use of some manner of HD software.

     

     

    HD software should never EVER be used. Its always a bad idea on USB ext. HD, it only has ever created problems in the past.

     

     

    HD are best idealized as bricks, out of box, format it and wipe off any "helpful HD software" on same in the case of simplex USB HD.

  • by sertac.orcun,

    sertac.orcun sertac.orcun Oct 27, 2013 1:15 PM in response to PlotinusVeritas
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 27, 2013 1:15 PM in response to PlotinusVeritas

    Are you suggesting that I remove WD drive manager? I'm only using it to monitor drive temp...

     

    There is also Seagate Dasboard 2.0 installed but never used...

     

    Shall I remove those? Any probable impacts on my system?

  • by PlotinusVeritas,

    PlotinusVeritas PlotinusVeritas Oct 27, 2013 2:52 PM in response to sertac.orcun
    Level 6 (14,806 points)
    Oct 27, 2013 2:52 PM in response to sertac.orcun

    firmware or software is indeterminate at this point.

     

    All variety of Thunderbolt and Firewire RAID drives from indications are affected.