Recovering data from filevault disk

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Level 1

11 points

Recovering data from filevault disk

My laptop was unable to start this morning (prohibited sign) so I bought a new disk and reinstall everything but now I want to recover some data (no time machine for this computer).

I put the old disk in an external case but it is unable to mount on the desktop. As far as it is file vault enabled, it asked me for a password (i know it) but the volume is not mounting. I can see the disk in disk utility so I thought that maybe it's because file vault is enabled that the disk is not mounting (even giving the password).

From disk utility File menu, I choose desactivate encryptation. It looks like the desencryptation process is in progress from a message that appears saying that i can check the progress in Security system preferences. But I cannot see anything (I can just see that file vault is not enabled in the new disk) and I'm unable to see the progress or if the decryption is in progress. I don't see any process in Activity monitor that could be filevault.

Somebody got some experience on that ? Is it because my disk was file vault enabled that I cannot mount it in yosemite even giving the password ? How can I know if decryption is in progress ?

MacBook Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10.2)

Posted on Feb 12, 2015 12:04 PM

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Answer 1

BDAqua

Level 10

239,183 points

Feb 12, 2015 2:57 PM in response to cat burlow

Gulp...

Not sure anything is going to work other than being able to boot from that drive & get success with the password, that is the whole purpose of Filevault. 😟

Have you tried booting up holding alt key & trying that external drive?

Have you tried Repair Disk on that drive?

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Answer 2

cat burlow Author

Level 1

11 points

Feb 13, 2015 11:35 AM in response to BDAqua

Yep I tried to boot from it but I have the same prohibit sign after entering the password.

And I also tried to verify the disk. It said that it was in a good shape at one moment (anyhow the list of verifications was strangely short) and now I cannot even see it in disk utility...

Looks bad I think...

Just that i wonder if file vault is not responsible that's why I tried to disable it.. But i don't have experienced with file vault disk from external adapter...

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Answer 3

BDAqua

Level 10

239,183 points

Feb 14, 2015 10:47 AM in response to cat burlow

It looks really bad, I think it was the drive failing to start with that did it... I'm thinking even professional Drive Recovery outfits couldn't help if Filevault is messed up. 😟

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Answer 4

rccharles

Level 6

12,957 points

Feb 14, 2015 1:12 PM in response to BDAqua

I'm thinking even professional Drive Recovery outfits couldn't help if Filevault is messed up. 😟

Might be able to help. Could be bad drive electronics. Would swap out electronics. Expect to spend $'s & $'s.

Since you have password, find some app the de-crypts what data it can and makes that available to you.

Moral of story. Always back up when using filevault.

Robert

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Answer 5

cat burlow Author

Level 1

11 points

Feb 23, 2015 3:33 AM in response to cat burlow

I succed in recovering so i want to share my experience: I used Data Rescue 4 and a short scan allow me to recover everything ! The disk was not doing a strange noise so I thought it was more a file vault problem... What is still not clear for me: I tried to desactivate encryptation from disk utility and since i don't have any progress bar i was unable to know if it was doing something... But I let it one night and after i was able to recover with data rescue 4 !

Thank you fo your help !

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