Recover modified FAT 32 partition with Disk Utility

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Level 1

4 points

Recover modified FAT 32 partition with Disk Utility

Recently I modified the size of my main mac hd (hfs+). I sized it down to make room for a FAT32 partition and moved some work files onto the new 2TB FAT32 partition This worked fine.

Later I used Disk Utility again to resize the FAT32 partition and expected it to size down from 2TB to 1.5TB without skipping a beat. Now no files show up on the FAT32 partition.

The "format" was quick so I'm sure OSX just wiped the existing FAT table. I haven't touched the partition ever since this happened because I know the old files are still there but just aren't visible to OS X. How do I get to see these files again?

PS: I'm severely disappointed that the new version of Disk Utility (El Capitan) does not give you any warnings nor does it ask for a confirmation once you select the modified partition size; It just starts making changes to the disk.

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X El Capitan (10.11.2)

Posted on Jan 18, 2016 6:27 AM

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Answer 1

Limnos

Level 10

411,253 points

Jan 18, 2016 6:31 AM in response to jacksonkr

OSX offers FAT as an option but it isn't really an OSX format so I don't think Disk Utility has any tools for FAT recovery. You may have to see if you can connect to a Windows machine and use a PC utility.

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Answer 2

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Jan 18, 2016 6:33 AM in response to jacksonkr

Use a Windows machine to fix errors on a Windows formatted disk.

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Answer 3

jacksonkr Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 18, 2016 6:50 AM in response to Limnos

I have a windows 8 VM. Do you have any idea what programs to try?

Also I'm using "EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard" and performing a "Deep Scan" on the drive. That's picking up some files but unfortunately they are unnamed and in no particular order. It's a jumbled mess really but at least the data looks there. So for I'm 7 hours into the scan and it looks like it's going to take 7 more...

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Answer 4

Limnos

Level 10

411,253 points

Jan 18, 2016 6:57 AM in response to jacksonkr

Getting unnamed files from a recovery tool is typical, has to be considered better than nothing, and is one reason why it is vastly preferred you make a backup of any drive before reformatting.

I haven't used PCs since they went fro DOS to running Windows so I can't help there. I am sure if you typed something like "drive recovery tool" into a search engine you would get a million hits.

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Answer 5

Naiome

Level 1

7 points

Feb 10, 2016 12:04 PM in response to jacksonkr

At the time of re-sizing FAT partition, the files stored get hidden because OS X won't locate it. But, there are some recovery tools which can fully recover data from FAT 32 partition. You need pick up the most reliable tool from this. I hope this information might help you in recovering files from FAT 32 partition. http://entdlab.com/simple-method-to-recover-fat-partition-on-mac

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