Dead Hard Drive - How to Recover?

The hard drive in my iMac recently "died". The Apple Store diagnosed my problem as a failed drive.
Luckily, they allowed me to borrow my failed drive for a couple of days. I was able to use an external USB enclosure and Data Rescue II to recover all of my data to an external drive. Unfortunately, the recovery does not provide a disk image but rather just the folder/file structure from the original drive.
The Apple Store has replaced my drive (under Apple Care Warranty) and now I have an iMac with a fresh install of OS X and nothing else.
Is there a documented procedure on how to recover my home-user folders (including Library), the system Applications folder, and the System Library folder to bring my refreshed Mac back to the previous state?

Kevin,
Tailor these instructions to match whatever you have done so far within the new installation...
1) Create new accounts within the new installation, using the exact same usernames and short names that existed in the old installation.
2) Enable the "root" account, then log in as root.
3) From the root account, navigate to the "Users" folder. Move all of the newly created HOME folders to the trash. Connect the drive that houses the backed up data, and locate the same-named HOME folders there. Drag them to the new "Users" folder, replacing the folders you moved to the trash.
4) Open /Applications/Utilities/Terminal. At the prompt, type the following:
<pre style="overflow:auto; font-family: 'Monaco'; font-size: 10px">chown -R username:staff /Users/username</pre>
In the text above, you will replace all instances of "username" with the short name for a replaced account. If the short name is "fred," for example, you will type the following exactly:
<pre style="overflow:auto; font-family: 'Monaco'; font-size: 10px">chown -R fred:staff /Users/fred</pre>
Verify that the text is correct, then press <RETURN>. When you return to the prompt, perform the same task for the next replaced account, or quit Terminal.
5) Log into the replaced accounts to test that everything works as expected. If so, log back into the root account, empty the trash, then log out of and disable the root account.
It would be best if you just reinstalled any third-party applications. Keep in mind that the data, settings, etc. for those applications already exist within the restored HOME folders.
Scott

Similar Messages

Lost Hard Drive How to Recover Data?

Hello Apple Team,
I hope someone at Apple can help me with my problem. I was partitioning my secondary Hard Drive on bay 2 using boot camp assistants to partition my HD and I partition the whole drive. I lost all my personal data and would love to get it back. Can someone help me with a how-to or and application to fix this problem.
Spec:
Mac Pro
Mac OS 10.4.9
Two Hard Drive
Thanks for any type of help
Joe

Basics of File Recovery
If you empty the Trash the files are gone. Recovery is possible but you must not allow any additional writes to the hard drive - shut it down. When you delete files you erase only the directory entries, not the files themselves. However, the space occupied by the files has been returned to the system as available for storage. Writing to the drive will then eventually overwrite the space once occupied by the deleted files in which case the files are lost permanently. Also if you save a file over an existing file of the same name, then the old file is overwritten and cannot be recovered.
If you stop using the drive it's possible to recover deleted files that have not been overwritten with recovery software such as Data Rescue II, File Salvage or TechTool Pro. Each of the preceding come on bootable CDs to enable usage without risk of writing more data to the hard drive.
The longer the hard drive remains in use and data are written to it, the greater the risk your deleted files will be overwritten.
Also visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQ on Data Recovery.

Dead hard drive: how to 'uninstall' CS6?

My iMac hard drive has just died, with CS6 installed. I have the other permitted installation on my macbook pro. Once I get my hard drive replaced - or replace the iMac- I presume this will appear to be a third installation, and therefore not allowed. How can I get round this?
All advice appreciated.
Gilly, UK

Contact support by web chat or phone and have them reset activations.
Mylenium

ITune lost in damage hard drive, how to recover all the songs.

Hi everyone, I has lost my iTune in a damage hard drive, now I wanted to sync my iPod with iMac and still wanted to recover my song in the iPod, any one please help.
Thanks in advance.

Basics of File Recovery
If you empty the Trash the files are gone. Recovery is possible but you must not allow any additional writes to the hard drive - shut it down. When you delete files you erase only the directory entries, not the files themselves. However, the space occupied by the files has been returned to the system as available for storage. Writing to the drive will then eventually overwrite the space once occupied by the deleted files in which case the files are lost permanently. Also if you save a file over an existing file of the same name, then the old file is overwritten and cannot be recovered.
If you stop using the drive it's possible to recover deleted files that have not been overwritten with recovery software such as Data Rescue II, File Salvage or TechTool Pro. Each of the preceding come on bootable CDs to enable usage without risk of writing more data to the hard drive.
The longer the hard drive remains in use and data are written to it, the greater the risk your deleted files will be overwritten.
Also visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQ on Data Recovery.

Dead hard drive-how to format and startup with new disk

I have a 9 month old non-retina MBP. I replaced the HD with an SSD when I bought it. It seems the SSD has stopped working and I need to replace it. Grrr. I do have a Time Capsule backup that I can use, but how do I install the OS on the replacement SSD? After I have the MBP running with the new SSD, I should be able to reinstall everything else from the Time Capsule backup. I have another MBP that I can use for assistance/transferring/formatting if this will be helpful. Will Apple store Genius help me to do this? I would not be surprised that any warranty coverage may have been voided when I installed the SSD. I could use the other MBP to format the new SSD before installing it.

Your computer has got Internet Recovery. Use it to restore your backup.
To start in Internet Recovery, hold Command, Option (Alt) and R keys while your computer is starting. Then, open Disk Utility, choose your hard disk at the top of the sidebar, go to Erase tab and erase the disk using "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)" as format.
Finally, close Disk Utility, plug the external disk with your backup, select the option to restore a Time Machine backup and follow its steps

How do I recover data from my dead hard drive?

How do I recover data from my dead hard drive?

Is it dead or corrupt? There are recovery programs out there, however if your HD is head, paying pros to do data recovery is VERY costly. Some have removed the platters and installed them in likewise drives that dont have head crashes, but torque tolerances are tight, and doing it right is a bit advanced and tricky for most. Ive done HD disk swaps 4 times and had success 3 of the 4 times. It requires cannibalizing another working HD. In the future remember the golden rule, 2 copies is 1, and one is NONE.
Its likely you could find a local computer repair station that can do it for you cheaply. HD dont really "die", they have fried SATA bus, or crashed HEADS........the platters DO demagnatize over long time due to heat and degauss of the data (poor storage, etc).........but in specific, a HARD DRIVE DOESNT DIE ,.........only the flying head mechanisms that read and write the data, and SATA / bus that feeds the data DIES,.......but the data (unless corrupt or magnetically corrupted) is THERE

How do recover license of CS6 suite from dead hard drive??

Dear Gang
Does anyone know how do recover license (aka deactivate) of CS6 suite from dead hard drive??

You'll have to contact web chat to get it deactivated. Link at the bottom of this page:
Adobe ID, sign in, and account help

The circuit of my macbook is dead yet the hard drive is fine. I need to access a file from the hard drive, how can i do this? is there a cable i can connect to another mac that will let me transfer the file?

The circuit of my macbook is dead yet the hard drive is fine. I need to access a file from the hard drive, how can i do this? The mac turns on the screen freezes as bright blue. Is there a cable i can connect to another mac that will let me transfer the file?

There is another option if the Macbook will start up in Target Disk Mode.
Restart the computer while holding down the T key. If you see the firewire symbol moving around on the screen you can connect this one to another one in TDM. You will need a suitable cable to connect the two Macs.
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1661
Firewire symbol:

HT1386 My hard drive died and I need to resync my iPad. Will just following the initial instructions resync my iPad and restore all my information or do I need to try to recover the iPad file from the dead hard drive?

My hard drive died and I need to resync my Ipad. Will following the initial instructions for syncing work or do I need to restore my original files from the dead hard drive.

If the hard drive that crashed is the one that stored the itunes library, be sure to restore the library from Time Machine (mac) or whatever backup you use on windows. That will get back your music. I suspect that the replacement drive has an empty itunes library and thus, perhaps, the itunes match used that to sync to its servers.
Try posting in the iTunes Match forum, you'll probably find more knowledgeable folks there.
https://discussions.apple.com/community/itunes/itunes_match

T43 - Recovery from dead hard drive

I have a T43 (2686-DJU) with hard drive failure (noticed for the first time with an error message on start-up saying "media test failure, check cable ... operating system not found". After discussion with the Lenovo support folks they confirmed the hard drive needed replacement, and I have ordered a new one (part 13N6917) - I am wondering how I go about getting the new one up and running as well as rescue and recovery since I was not smart enough to make a rescue CD. Should I order one? Is there some way to pull recovery info off of my mostly dead hard drive?
I apoligize for what I presume are pretty basic questions - maybe someone can just point me to a resource that I have simply not found yet.
Many thanks.
mjeastman

My hard drive failed completely and the Apple Store offered to "try" to recover it for $2000+. I went to a company called ProSoft http://www.prosofteng.com/ and they were very helpful. They sold me some software for around $100 to recover all of the data. It took over a week for the software to run correctly, but I got EVERYTHING back and ProSoft was so helpful with all of my questions.
Good Luck

Old unreadable hard drives - looking to recover files

I have two old hard drives - both from my first iMac (Bondi Blue, purchased in early 1999). The first one "died" sometime in 2002 (blinking folder/question mark) so I replaced it with the second one. Eventually the second died the same death (both OS9).
I moved on and have been with my G5 ever since (2005).
I've kept the two drives in storage, hoping that someday data recovery at home would be a typical option. Ha.
Last week, looking to fiddle with the old drives, I bought a slot-loading iMac CRT on craigslist for $25, no keyboard or mouse. It has a working hard drive with OSX installed. The keyboard/mouse from my G5 work fine on it.
So I removed the hard drive and replaced it with each of my hard drives. Of course, same old story: each drive was unreadable (blinking folder/question mark).
I don't have the original install discs (in fact I don't have any install discs).
All I have is a Norton Utilities disc, which the computer will not start up from no matter which hard drive (including the working one) I have attached (I suspect that even though I press 'C', the newer keyboard takes longer to be recognized and is not readable upon startup). I also tried booting from the Norton CD using open firmware with no luck.
Bottom line is:
I have 2 "dead" hard drives (blinking folder/question mark):
- Quantum Fireball EX 3.5 Series
- Maxtor D540X-4K 3.5" Series
and I have a slot-loading iMac (CRT) with no install discs and only my G5 keyboard/mouse to use it with.
I've done a lot of research looking for any possible way of recovering files from these drives, but all information inevitably leads to "see a data recovery specialist'.
I imagine I will get the same advice here, but I absolutely can't afford the upwards of $1,000 it could cost for that service.
Am I out of luck completely? Should I put the drives back into storage until I can afford a recovery specialist?
Thanks.

Last week, looking to fiddle with the old drives, I bought a slot-loading iMac CRT on craigslist for $25, no keyboard or mouse. It has a working hard drive with OSX installed. The keyboard/mouse from my G5 work fine on it.
So I removed the hard drive and replaced it with each of my hard drives. Of course, same old story: each drive was unreadable (blinking folder/question mark).
I doubt this would boot. You do not have the drivers on your version of Mac OS to support newer hardware.
All I have is a Norton Utilities disc, which the computer will not start up from no matter which hard drive (including the working one) I have attached (I suspect that even though I press 'C', the newer keyboard takes longer to be recognized and is not readable upon startup). I also tried booting from the Norton CD using open firmware with no luck.
Lots of bad reports about Norton. They stopped updating the utility, so user beware.
"Stellar Phoenix Macintosh - Mac data recovery software, recovers data from damaged, deleted, or corrupted volumes and even from initialized disks."
They have a trial version, so I guess you can see if your data can be recovered...
http://www.stellarinfo.com/mac-data-recovery.htm
"Data Rescue II is the best data recovery software on the market for recovering files from a problem hard drive. Data Rescue II works when other tools fail. Data Rescue II is also completely safe to use since it does not attempt any risky repairs to the drive while its scanning."
http://www.prosofteng.com/products/data_rescue.php
FileSalvage is an extremely powerful Macintosh application for exploring and recovering deleted files from a drive or volume. FileSalvage is designed to restore files that have:
* been accidentally deleted.
* become unreadable due to media faults.
* been stored on a drive before it was re-initialized/formatted.
http://subrosasoft.com/OSXSoftware/index.php?mainpage=product_info&productsid=1

Dead Hard Drive on Black MacBook

Can any one give any pointers as to how to replace a dead hard drive in a (approximately) two year old Black MacBook? Service guy trying to charge me £250+ to do it.
Any help would be most appreciated.

It's super easy.
Go here and buy this HHD (I have bought 3 of them for my Mac laptops)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136314
Go here for simple instruction on installing it.
http://eshop.macsales.com/installvideos/macbook13_memhd/
One thing to remember is to re-format the HHD once installed using your install Disk #1. Reformat using GUID. Very simple to do. Can be installed in less than 10 minutes with the right tools (highly recommend buying the from OWC), and another few hours to reinstall everything.
Right tools from here.
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Newer%20Technology/TOOLKIT11/
Message was edited by: D/FW

Lightroom 5 is tied to my photos in a folder on my computer, if I move that folder to a hard drive, how to I connect Lightroom to the new location on the hard drive vs my computer?

Lightroom 5 is tied to my photos in a folder on my computer, if I move that folder to a hard drive, how to I connect Lightroom to the new location on the hard drive vs my computer?

How to recreate iTunes Library
No content shows up in iTunes after updating

How do I save my itunes libabry on my computer and not on an exteernal hard drive, how do I save my itunes libabry on my computer and not on an exteernal hard drive

how do I save my itunes libabry on my computer and not on an exteernal hard drive, how do I save my itunes libabry on my computer and not on an exteernal hard drive

It is on the internal boot drive by default.
How/why did you change it?
It is on the internal boot drive by default.
How/why did you change it?

Dead hard drive after one 1/2 years

My ibook G4 stopped reading discs about 4 months ago, when the computer was about 9 months old. I was unable to bring in for help until recently, thinking it was not a huge deal. Now the computer at 1 1/2 years old, has a dead hard drive. Because I couldn't back up, I have to get data retrieval and a new hard drive. Because the lame warranty is up, I have to pay $600 dollars to essentially fix a brand new computer. Upset is not the word. It seems quite neglible that a company can make a $2000 item that starts dying essentially after 6 months of use.
The computer was used to write papers and do bookkeeping, this was not an abusive over use.
Any opinions out there? Is this "normal?"
I couldn't bring the computer in, due to a loss in my family, and school, etc...had I known it was much more than a virus, surely I would have! The lesson of a back up is also lost...because I was unable to back up, that is why I brought the computer in.....the day before I went for maintanence, ironically the computer wouldn't start.....

I am sorry to hear that you've had such a bad experience. We all have life situations that make it difficult for us to make things happen sometimes. It's all about your priorities. Obviously the problems on your computer were not important enough at the time to pay attention to. AppleCare was available to you within your first year which would have extended your warranty.
All electronic products generally come with a one year warranty. If your TV goes buggy within it's first year you would probably bring it in for repair. Afterwards it's your responsibility to repair or replace.
Again sorry to hear you've had such a bad experience but I don't know that their's much you can do aside from making sure you let Apple know. It seems to be a common occurance on these boards and if there is a growing trend to failing HD maybe Apple will do something.

Dead Hard Drive - How to Recover?

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for