Recovering files using PhotoRec

PhotoRec is an opensource software to recover media files from Hard Drives, Memory cards, Pendrives etc. It also supports file formats including document formats and archive formats.

Installation

PhotoRec can be installed using the following commands

Fedora

$ yum install testdisk

Ubuntu

$ sudo apt-get install testdisk

Recovering files using PhotoRec

Run the following command as root (use sudo in case of Ubuntu) to start PhotoRec.

$ photorec

After starting photorec select the partition from which the files need to be recovered and proceed

Select partition table type

Select partition from the partition table Options and File options can be selected from the same screen.

The options window leads to the following page

Selecting the file option leads to the following page

After selecting the Options and File types select the filesystem type below

Select whether free space on the disk or Whole disk need to be checked for recoverable files

Select the path where the recovered files need to be stored

Finally after restoring the files on the path use quit to exit PhotoRec