Guide to Running TestDisk on Ubuntu

TestDisk is a powerful data recovery tool that can help you recover lost partitions and recover deleted files. This tutorial will guide you through the process of installing TestDisk on Ubuntu, and how to use it for file recovery.

Installation of TestDisk

To install TestDisk on Ubuntu, simply use the package manager apt. The command is as follows:

apt install testdisk

Once installed, you can proceed to use TestDisk for file recovery. The success of file recovery often depends on the underlying file system type. Here’s a detailed guide:

Understanding Disk Formats and File Systems

Each disk format has specific requirements for “checking the integrity” of the disk. Different file systems have different tools to perform these checks. For native Linux file systems such as ext2, ext3, and ext4, the built-in fsck tool can be used for a comprehensive check. e2fsprogs provides deeper analysis and can be used to repair more complex issues.

For other file systems like JFS, ReiserFS, and even the non-GPL file systems such as NTFS, the situation is a bit different. There is no comprehensive integrity check for NTFS in Linux; ntfsfix can correct some common errors, but it doesn’t cover the full range of issues as the native Microsoft tools do. Similarly, fsck.fat can check for many common errors in FAT file systems, but it’s unclear if it is equivalent to Microsoft’s scandisk or chkdsk since these are closed-source tools.

Commands for Disk Checking

Several commands can be used to check the disk integrity and provide additional information:

sudo fdisk -l

This command requires superuser authentication and lists all partitions on the disk, providing information such as the device name, size, and type.

sudo fdisk -l

lsblk

This command provides a tree-like view of block special devices. It is useful for identifying available storage devices and their partitions.

lsblk

df -h

This command shows the amount of disk space used on a mounted file system, with a human-readable output.

df -h

pydf

This command provides a more colorful and readable output for disk space usage. It is particularly useful for visual identification of disk usage.

pydf

Conclusion

TestDisk is a powerful tool for recovering lost partitions and files. By following the steps outlined above, you can successfully install and use TestDisk on Ubuntu. Remember that the success of file recovery depends on the specific file system and the extent of disk corruption. For advanced users, reading the man pages of relevant tools such as fsck, ntfsfix, and fsck.fat is highly recommended.