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5 Best Free and Paid Linux Hard Drive Recovery Software

It is important to have a regular data recovery tool due to various types of failures. In case you are looking for an approach to retrieve your lost files from disk drivers or if you are seeking a tool that lets you clone your entire disk, you will find our review helpful. This article reviews the top 5 best Linux hard drive recovery software programs for avoiding data loss in the first place.

Part 1: Comparison of Linux Hard Drive Recovery Softwarec

Price System Requirement Success Rate
TestDisk Free Linux, Windows, Mac OS X 90%
PhotoRec Free Linux, Windows, Mac OS X 90%
Mondo Rescue Free Linux and Windows 87%
Foremost Free Linux 85%
Disk Drill 6 Free, $89.00, $499.00 Linux, Windows, Mac OS X 85%

Part 2: Top 5 Linux Hard Drive Recovery Tools

Top 1: TestDisk

Testdisk Linux Data Recovery

TestDisk is a free and open-source Linux hard drive recovery tool. It can recover lost partitions and files. While the primary use of the software is repairing and restoring partitions, it can also recover accidentally deleted files.

PROS:
  • Available for a wide range of platforms.
  • Open-source and completely free.
  • Effectively recover data from Linux hard drives.
  • Recover deleted partitions.
CONS:
  • A command-line interface can be intimidating.
  • Initial setup seems unnecessary.

Top 2: PhotoRec

Photorec Linux Data Recovery

PhotoRec is a Linux hard drive recovery tool designed to recover lost files, such as videos, photos, documents, and archives on hard disks, CD-ROMs, and digital camera memory. In fact, it is a companion program to TestDisk.

PROS:
  • Provide an optional GUI.
  • Portable and don’t require installation.
  • Narrow down scan results.
  • un well on low-end computers.
CONS:
  • The interface slows down during scanning data.
  • You have to manually select the file system for scanning data.

Top 3: Mondo Rescue

Mondo Rescue Linux Data Recovery

Mondo Rescue is a good data recovery tool for Linux hard drives. Plus, it is able to back up your GNU/Linux server or workstation to tapes, CDs, DVDs, NFS, or a hard disk partition. The standout feature is creating full disk images to preserve the entire drive.

PROS:
  • Back up the entire hard drive on Linux.
  • Restore lost data.
  • Support disaster recovery.
  • Open source and free.
CONS:
  • The restore process is too slow.
  • The interface looks outdated.

Top 4: Foremost

foremost Linux Data Recovery322

Foremost is another Linux hard drive recovery tool. It is a command-line file recovery software designed for getting back deleted or hidden files from disk images and storage devices. It works for restoring deleted PDF, JPG, MP3, and executable files.

PROS:
  • Quite easy to install and use.
  • Support hard disk, memory card, and other memory devices.
  • Pre-installed in Kali Linux.
  • Recover deleted files on Linux.
CONS:
  • It lacks a GUI.
  • It is only available for Linux.

Top 5: Disk Drill 6

Disk Drill Linux

Disk Drill is a complete hard drive recovery tool for Linux and other operating systems. It comes with a clear and user-friendly interface. This tool is used to recover data from hard disk drives, SSDs, USB flash drives, SD cards, digital cameras, and more.

PROS:
  • Simple to use.
  • Support a wide range of file types.
  • Offer a free version.
  • Available on all operating systems.
CONS:
  • e pro version is expensive.
  • The free version only recovers limited data.

Part 3: How to Recover Data from a Linux Hard Drive

To help you understand how to recover data from a Linux hard drive, we use TestDisk as an example. Of course, the workflow is different, depending on what hard drive recovery tool you use.

Step 1. Install the best Linux hard drive recovery software with the command:
sudo apt install testdisk

Step 2. Type testdisk to run the tool.

Testdisk Settings

Step 3. Use the arrow buttons to navigate and Enter to select.

Step 4. Highlight the drive in question with the arrow buttons.

Step 5. Then, select Proceed and hit Enter.

Testdisk Select

Step 6. Select the correct setting and hit Enter.

Step 7. Choose Advanced and hit Enter.

Step 8. Finally, highlight Undelete and hit Enter.

Recommend: The Best Data Recovery Software for PC/Mac

Choose Start Scan

If you need to recover data from a Windows or Mac hard drive, you have more options. Apeaksoft Data Recovery, for example, simplifies the workflow of data recovery. More importantly, it can find as much lost data as possible using the advanced technology.

Apeaksoft Data Recovery

The Best Hard Drive Recovery Tool for PC and Mac

  • Recover all file types within three steps.
  • Available for a variety of situations, like factory reset, accidental deletion, and more.
  • Retrieve data from internal and external hard drives..
  • Preview recoverable files before data recovery.
Free Download

Secure Download

Free Download

Secure Download

Data Recovery

Conclusion

Now, you should learn at least the top 5 free and paid Linux hard drive recovery software. Some of them are free to use, and others require you to purchase a license. Apeaksoft Data Recovery is the best option for hard drive recovery on PC or Mac. If you have better recommendations, please leave a message below this post.

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