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I've been trying to find ways to recover specific files and folders from a dying external Seagate HDD that just started failing today and is impossible to access through conventional means (It's making every program stop working on Windows 11, including the file explorer, so I'm currently working with Windows 7. If there's a way to prevent this from happening on modern Windows versions, please let me know!)

TestDisk seemed like the perfect option. However, most tutorials on TeskDisk show the method of browsing through the files and copying them manually one by one, using the "List" option under Advanced. But for some reason, this option is not appearing for me. It only allows for creating an image of the disc, which I don't want, as I don't have enough space for the entire hard drive. I just want to get the important data.
I realised that this option might not be available for the type of partition that my HDD uses, which I assume was EFI GPT (because it was automatically highlighted when I selected my hard drive), or maybe the filesystem, which (if I remember correctly) was NTFS. If that is the case, what other options do I have? Am I forced to buy a new 1 TB drive and create a clone of the corrupted HDD there?

I did a short test to see if it was even possible to recover anything with Photorec, and turns out it is. But there are files on this hard drive that use uncommon file extentions (which I'm not sure if Photorec can get), and a lot of files with common extentions that used to occupy more storage space than what I have currently available, so I really wish I can manually select the files I want to recover and hopefully get most of them without spending a lot of money.

Thanks in advance.

Fulano wrote: 09 Sep 2024, 21:32 I realised that this option might not be available for the type of partition that my HDD uses, which I assume was EFI GPT (because it was automatically highlighted when I selected my hard drive), or maybe the filesystem, which (if I remember correctly) was NTFS. If that is the case, what other options do I have? Am I forced to buy a new 1 TB drive and create a clone of the corrupted HDD there?

It looks like your partition table type is GPT as opposed to MBR. Both table types represent different directory structures, structures that describe type and location of partitions on your disk. The type of a partition is the file system used, probably NTFS in your case.

TestDisk can list the content of a partition if that type of file system is supported by Testdisk and a possible dammage of that partition can be somehow compensated.

I did a short test to see if it was even possible to recover anything with Photorec, and turns out it is. But there are files on this hard drive that use uncommon file extentions

the so-called secret file extensions no user talks about

(which I'm not sure if Photorec can get),

As opposed to the "uncommon file extentions" on your NTFS partition, the documentation of Photorec is not beating around the bush but is listing all supported so-called families of file extensions in brutal honesty on the internet:

https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/File_Fo ... y_PhotoRec

Thanks for the reply.
I think I should've mentioned the file extention in question but I thought it wasn't really important, and I have to admit that Photorec does support a lot of families, but the one I'm looking for isn't there.
.DNM is a file extention used for Dn-Famitracker, a music tracker software commonly used to make 8-bit NES compatible songs. It isn't on the list, unfortunately, and it seems like an unique type of file.

Read the manual - you can build your own fingerprint for DNM files.

My SD card corrupted a few weeks back, and i'm trying to use photorec to get my files back. Only problem is, my computer crashes on average a few times a day, and there's no way to keep it on long enough for it to finish recovering everything. I've heard you can use testdisk to recover specific folders at a time, but for some reason, when i click on the advanced options tab, "List" doesn't come up. (Similar to this post viewtopic.php?t=12906 )

What i'd like to know, is how do i select what kind of file types get recovered, so it doesn't waste so much time on useless files. And what files exactly i should be looking for? I managed to stumble my way into a list of file types once while messing about, but i'm not really a techhead and i'm not sure which file types i should have enabled. To specify, the files i'm trying to recover are Jpegs, Png's, Mp4's, AVI's and other video types.

What i'd truly like, though, is someone who could walk me through the steps in real time via discord chat or something. I'd be more than willing to come back here and explain the steps taken, or share what i learned so that other people can use this thread to help themselves as well. I'm just kind of dumb when it comes to this stuff, and i'm very scared to move forward without a guardian guru on my shoulder assuring me it's okay. So, if anyone is willing to hold my hand through this, my discord is RatThuggie.

If you can't meet me on discord, any help would still be greatly appreciated. I just want my files back

So what exactly am i supposed to do if the list option doesn't show? Please explain to me like i'm five. I can hardly parse through all the tech talk

RatThuggie wrote: 19 Nov 2024, 22:25 My SD card corrupted a few weeks back, and i'm trying to use photorec to get my files back. Only problem is, my computer crashes on average a few times a day, and there's no way to keep it on long enough for it to finish recovering everything.

Linux is free, download LinuxMint for instance, put it onto a USB pen drive, connect to the internet, install TestDisk and run LinuxMint on your crashing computer. Hopefully you don't have a hardware failure.

I've heard you can use testdisk to recover specific folders at a time, but for some reason,

There is no "List" ??? under advance options. Cross-read and read the documentation:
https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk

when i click on the advanced options tab, "List" doesn't come up. (Similar to this post viewtopic.php?t=12906 )

What i'd like to know, is how do i select what kind of file types get recovered,

Make sure that you don't confuse the abilities of TestDisk and PhotoRec! Read the enclosed manual that came with your download and the web documentation.

so it doesn't waste so much time on useless files.

Running the TestDisk package on a broken machine to rescue from a broken storage device is a bad idea.

And what files exactly i should be looking for?

If you don't know what you are missing, I can't help you either!

I managed to stumble my way into a list of file types once while messing about, but i'm not really a techhead and i'm not sure which file types i should have enabled. To specify, the files i'm trying to recover are Jpegs, Png's, Mp4's, AVI's and other video types.

You could deselect everything except for the file types you are looking for. Unfortunately that will extend the length of your target files which might cause problems when you are opening them later. Typically, PhotoRec only finishes a file when it finds a new file header. You are better off having all types selected. But that does not fit well to your crashing computer. PhotoRec can be interrupted and upon restart PhotoRec asks you if it should continue the interrupted rescue operation. Obviously this feature only works when working with permanent storage. Using a USB pen drive, this information will not be stored on your USB pen drive. This only happens in certain cases too extensive to explain here.

What i'd truly like, though, is someone who could walk me through the steps in real time via discord chat or something. I'd be more than willing to come back here and explain the steps taken, or share what i learned so that other people can use this thread to help themselves as well. I'm just kind of dumb when it comes to this stuff, and i'm very scared to move forward without a guardian guru on my shoulder assuring me it's okay.

In this case pay a professional lab for your recovery or find someone who is doing that for you.

So, if anyone is willing to hold my hand through this, my discord is RatThuggie.

No.

There is a lot of documentation on www.cgsecurity.org, other sites and even on youtube. So far I have the impression you have not dealt with it.
Your wishes exceeds my willingness to help.

RatThuggie wrote: 20 Nov 2024, 02:29 So what exactly am i supposed to do if the list option doesn't show? Please explain to me like i'm five. I can hardly parse through all the tech talk

Search the forum. I won't search it for you.

Please be patient I am coming to the experts because i've been trying to research this thing for the past two or three weeks. My youtube history is full of videos about photorec and testdisk. I've made posts on Reddit... I KNOW i'm stupid on this topic, it's the only reason i've come to a forum website to ask. I cannot understand all the techspeak. I try and reread what i'm looking at but it just doesn't make sense to me. I have modded games on my pc, and i've figured out how to set up OBS and stuff like that, I DO try to help myself. But trying to understand everything on the wiki and in these threads is like trying to understand japanese for some reason. I just can't figure it out.

My only hope was watching the youtube videos but because they're not all consistent, and i've encountered differences when trying to replicate what they do, (like the no 'list' option) it makes me very nervous to continue because i don't want to mess something up irreversibly. I don't ever come to forum sites to ask for help, I usually don't even comment on youtube videos. I like to think of myself as resourceful, but i fear this is truly over my head. Now, you're the second one to tell me testdisk is a bad idea, so maybe i've missed some fundamental information somehow but i promise you i'm trying my best to understand.

You could deselect everything except for the file types you are looking for. Unfortunately that will extend the length of your target files which might cause problems when you are opening them later. Typically, PhotoRec only finishes a file when it finds a new file header. You are better off having all types selected. But that does not fit well to your crashing computer. PhotoRec can be interrupted and upon restart PhotoRec asks you if it should continue the interrupted rescue operation. Obviously this feature only works when working with permanent storage. Using a USB pen drive, this information will not be stored on your USB pen drive. This only happens in certain cases too extensive to explain here.

So what i understand from this, is that i should not try to narrow down the file types it searches for? To clarify, i'm trying to recover images and videos, but when i used photorec, it spent a lot of time recovering text files and other stuff like that that i otherwise wouldn't want. There's no way to stop that without ruining the files i wish to recover? also, i'm assuming USB pen drive applies to my micro sd? Meaning i will *not* be able to pick up where i left off?

I'm not trying come off as a child. I've just never dealt with something like this before, and these images are very dear to me. I'm very scared i'm going to misstep and lose them all irreversibly, and i don't want to mess this up.

RatThuggie wrote: 21 Nov 2024, 23:25 So what i understand from this, is that i should not try to narrow down the file types it searches for? To clarify, i'm trying to recover images and videos, but when i used photorec, it spent a lot of time recovering text files and other stuff like that that i otherwise wouldn't want. There's no way to stop that without ruining the files i wish to recover? also, i'm assuming USB pen drive applies to my micro sd? Meaning i will *not* be able to pick up where i left off?

Now this becomes even funnier:

1. Broken computer
2. No space for recovery
3. No time for the recovery procedure

=> Please contact a professional data recovery lab.

PhotoRec will search your whole disk or partition regardless of the file type/family type selection you make.
You cannot save time.

USB pen drive refers to a third device, also called USB stick that is plugged into a USB slot in your PC.
It has nothing to do with your broken SD-card, that is another piece of storage.