Uploaded July 2015 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
We've got an introduction to data recovery with DDRescue and TestDisk. TestDisk is probably where you'll want to start. It will help you recover from non-mechanical problems where some piece of software has trashed your disk, partition tables, MBR or that type of problem. It may even be able to help you "unformat" a wiped hard drive, or wiped USB stick.
DDRescue is a variant of the DD program that's setup specifically for data recovery situations. Unlike DD, DDRescue can produce a physical map of unrecoverable, can retry reads and can automatically resume an interrupted DD.
DD stands for something like disk direct, and is a program that simply moves blocks of data from one device to another. It's also possible to move blocks of data from devices to files and vice-versa.
If you are not used to thinking of devices as files, it can be a little bit of a mind warp to think in these terms. However, it is a simple yet powerful tool that allows for complex recovery scenarios.
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Thanks for watching our videos! If you want more, check us out online at the following places:
+ Website: level1techs.com
+ Forums: forum.level1techs.com
+ Store: store.level1techs.com
+ Patreon: patreon.com/level1
+ L1 Twitter: twitter.com/level1techs
+ L1 Facebook: facebook.com/level1techs
+ Wendell Twitter: twitter.com/tekwendell
+ Ryan Twitter: twitter.com/pgpryan
+ Krista Twitter: twitter.com/kreestuh
+ Business Inquiries/Brand Integrations: Queries@level1techs.com
*IMPORTANT* Any email lacking “level1techs.com” should be ignored and immediately reported to Queries@level1techs.com.
We've got an introduction to data recovery with DDRescue and TestDisk. TestDisk is probably where you'll want to start. It will help you recover from non-mechanical problems where some piece of software has trashed your disk, partition tables, MBR or that type of problem. It may even be able to help you "unformat" a wiped hard drive, or wiped USB stick.
DDRescue is a variant of the DD program that's setup specifically for data recovery situations. Unlike DD, DDRescue can produce a physical map of unrecoverable, can retry reads and can automatically resume an interrupted DD.
DD stands for something like disk direct, and is a program that simply moves blocks of data from one device to another. It's also possible to move blocks of data from devices to files and vice-versa.
If you are not used to thinking of devices as files, it can be a little bit of a mind warp to think in these terms. However, it is a simple yet powerful tool that allows for complex recovery scenarios.
**********************************
Thanks for watching our videos! If you want more, check us out online at the following places:
+ Website: level1techs.com
+ Forums: forum.level1techs.com
+ Store: store.level1techs.com
+ Patreon: patreon.com/level1
+ L1 Twitter: twitter.com/level1techs
+ L1 Facebook: facebook.com/level1techs
+ Wendell Twitter: twitter.com/tekwendell
+ Ryan Twitter: twitter.com/pgpryan
+ Krista Twitter: twitter.com/kreestuh
+ Business Inquiries/Brand Integrations: Queries@level1techs.com
*IMPORTANT* Any email lacking “level1techs.com” should be ignored and immediately reported to Queries@level1techs.com.
