How to Recover Permanently Deleted Files in Linux Redhat/Ubuntu/Mint

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Have you ever needed to recover a file in Linux? Maybe you accidentally deleted an important file or folder and wished there was an easy way to get it back. Many users end up installing Linux without even realizing it. Their computers run better for various reasons – or at least that's how it feels – like better battery life and not crashing. Often, these users (or their friends) will accidentally delete something they didn't know existed on the system or didn't know how to back up. That's where this guide comes in. We'll show you the step-by-step method of data recovery in Linux.

Where do deleted files go in Linux?

In Linux, when you delete a file or directory, it doesn't mean that it's gone forever. Before a file is completely removed from the system, it may pass through several stages of deletion.

They might be deleted due to corruption, obsolescence, sensitivity, or by user error. Whatever the reason for their deletion, deleted files and folders continue to occupy space on your hard drive after they are removed (even after you “empty” the Recycling Bin).

In Linux, deleted files are typically moved to a specific folder referred to as the "Trash." This folder exists in the system as "TRASH" and can be accessed by enabling the option to view hidden files.

To access the TRASH folder in Linux, you can use the following command:

You can also access the files directly under ~/.local/share/Trash/files/.

However, depending on your system's settings, they might also be permanently deleted.

How to Recover Deleted Files from Ext4 Linux

Learn here how to recover deleted files from Ext4 Linux. Data recovery tools make it easy to get your Linux data back.

How do I use data recovery software to recover deleted files in Linux?

There are many ways and software tools you can use to scan a hard drive for data, but the circumstances are different. These can have their own requirements that can make the whole process more complicated than it needs to be.

You can use the Data Recovery Wizard tool to restore deleted files or directories in Linux. The main objective of this tool is to recover from various types of data loss scenarios. Data loss typically occurs after accidental file deletion, programmer errors, viruses, and other destructive factors that might prolong the recovery process. By using this recovery software, you can prevent the permanent loss of all essential documents, images, videos, and other valuable information.

This tool is compatible with all versions of Linux, including MX Linux, Manjaro, Linux Mint, Ubuntu, Debian, and more. With this program, you can recover deleted files from Linux on a Windows PC. In other words, you can connect the Linux drive to a Windows PC and restore the files.

Here is the list of items that you can recover with the Data Recovery Wizard utility:

• Deleted images, videos, documents, audio files, and other items.
• Formatted or damaged hard drives
• Unbootable Windows desktop or laptop

To utilize the tool's capabilities and recover lost files for free, you can download it. By downloading, you gain access to free recovery from various data loss scenarios, with the option to preview before restoring. Follow these steps to use the tool for data recovery software to restore deleted files in Linux: 1. **Download the Data Recovery Software**: Visit the official website of the data recovery tool and download the appropriate version for your Linux distribution (e.g., Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, etc.). 2. **Install the Software**: After downloading the package, install it on your Linux system using the package manager or by following the provided installation instructions specific to your distribution. 3. **Launch the Tool**: Open the data recovery software from your application menu or command line, depending on how it was installed. 4. **Select the Drive**: Choose the partition or storage device from which you want to recover the deleted files. If unsure, select the main system drive where your Linux operating system is installed. 5. **Scan the Partition**: Initiate a scan of the selected drive. The tool will search for deleted files and lost partitions. There might be different scanning options available, such as a quick scan or a deep scan, depending on the tool. 6. **Preview and Select Files**: Once the scan is complete, the tool will display a list of recoverable files. Preview the files to ensure they are the ones you intend to recover. 7. **Recover Files**: Choose the files you want to restore and specify a location to save them. Make sure not to save the recovered files on the same partition from which you're recovering, as it could overwrite other lost data. 8. **Wait for the Process to Finish**: The recovery process may take some time, depending on the size of the files and the speed of your system. Be patient and do not interrupt the process. 9. **Verify Recovered Files**: After the recovery is complete, check the saved files to ensure they are accessible and complete. Remember that not all deleted files can be recovered, especially if they have been overwritten by new data. It's crucial to act quickly after data loss to increase the chances of successful recovery.

Step 1: Install and run tools Data Recovery Wizard on your Windows computer. Select "Linux Recovery" on the left.

Step 2: The software will automatically detect your IP and port. You need to enter the username and password. If the IP address or port is incorrect, you can correct it manually. Then click "Connect Now".

Step 3. Once connected successfully, the data recovery software will start scanning the disk to look for all lost and deleted files. After the scan is finished, click on "Filter" > "Type" to specify the type of lost file you want to recover.

Select the type of data to recover

Step 4. Preview the scanned files first. Then, select the target data and hit the “Recover” button to restore lost files in Linux.

To recover deleted files in Linux using the command line, you can follow these steps. Keep in mind that file recovery is not guaranteed and depends on whether the data has been overwritten or not. 1. **Install File Recovery Tools:** Before you begin, make sure you have the appropriate file recovery tools installed. One popular tool is `testdisk`. Install it using the package manager for your distribution: - For Ubuntu/Debian-based systems: ``` sudo apt-get install testdisk ``` - For Fedora/RHEL-based systems: ``` sudo dnf install testdisk ``` - For Arch Linux: ``` sudo pacman -S testdisk ``` 2. **Boot into Live Mode (Optional):** If the deletion occurred while the system was running, it's recommended to boot from a live USB or CD/DVD to avoid writing any new data to the disk. 3. **Open TestDisk:** Launch the `testdisk` utility as root: ``` sudo testdisk ``` 4. **Select the Disk:** TestDisk will display a list of available disks. Choose the one where the deleted file was located. 5. **Choose the Partition Table Type:** Select the correct partition table type for your disk (e.g., "Automatic," "BIOS" or "EFI"). 6. **Choose the Partition:** Next, choose the partition where the deleted file resided. You may see "Current" (the currently active partition) and "Previous" (previous partition settings) options. Select the appropriate one. 7. **Analyze the Partition:** Press "Enter" to analyze the partition. This will help TestDisk find any deleted partitions or files. 8. **Deep Search (Optional):** If the file doesn't show up after the analysis, choose "Deep Search" to search for additional deleted data. 9. **Locate the Deleted File:** Once the search is complete, navigate through the directories until you find the deleted file. Be cautious, as the file names might be scrambled. 10. **Recover the File:** To recover the file, highlight it and press "P" to preview it. If it looks okay, press "C" to copy the file to another location. Choose a safe destination to prevent overwriting other data. 11. **Exit TestDisk:** After the recovery, press "Q" to quit TestDisk. Remember that this process might not always result in a complete recovery, especially if the disk space has been reused since the deletion. It's crucial to act quickly and avoid writing new data to the affected partition.

When a file is accidentally deleted, the `lsof` command can be a lifesaver to help restore it. To prevent its closure before deleting a file, you can create a copy of it, as applications might keep a file open even after it's been accidentally deleted. Let's see how this works:

Step 1: Install the TestDisk utility on your system.

The first step is to install TestDisk. On Debian-based/Ubuntu distributions, update the package list and install TestDisk:

Image Source: https://www.linuxtechi.com/how-to-recover-deleted-files-in-linux/

If you're running CentOS 8, RHEL 8, Rocky Linux 8, or AlmaLinux 8, you'll need to have the EPEL repository installed first.

Next, update the widget and deploy the disk check as follows:

After installation, you can check its version to make sure TestDisk has been successfully installed:

From the output, you can see that we have booted into TestDisk 7.1. Now, it will let you simulate how it would go about recovering deleted files in a stress scenario.

Step 2: Use TestDisk to recover the deleted document.

To illustrate how to recover deleted files from a disk, we'll delete some files from a USB drive. These files won't even be in the Trash, and our goal will be to get them back.

You might have had a similar situation where you have deleted few files from your Portable USB drive/Flash Drive. To retrieve them, follow the steps mentioned below.

In your terminal, run the following command to start TestDisk:

Drive Test Tool

As a command-line tool, TestDisk presents a series of options, as shown. By default, it highlights the largest logical partition it found at the start. Press Enter to choose Create.

The next screen shows the volumes that are installed. However, to see all disks and partitions, you need sudo access.

So, use the arrow keys to select “Sudo” and press Enter.

Note: To avoid issues, you can actually run the testdisk utility with sudo in the terminal.

This time, all the boot partitions should be displayed. Select the drive you want. In our case, we select the removable USB drive. Use the right arrow key to highlight “Continue” and press Enter.

TestDisk will automatically detect the partition table type. For unpartitioned disks, including USB drives, it might detect an Unpartitioned Media type. In that case, just press Enter.

Your removable disk's partition table can be indexed as shown. At a minimum, choose Undelete.

TestDisk will scan your drive for deleted files and highlight them in purple.

To restore these files, you first need to select them. So, scroll down and fully highlight each option with a colon (:). You might find that each file is highlighted in green.

Now, to copy the file, press “SHIFT + C” to input the capital “C.” This will allow you to choose the ideal location to save your file. Here, we'll opt to save the document in the “Public” directory. Select the folder and hit the Enter key.

It shows the modification date of the target list, choose one, and press Enter again.

TestDisk will notify you when the file has been successfully copied.

To verify that the file has been copied, go to the Vacation Destinations list and check that the document is there.

Recovered files will be saved with root ownership and permissions. You can use the chown command to change this.

To exit TestDisk, you'll need to press “q” repeatedly until you're back at the bash shell.

How to Recover Linux Partition in Windows

The Data Recovery tool fully supports the recovery of lost, deleted, or formatted data from ext2 or ext3 Linux partitions.

Conclusions

Recovering accidentally deleted files is very important; sometimes, it can save your life. This article will show you how to recover data using tools and the command line in Linux. It's a quick and easy option for file recovery that allows you to restore your files faster than with other methods.