Recover Data from Trashed GUID Partition Table on Mac

Summary: This blog shares valuable information on how to recover data from a trashed GUID partition table on Mac.

We will share the way to perform data recovery from a damaged partition map on Mac using Stellar Data Recover Professional for Mac software.

Feel free to try the demo version of the software.

GPT (GUID Partition Table) provides information for the partitions in the drives. GUID Partition Table uses globally unique identifiers to identify information to prevent conflicts between identifiers. GPT header has a pointer to the partition table and stores a backup header which comes handy to restore tables when the primary tables are damaged. Moreover, GUID Partition Table is reliable as it carries CRC checksums to protect partition tables.

However, things may go wrong and you might damage the GUID Partition Table.

Let’s imagine that while creating or resizing your Mac hard drive, you accidentally execute diskutil partitionDisk /dev/disk2 GPT HFS+ external disk command on the wrong drive (suppose a USB mounted external backup disk) and alter its structure. As a consequence, the GUID partition table gets destroyed and your data on the external drive turns inaccessible.

Data Recovery from Trashed GUID Partition Table

When the GUID Partition Table is damaged, only the pointers are deleted; implying that data is still there. You can write a new GUID Partition Table using TestDisk or sudo commands but that involves the pain of learning how to use Terminal commands and requires administrative maintenance. Stellar Data Recovery Professional for Mac saves you from the painstaking task.

Learning how to use the Terminal is not a prerequisite to operating the software. Anyone with the access to the keyboard can use its ‘Can’t Find Volume’ feature to easily recover lost data from the trashed GUID Partition Table. Further, you can retrieve data from partition lost due to corruption.

The software doesn’t:

• require terminal commands
• creates security hazard
• modifies file structure

Steps to Recover Data from the GUID Partition Table:

First, Download the software < Install in Application folder

Step 1: Toggle – ON the file type button and click ‘Next’

Step 2: On the ‘Select Location’ screen, select ‘Can’t Find Volume’ and click Scan

Step 3: From the given list, select the required hard disk to search the partition and click ‘Search’

Step 4: The software searches and lists the lost partition

Step 5: Select the partition and click ‘Scan’

Step 6: The software scans the volume for recoverable files

Step 7: Once the scanning is complete, the software lists all the recoverable files

Step 8: Preview the files and save them to the desired location

Watch the Video to Recover Data

After recovering your data from the GUID Partition Table, create a new partition map via Disk utility. The steps are as follows:

1. Restart your Mac and press and hold Command + R until it restarts
2. From the given options, select Disk utilities
3. Select the disk and click Erase
4. Click the format menu and select Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
5. Click Erase > Done

Conclusion

GUID partition table creates a unique identity for different entities which makes caching easier and avoids conflicts in database tables. If the GUID Partition Table is affected due to technical errors like frequent system crash, power spikes or due to Mac start-up disk issues, turn to Stellar Data Recovery Professional for Mac for systematic, efficient and timely data recovery.